Polyphony, anyone?

This writer is packing to leave Ohio tomorrow morning, for the trip back east. But while that's going on, we want to leave you with a little something. It occurred to us while in Dayton last night, becoming reacquainted with Palestrina and Vittoria.

Occasionally, we here at man with black hat introduce works of sacred polyphony, from the great masters of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The truth is, many Catholic parishes have seen their choirs decimated over the last half century. But now, after two generations wandering the artistic desert, some Catholics actually notice the deprivation, and are in a position to do something about it. In this video, we are introduced to the possibility of doing so much, and with so little.

A project known as Corpus Christi Watershed has produced a collection of polyphonic works, especially designed for three voices, whether male, female, or mixed. This collection includes online resources for practice aids. And, if your congregation is needlessly paranoid about the slightest use of Latin amounting to "turning the clock back" (Oh, the humanity ...), this series is designed to be used with English verses, giving them more time to make the adjustment from their semi-literate condition.

Watch to learn more. Go to the website. Be impressed. Tell them that Black Hat Guy sent you.