The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-03-29

the confessionals on Wednesday
and Saturday, and far into the
night the priests were busy with
devout and contrite penitents who
sought to arise with Christ to a
new life, and thus enhance the
value of the spiritual joys of
Easter.
In number of the churches in
the Twin Cities, the solemn and
impressive service of Tenebrae
was chanted by select choirs of
Seminarians from the st. Paul
Seminary. For weeks they had
received special training under
the direction Of the choirmaster,
Rev. Francis Missia, and the sue
cess with which they rendered the
ancient melodies evoked enthusi-
astic praise from music lovers
capable of approaching their
masterful rendition Of the Psalms
and Lamentations prescribed by
the liturgy of the Church for the
commemoration of the mysteries
of Holy Week. On Palm Sunday
and on Good Friday, the Passion
of Christ was chanted at the Mass
by trained soloists and four
part male chorus Of Seminarians.
In the Cathedral, the mother
| Church of the Diocese, the Holy
Week ceremonies were carried
out in all their wealth of rituals
tic beauty and impressiveness.
The chanting of the Seminary
choir was never heard to better
advantage. Under the direction
Of Father Missia, it infused, as it
were, new meaning and deeper
significance into the plaintive
song of the inspired writer's, and
under it's influence, the hearts Of
the listeners were filled with deep
er love and reverence for the sa-
cred mysteries Of the Passiontide.
All who heard the rendition of the
sacred chant are unanimous in
commencing the splendid work
done by the Seminarians. On
Easter Sunday they assisted the
regular choir at the Pontifcial
Mass which brought the beautiful
ceremonies of Holy Week to fit
ting close.
Referring to the elaborate cere-
monies and beautiful music Of the
Holy Week services at the Cathe-
dral, a local critic spoke enthusiast
tically Of the work Of the Semin-
arians.
Once year, he said, the people
of st. Paul are given an opportun-
ity to hear those ancient chants
and weird harmonies that have
come down through the centuries
as a part of our Christian heri-
tage. In these venerable chants
the words and music are so admir-
ably welded, that they never fail
to produce a profound impress
sion on the hearer AS usual, the
special music was rendered by
the students of st. Paul seminary,
where the reforms in church
music promulgated by Pope Plus
X. have been fully carried out.
Although they assisted in several
st. Paul churches, naturally the
Cathedral claimed the largest
number Of students where, under
the immediate direction Of Rev.
Father Missia, choirmaster at the
Seminary, they acquitted them
selves of their difficult task in a
faultless manner. Each year the
singing of the student body seems
to have reached the acme Of per-
lection, yet each succeeding year
seems to reveal new beauties and
still greater excellence-thanks,
doubtless, to their continued prac-
tice and the untiring efforts of
their accomplished director. While
the famous Paulist choir and the
CASG1uc CudpC1 CHOII may HdNe
an advantage in the large num-
Der of exquisitely trained boy
voices, yet the st. Paul male Choir,
us can compare favorably with
these organizations in the matter
of faultless chanting and the
beautiful blending and balancing
Of the voices in choral work
The hundreds of worshippers who
were unable to find even standing
room at some of the services am.
ply attest the high appreciation
in which true church music is
held by the people. 1t is to be
regretted that they cannot be
heard oftener during the year. Il
the Seminarians can carry these
high ideals of church music into
their future parishes, the frs
great reform undertaken by Piu,
", namely, that of church music
will soon become universal.