Rome January 2010

Year For Priests Conference for Clergy
An Irish Choir Director’s Perspective
Ite O’Donovan   Director of The Lassus Scholars

 

It's almost 3.45 p.m. on Monday January 4th 2010 and the members of the Lassus Scholars, right on schedule, are meeting at St Peter’s Statue, right in front of the imposing façade of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, before entering into the hallowed grounds of the Vatican city to sing the first of five services for the Year For Priests Clergy Conference for English speaking clergy. A daunting proposition when one reads the proposed musical programme, even to the choir director who helped plan it! No time to contemplate such musical implications as the choir members are ushered past security to enter the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae built in 1996, where, in modern times, the cardinals reside during the papal conclaves.

That an Irish choir be invited to provide sacred music for an international conference of clergy from Australia, America and Europe held in Rome is a most unusual prospect at any time, but at a time when the Irish Catholic church is undergoing a period of great crisis following the publication of the Ryan and Murphy reports during 2009 it borders on the extraordinary.

Undaunted, the young ladies and men of the Lassus Scholars find their places in the beautiful modern chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae and set about to rehearse the music programme for the afternoon. Solemn Vespers in English, Novus Ordo, with a Magnificat setting by Lassus, followed by Benediction with the Latin hymns O Salutaris and Tantum Ergo will not overly challenge the musical resources of the group, but as we say in Ireland ‘Tosach maith, leath na hoibre’ (a good start halves the work) and we certainly hope to set a standard of music making which we will continue to expand on during the week.

The Service commences with Adeste fideles and immediately a joyful prayerful atmosphere descends upon all present. The musical psalm tones carry the ancient texts as the assembled clergy join with us in the universal prayer of the church. Inspiring words from Bishop Geoffrey Jarrett set the mood for the Conference which, from a lay person’s point of view, seems to wish to refresh and revitalise these individual clergymen who have travelled from many parts of the world to seek inspiration and direction in their individual and collective ministeries.

Benediction is followed by a rendition of Lassus’s wonderful 8-part motet Tui sunt caeli  “Thine are the heavens, and thine is the earth, the world and the fullness thereof thou hast founded: Justice and judgment are the preparation of thy throne” a favourite with the Lassus Scholars and which they sang on this occasion with great panache. A good choral start indeed. Liturgically all was in place with dignified processions, lots of incense and a deep pervading sense of the majesty and awe in the presence of God which, alas, many Irish congregations have rarely found in church in recent decades.

As the 77 priests processed out past the singers during the organ postlude, the choir-members are delighted by the very specific gestures of appreciation and commendation that are expressed (albeit non liturgically!) by the clergy. “Wow, they exclaimed, one priest clapped his walking-stick against his music book, another gave us the thumbs-up sign! I think they liked us!”

 

 

 

Tuesday’s Solemn Pontifical Mass, also in the New Rite,  (Vatican II) took place in the ancient church of Santa Maria in Trastevere, the main celebrant being Darío Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos
Here the programme was Lassus’s magnificent 8-part Missa Vinum Bonum, with Palestrina’s Hodie Christus Natus est (8-part) and Lassus’s Ave Verum. The plainchant Introit sounded magnificent in this 4th century Basilica and seemed to connect the worshippers of the past, when Rome was the centre of the early Christian world, with the international gathering present who could rightfully be said to represent the universal church of the early 21st century. From the choir’s point of view, it was wonderful to sing Lassus’s setting of the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus and double Agnus Dei, knowing that it was viewed as an integral part of the Liturgy. Here we would not be told to omit or cut short any part of this wonderful composition. Here our music mattered and contributed to the liturgical and spiritual experience of those gathered before us, clergymen and members of the public.

 

While choir-members had spent the day in rehearsals and sight-seeing, the priests before us in Santa Maria in Trastevere had had a rigorous day of seminars. At the end of this solemn Mass, during which the aptly chosen responsorial psalm for the day “You are a Priest forever, a Priest like Melchizedek of Old” had resounded throughout the building, we witnessed our clerical friends go down on bended knee to re-commit themselves, with great sincerity, to their clerical vocation. Oh that such a scene could have been witnessed in Ireland! Oh that the Irish clergy, en-masse, could be moved to demonstrate their commitment to the faithful as professional Christians (my personal term) in humility and service, and demonstrate their personal on-going commitment not only to a God-given vocation but also to the faithful in Ireland!

 

Wednesday morning, January 6th, The Lassus Scholars arrived at the church of Santissima Trinita dei Pellegrini, near the Sistine Bridge, and had breakfast at a local bar before entering the church for rehearsal at 8.50 a.m.
In 2008, following the publication in June 2007 of Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Letter “Summorum Pontificum”, the Pontiff  personally chose SS Trinita dei Pellegrini as the first Rome parish to be dedicated entirely to the Extraordinary Rite (Vatican I).

The church, closed for some years, shows signs of a new invigorating life. Though the choir balcony was small and dusty and the pipe organ totally out of commission, the acoustic was amazing and the Lassus Scholars gave a fine performance of Palestrina’s Missa Tu es Petrus at the 10.30 am. Epiphany Mass celebrated in the Extraordinary Rite by the parish priest, Fr Joseph Kramer, an Australian priest who has lived in Rome for over 30 years. This Mass was not part of the Clergy Conference schedule but that same afternoon, in SS Trinita dei Pellegrini, the Lassus Scholars, now positioned downstairs, led the singing of Solemn Latin Vespers and Benediction (Extraordinary Rite) with the main celebrant being the Dominican Archbishop J. Augustine Di Noia.  How wonderful for the choir-members to sing all five psalms of the second Vespers of the Epiphany in Latin to the ancient plainchant melodies with a full response from the congregation of clergy gathered before us. I had been asked prior to the service how long was the setting of the Palestrina’s 8 part Magnificat. Primi Toni. Fearfully (expecting that being long would be an issue) I had mumbled ‘about four or five minutes.’ “Wonderful!” was the reply. “The longer the better!”  What joyful words to a dedicated musician who fully understands the potential spiritual dimension and effectiveness of good music sung well in Liturgy! In fact during the Vespers we were asked to stop before the Gloria Patri as the elaborate ritual of incensation would take place before we continued with the words of praise to the Divine Trinity. Just before the Benediction the Lassus Scholars gave a most beautiful and most uplifting rendition of Victoria’s hauntingly beautiful O Magnum Mysterium. As choir director, I was so proud of them.

