The Easter Sequence: Victimae paschali laudes

schuler20 April will be the 14th anniversary of the death of Msgr Richard Schuler.  A great deal as been written about him and we all owe a debt of gratitude to him for what he did.

In his memory, and to respond to the many requests I received about a piece I used in one of my podcasts for the Easter Octave, here is the rendition of Victimae Paschali Laudes by Pietro Yon which parishioners of St. Agnes in St. Paul have now heard for decades, during the pastorate of Msgr. Schuler (the conductor of the choir and orchestra) and under his successors.

Yes, this can be done in a parish.  Not every parish, mind you.  But, yes, in a parish.

First, listen to the Sequence as sung by the St. Agnes Schola Cantorum and, especially, the Chorale (I was in both these recordings lo those many years ago).  This is for the N.O. and so it (sadly) lacks the “Amen! Alleluia!”).

Then this… a parish choir, mind you.

 

 

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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5 Comments

  1. Andreas says:

    Thank you for this, Father Z.! The Twin Cities Catholic Chorale is the choir of the church of St. Agnes, which was founded and conducted by Monsignor Schuler. The choir has preserved some of its much beloved repertoire for the Liturgy on several excellent recordings. These can be purchased from Leaflet Missal, a wonderful “family owned and operated Catholic gifts and religious supplies store” located not far from St. Agnes in Saint Paul, MN. As per the Choir’s website (https://www.catholicchorale.org/ purchase-tccc-cds/), the following recordings of The Twin Cities Catholic Chorale and Members of the Minnesota Orchestra are available:
    – Christmas at Saint Agnes (https://www.leafletonline.com/christmas-at-st-agnes-cd)
    – Gounod’s Mass of St Cecilia. Includes Gregorian Chant for Christmas Day (https://www.leafletonline.com/ gounod-at-st-agnes-cd)
    – Beethoven’s Mass in C. includes Gregorian Chant for Pentecost (https://www.leafletonline.com/ beethoven-at-st-agnes-cd).
    – Haydn’s Missa in Tempore Belli Hob. XXII:9 “Paukenmesse”. Includes Gregorian Chant for Easter Sunday (https://www.leafletonline.com/haydn-at-st-agnes-cd)

  2. Rob Pryb says:

    Thanks for posting this version, it’s beautiful! I thrill at 3:38 every time. WOW

  3. ASabine says:

    Thank you for posting these pieces. I have never been an emotional person but I cannot listen to that choral piece without being reduced to tears. The first time I heard it in 1994 I felt like I was in heaven hearing it at Mass. Unfortunately, perhaps maybe due to the Wuhan virus and not wanting so many people in the choir loft, they didn’t include that in Sunday’s OF Latin Mass.

  4. Gregg the Obscure says:

    Thanks! both are lovely. at the Cathedral a cantrix did the traditional chant on Sunday. now that attendance limitations are in abeyance, i’m hopeful the choir will be restored in short order and that i may succeed in my audition for it

  5. FranzJosf says:

    Thank you, Father, for posting the Yon setting; I didn’t know it, but hope to use it in the future. Having grown up Protestant, I mostly have known music from the Anglican Cathedral tradition and Renaissance Latin motets, but not much later Catholic liturgical music. Eventually I learned some from the French Parisians, like Ave verum settings by Guilmant and Faure, for example, but I know that there is a lot more out there. The Yon points in that direction. I’ve heard some nice pieces by Bartolucci when visiting ICK oratory in St. Louis, but his music is hard to find.

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