By way of Fr. Tim Finigan, we learn of an interesting colloquium forthcoming on the 1st of June at the London Oratory, sponsored by the Society of St. Catherine of Siena and the London Oratory School.The colloquium will be held from 1.45pm–6.30pm. As space is limited, if you would like an invitation to this event, please write to the Society of St. Catherine of Siena. (See Fr. Finigan's site for more details.)
Alter ad Alterum: The Seraphic Voice in the Liturgy
A Colloquium on the Possibilities for Chant at Mass and other Occasions
The colloquium will examine a variety of possibilities for reintroducing Gregorian chant into the life of ordinary Catholic Parishes, in all forms of the Roman rite.
In the first session Prof. Dobszay will give a presentation drawing on his experience over two decades of fostering and developing traditional chant in the vernacular and in Latin, at all forms of the Roman rite (old and new), at parish celebrations of Mass and Vespers with several kinds of adult choirs, a student schola, and scholas from Catholic parochial schools.
In the second session Prof. Dobszay will illustrate future possibilities in the form of an initial proposal for a ‘Graduale Parvum’ for parish use, in English and Latin, based on a return to practices widespread at an earlier stage of the development of chant, practices that were – somewhat unsuccessfully – adapted to the ‘Graduale Simplex’ published by the Vatican in 1967, and republished in 1970 in a version arranged for the 1970 Missal.
There will be ample opportunity in each session for wide-ranging discussion, covering everything from the experience of directing professional choirs to managing a small number of parish singers, and encompassing experience of all forms of the Roman Rite. The day will end with a brief reception to give participants a chance to talk to Prof. Dobszay in person.
Many readers will be familiar with László Dobszay's work, The Bugnini Liturgy and the Reform of the Reform.
