December, 2015 - Church Musicians Guild of Buffalo

The Church Musician ~ The Quilisma
The Bulletin of the Church Musicians’ Guild of Buffalo
A Chapter of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians
December 2015
Mass Settings Revisited
A total of 18 parishes in the Diocese of Buffalo have reported use of new and revised mass settings since the debut of the
revised missal some years ago. While the sampling was relatively small, the number of compositions mentioned was
very broad. Thirty-three mass settings were reported to be in use. These range from the well-known Mass of Creation to
original works written by the music directors themselves. Ron Martin wrote the Missa Pax et Bonum that is used at St.
Joseph University Parish in Buffalo. Daniel Victoor composed the Mass of Saint Vincent de Paul and the Mass of Saint
Gregory the Great for his church. Anita Harless of Niagara Falls wrote a Gloria for her parish. One musician made some
text adjustments for a revised Gloria, and a few others pull from different sources for the same mass setting.
A consideration should be made of the document Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship published by The United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops. The writers state that in order to make clear the ritual unity of the Eucharistic prayer, it
is recommended that “there be a stylistic unity to the musical elements of the prayer, especially the Sanctus, the
Memorial Acclamation, and the Great Amen.”
It is understood that the choice of music settings is driven in part by the hymnals in the pews and the musical instruments
at hand. However, we know that Catholics frequently attend different churches to accommodate personal time
schedules. It seems to me that the diversity of choices makes it difficult for the average person to participate in mass
outside of his or her own parish.
The well-known composer Richard Proulx had a similar problem in coping with
the music at Holy Name Cathedral. This church in Chicago draws people from
all over the city in addition to many tourists. As a result, the chant masses Missa
Emmanuel and Corpus Christi Mass were composed to facilitate participation with an
echo pattern.
There was really no surprise in calculating the settings used most often. Mass of
Creation was mentioned 13 times. Mass of Awakening and Mass of Christ the Savior
came in second and third place, respectively. Mass of Christian Unity, Mass of the
Angels and Saints, and Mass of Glory received four votes each.
Continued on Page 2
Membership Renewal
Deadline
The deadline for inclusion in the guild
directory is December 15, 2015.
Please send your dues to: Sarah
Sutcliff, 234 Fenton St, Buffalo, NY
14206. Dues are $20 per person and
$30 for musician and pastor.
A membership form is available on our
website, cmgbuffalo.org.
Lorem Ipsum
CMG December 2015, page 2
Mass Settings Revisited (cont’d)
There is also a wide variance in the number of settings used. St.
Katherine Drexel reported using twelve different musical settings!
Most parishes use at least three settings. Led by Tim Socha, the Music
Ministry at our Cathedral developed the following format:
Advent: German Mass (Schubert)
Christmas: Mass of Creation (Haugen)
Epiphany to Lent: Mass of Awakening (Soper)
Lent: Corpus Christi Mass (Proulx)
Easter: Mass of Creation
June/July: Mass of Awakening
August/September: Community Mass (Proulx)
October/November: Mass for a Servant Church (Guimont)
Gloria from Missa Simplex (Proulx)
CMG guild member, Kathy Felong, formerly of Buffalo and now of
Erie, PA, writes that her parish does not have an organ. Kathy is a
trained liturgist and guitarist. Her church makes different choices
based on the presence of an ensemble comprised of guitar, bass,
percussion, and piano.
Advent/Christmas: Mass of Creation (Haugen)
Winter-Ordinary Time: Mass of Joy and Peace (Alonso)
Lent: Mass of Christian Love- a capella (Warner)
Easter: Mass of Creation
Summer-Ordinary Time: Mass of Redemption (Janco)
Fall-Ordinary time: Mass of Joy and Peace
Both parishes use Mass of Creation to facilitate congregational singing at
Christmas and Easter when visitors come from many places and more
Catholics are in attendance. For similar reasons, many churches use
the Haugen and Soper masses for funerals.
-Bill Fay
New Music Review
by Peter Gonciarz
I realize that as you read this, the last
thing you will want to think about is Holy
Week/Easter planning, however Easter falls
in March this year, so buckle up! I would like
to review a new arrangement of Were You
There? by Raymond H. Haas titled When They
Crucified My Lord. The arrangement is rather
simple and uncomplicated (perfect for the
small church choir), however you will need
SATB, soprano and tenor soloists, and
organ. You will find that throughout most of
the piece, the chorus "ooos" softly
underneath the tenor and soprano soloist
while they sing of the familiar tune. The
chorus will get their big moment at the
climax of the piece. The accompaniment is an
actual organ part, written on three staves, and
includes
detailed
registration
indications. This is the perfect piece if you
happen to have a couple high school students
to take the soprano and tenor solo parts. It is
tried and tested that giving teenagers solos is a
sure way to keep them in your music
program, so here is your piece of music to
include them! If you do chose to include this
piece in your Holy Week repertoire, consider
using it during the Veneration of the Cross on
Good Friday - especially if you already sang
the regular hymn version of Were You There?
with your assembly on Palm Sunday. Enjoy!
The Trinity Series
The Blessed Trinity series continues on Sunday, December 6, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. when The Freudig Singers of WNY present
Magnificant Pie. Under the direction of Roland E. Martin, the Freudig Singers offer audible as well as edible holiday confections.