 

Thursday January 7th. Today is a special, and a busy day. For the first time since the close of Vatican II in 1965, a mass setting by Haydn would be sung in the Papal Archbasilica of St John Lateran during Solemn Pontifical Mass in the Extraordinary Rite, celebrated by Antonio Cardinal Cañizares Llovera, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Musically much had to be done. The Lassus Scholars had to rehearse the complete plainchant Propers of the day and then join with the orchestral players (members of the Rome Opera Orchestra) to rehearse Haydn’s Missa Cellensis in C (Mariazellermesse  composed in 1782). This is a glorious choral mass, composed before Archbishop Colloredo’s edict of 1781, banning the liturgical performance of mass compositions with orchestra for monetary reasons, took effect. From 2.00 p.m. the massive Archbasilica resounded with sweet sounds as tempos were chosen to suit the acoustic, music was rehearsed and singers and players had time to become a united and confident ensemble for this historic occasion.

 

In addition to the Haydn Mass the Lassus Scholars sang Stanford’s exquisite Beati Quorum Via and were joined by the orchestra for Mozart’s Ave verum and Laudate Dominum  The dramatic organ processional played by Fr Nicholas Dillon was balanced by the orchestral Recessional which was Mozart’s Epistle Sonata K 278, scored (as was the Missa Cellensis) for two oboes, two trumpets, timpani and strings. As the Liturgy progressed, we all knew that our music was contributing to the prayerful atmosphere. We also knew that we were giving a good musical performance, but it was only when we came home and watched the YOUTUBE video links on the New Liturgical Movement website that we could fully appreciate the wonderful ceremonial celebration in which we were participating. It was magnificent! It was heroic! It was awe-inspiring! And we had helped create it!

 

 

Friday January 8th. 530 am. Wake-up call for the members of the Lassus Scholars. Soon after 6.00 a.m. we were en route to the Vatican and arrived by 7.00 a.m., having stopped for that vital early morning coffee. Rehearsal was not possible in-situ so we just stood outside the entrance and with the help of a tuning fork went through the musical programme. In addition to Palestrina’s Missa Tu es Petrus which we had, thankfully, sung on Wednesday, we also sang his 6 part motet on which the parody mass was based. Durufle’s wonderful Tu es Petrus was to be the Gospel acclamation and we hoped to find space for his hauntingly beautiful Ubi Caritas. Bruckner’s magnificent Ave Maria was prepared for the Offertory. Then with warmed-up voices we entered St Peter’s basilica, one of the most magnificent sacred places in the world, to sing the 8.00 am. final Mass of the Clergy Conference at the Altar of the Chair, celebrated in the New Rite by Archbishop Raymond Burke.  Despite the early hour, The Lassus Scholars were in good voice throughout. Ubi Caritas was sung as a second motet at the Communion following which the assembled clergy joined us in a strong rendition of the hymn Holy God We Praise thy Name before the long procession of clergy exited the Basilica. It was all over. We were relieved that all had gone so well but also sad the great adventure, indeed the great pilgrimage, was at an end. As we stood on the steps in front of the Altar of the Chair to take the usual choir photo, we were surprised to see the clergy, still in liturgical dress, coming out. Thinking they were, like us, looking for the photo opportunity we were bowled over to discover that, no, they were coming out to thank us, to share their heart-felt gratitude with the Irish singers who had contributed to their Roman Liturgies.

 

After the short thank you speeches a priest spontaneously began to sing the plainchant Salve Regina. Immediately the entire group, clergy and choir, joined in. We stood there, singing and smiling, sensing the sincere gratitude of our priestly brothers and knowing in our deepest hearts that we were part of a heavenly fellowship.

 

 

On the New Liturgical Movement website I have since found the words spoken by Msgr. Guido Marini, Pontifical Master of Liturgical Ceremonies, to those who attended the Year for Priests Clergy Conference

“Why does the Church insist on proposing certain forms as characteristic of sacred and liturgical music which make them distinct from all other forms of music? Why, also, do Gregorian chant and the classical sacred polyphony turn out to be the forms to be imitated, in light of which liturgical and even popular music should continue to be produced today?

The answer to these questions lies precisely in what we have sought to assert with regard to the spirit of the liturgy. It is properly those forms of music, in their holiness, their goodness, and their universality, which translate in notes, melodies and singing the authentic liturgical spirit: by leading to adoration of the mystery celebrated, by favouring an authentic and integral participation, by helping the listener to capture the sacred and thereby the essential primacy of God acting in Christ, and finally by permitting a musical development that is anchored in the life of the Church and the contemplation of its mystery.”

This, Reverend Fathers, is what the Lassus Scholars endeavours to do when we sing in a liturgical celebration.
Thank you for allowing us to do so for you.

 

Ite O’Donovan
Dublin, January 12th 2010

Photos and Videos courtesy John Sonnen Used with permission

 

Slideshow courtesy of John Loughman