MUSICA SACRA CONFERENCE: INTRODUCTION AND BRILLIANT LECTURE FROM FR GUY NICHOLLS

Two speeches opened the event. James MacMillan was effusive and very positive and I felt that Archbishop Tartaglia gave a much better speech than the last one I had heard to welcome Archbishop Muller of the CDF. One of our number didn’t have the comparison and was not very impressed by His Grace’s technique. Nevertheless, the Archbishop strongly affirmed his desire that Gregorian Chant should be used in Catholic churches and noted that the poor should be exposed to the musical riches of the Church. He explained that his favourite hymn is Thomas Aquinas’ Adoro Te Devote.

Next Charles Cole rehearsed the music for the Mass. This was successful, apart from some details. A couple of people observed that Charles began in the wrong Mode but I didn't realise any of this. His approach to the pacing of Psalm verses was different from that of our teacher. James MacMillan helped out on this, emphasising the need to pause mid-verse at the *. And for the next verse to start quickly.

At 11.30 we had to choose from three options –  1. Releasing the Voice, 2. Introduction to chant notation or 3. Advanced Chant Class to be given by Father Guy Nicholls from the Birmingham Oratory. We chose Fr Guy, hoping that we could keep-up.

We could.

Father Guy began by taking us through the Gradual for the Saturday evening Vigil Mass, this replaces the Responsorial Psalm between the first and second readings:

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Dirigatur oratio mea sicut incensum in conspectu, Domine.
Elevatio manuum mearum sacrificium vespertinum.
Let my prayer be directed as incense in Thy sight O Lord.
The lifting up of my hands, as evening sacrifice. (Psalm 141).

I recorded the session with my iPod in my shirt pocket, so it sounds very scratchy but I hope that you can hear that Fr Guy’s voice was not only excellent but very precise.
By way of introduction he told us that this Gradual was typical in that the Versicle was generally the solo part and was of a wider range, certainly a higher note is usually reached, as in Elevatio. And that words seem to trigger certain musical shapes or ideas. Thus, Elevatio, raising up, actually produces a raising-up of the voice. Words are painted with the music.

Here is the clip. I will post the full YouTube link when it becomes available
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWbZIeSrEWc