Mr. Doug CowlingEXTRAORDINARY!
I received the following email posting from a non-CMAA colleague who thought it required notice and reply. What I have to say is below the communique from Mr. Doug Cowling.
Hi Charles,
I think you would be very interested to have a look at this email from the Anglican Music listserv.
I think you should reply to this message, but via your blog.
I hope all is well with you.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Douglas Cowling
Date: Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Subject: [Anglican-Music] CMAA Sacred Music Colloquium
To: ANGLICAN-MUSIC
The CMAA Sacred Music Colloquium has posted audio clips of all its
liturgies. Not very good quality but interesting to see what the
extraordinstas are promoting.
http://chant.dierschow.com/Colloquium/
Much of it sounds like anglo-catholicism revisted with lots of English adaptation. There's a fully sung compline in English that will alternately intrigue and horrify Howard.
Bud will be interested in the "Votive Vespers of Saints John and Paul,
Martyrs" (only an Anglican could come up with that rite!) that uses the fauxbourdons of Lassus throughout. A rare opportunity to hear the opening responses and all five psalms sung alternatim!
The conference also premiered a newly discovered Renaissance Requiem by Joan Brudieu (ca.1520-1591) Quite a lovely piece.
There is a session on New Composition including a serviceable Latin mass with piano (organ?), Missa O Fili et Filiae by Richard Rice.
The level of choral performance is adequate, but the recording is so awful that it's not fair to judge the choirs. If Americans can't throw money at better choirs for a showcase venture such as this, I can't see much of this repertoire trickling down.
Doug Cowling
Director of Music
St. Philip's Church, Etobicoke
Toronto
My reply to my friend follows:
Sigh....
Thanks, _____
That a fellow musician in service to a Christian denomination so closely related to the Roman church would publicly post such condescension and disdain towards fellow travelers is truly disheartening. But he knows NOT whereof he speaks.
I'll mull this over, whether it should be cross referred to Catholic fori, because what good would it serve. My blog might be okay, because virtually no one but you goes there, as far as I know.
It was heaven. The choirs he mistakenly infers were pre-existing units weren't; they are US attendees of all degrees of competence all focused upon.......serving the liturgies of the day with holiness, beauty and universality.
Mr. Cowling ought lower his proboscis, retract his invective and issue CMAA a formal congratulation, if only for recognizing what he also mistakenly thinks is an exclusively "AngloCatholic" paradigm of worship. "Extraordinistas?" Please.
Love,
C
4 comments:
The level of choral performance is adequate, but the recording is so awful that it's not fair to judge the choirs. If Americans can't throw money at better choirs for a showcase venture such as this, I can't see much of this repertoire trickling down.
Oh.
Oh my.
Oh my, my, my....
Well, the poor dear didn't understand what he was listening to...no matter.
(Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
p.s. How funny that he thinks the CMAA is comprised of "extraordinstas"!
(Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
Geri,
One might also think that if he was so careful to be clever and pithy with that expression, he'd've taken the time to check his spelling.;p
I always figured that one in a public position should take care not to publicly berate other musicians. Even despite my often snooty and elitist attitude, I try to avoid criticizing other musicians if I can assume their good will and best efforts, which I will do short of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
It's clear to me that he misunderstands the purpose of the colloquium. In Anglican circles, it's common to show off perfection at conventions. At the CMAA, the message is "this is something that anyone can do."
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