Highlighted will be Samuel Scheidt’s Magnificat, which inserts German carols between portions of the text, as well as a delightful
assortment of holiday favorites, old and new. Their very popular seasonal program concludes with their traditional post-concert pie
reception. We’ll save you a piece!
Blessed Trinity is located at 317 Leroy Avenue, Buffalo. The Landmark Church is wheelchair accessible and has secured off-street
parking. Additional information at www.blessedtrinitybuffalo.org or 716-832-2540.
CMG December 2015, page 3
The Jubilee Year of Mercy
By Father John Mack
Beginning on this year's Feast of the Immaculate Conception (the
50th anniversary of the solemn closing of the Second Vatican
Council) and extending through the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus
Christ the King 2016, a an extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy
presents to all of us the opportunity for spiritual renewal.
The opening of this sacred time of jubilee involves, however, the
opening of Holy Year doors, sacred space, which serve as a symbolic
opening for seekers and searchers to discover anew the Divine Gift
of healing and hope. For those of us engaged in ministries, which
serve Sunday worship of the Holy Trinity, our jubilee invites us to
encounter Divine Mercy personally and within our particular faith
community.
How inviting is our music ministry as an encounter with
Mercy? How do we discover anew the presence of Christ through
the Holy Spirit who moves in our midst especially in the stranger
and guest? In what manner does our ministry in Word and
Sacrament, through song and silence, shape the space for
transformation, conversion, and a deepening of relationship with
God?
However we celebrate this extraordinary Jubilee Year throughout
the next eleven months, may we keep in mind and heart that Jesus
Christ is the merciful face of the Father, hopefully is seen and heard
within the creative endeavor of music-making from Lord's Day to
Lord's Day.
Calendar of Upcoming
events
Thursday, December 15, 2015 – Deadline for inclusion in
member directory
Friday, January 15, 2016- 6:30pm – CMG Dinner, Eagle
House
Tuesday, March 1, 2016- 7:00pm – Nick Del Bello
presents Literature for Wind Instruments In the Liturgy, Our Lady Help
of Christians Church, Cheektowaga
Sunday, April 17, 2016- 4:00pm – Members’ Recital, St.
Benedict’s Church, Eggertsville
Thursday, May 19, 2016- 7:00pm – Mass, Awards, and
Reception at St. Francis Church, Tonawanda
ANNUAL GUILD DINNER
Please join your colleagues for drinks, dinner,
and good conversation on Friday, January 15.
We will meet at the Eagle house on Main Street
in Williamsville at 6:30pm. This is a change
from the original venue published earlier this
year.
We will convene in a private room on the
second floor. You may order off the menu and
there is no minimum number of guests
required. However, if you do want separate
checks, the restaurant requests that patrons give
the server enough time to process the bills.
Michael Hauser is our director of hospitality this
year. Please call him at 602-3489 to reserve a
seat. Parking can be a challenge so we suggest
you come early to get a space.
In memoriam
2015
Former Guild Members
Raymund Fabiniak
Sister M. Virginis Kozlowski
Victoria Maggioli
Victor Przybyl
Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let
perpetual light shine upon them.
CMG December 2015, page 4
Spotlight on Board
Member
Michael Hauser
Michael Hauser serves full time as music
director for St. Jude the Apostle Church in
North Tonawanda. Michael began taking
piano lessons as a child and was introduced
to the organ as a teenager at St. Gerard’s
Church. At one time, he took organ lessons
from the well-known Kent Vanderband at
Kenmore Presbyterian Church.
Most of his church positions have been parttime until Ascension and St. Albert the Great
merged. This resulted in more work and a
larger choir. Mike directs a 30 voice choir
made up of teenagers through senior
citizens. They are a very social group, and
they sing at various community venues
around town. They have performed for the
Sisters of St. Francis, for the dedication of a
mausoleum, and at the Riviera Theatre as a
back-up group for an entertainer.
The Festival Chorus, under direction of Heather Lovelace, will
present a Christmas concert of unique arrangements of familiar carols
entitled "Carols for a King" on Sunday, December 13, 2015 at
3pm. This concert will take place at the Parish of St. Katharine Drexel
in the Lovejoy neighborhood of Buffalo. The chorus will be
accompanied by Tom Rutter on piano and organ. He will be joined by
Peter Gonciarz on piano and the Festival String Quartet. Tickets are $6
pre-sale and $8 at the door. Those interested may see a choir member,
call the church rectory at (716) 895-6813 or the choir president, Diane
Campbell at (716) 698- 3206.
A Note of Thanks
Thank you to all who participated in the October Choral
Festival! Our many musicians made it a great success!
Mike and his wife, Kathy, have five children.
In addition to his church work, Mike is
involved in property management in Niagara
Falls. The musician is serving his second
year on the board and recently took on the
job of Director of Hospitality.
St. Martin of Tours to host
John Michael Talbot
St. Martin of Tours, 1140 Abbott Rd, Buffalo, will
host a retreat Monday, May 16 and Tuesday, May
17, 2016 from 7-8:30pm. Mark your calendar for
two inspirational evenings with Christian Music
legend, best-selling author, community founder and
host of The Church Channel's weekly TV show "All
Things Are Possible,” John Michael Talbot.
COME BOTH EVENINGS! Each night is different
featuring a MESSAGE and MUSIC to RENEW
YOUR FAITH! All denominations and ages are
welcome!