Few things impact the celebration of the liturgy more concretely than music. Ask any Mass-goer exiting the church to recap the Gospel and he or she may begin to resemble the proverbial deer in the headlights. However, ask that same person to name any hymn sung during the liturgy and you’re not only more likely to receive an actual answer (or even a serenade), but you’re also likely to receive an o...
In his recent essay on the Sacrament of Marriage, Timothy O’Malley observed that a deeply consumerist culture has grown up around the nuptial liturgy and the reception. Having assisted engaged couples with choosing the liturgical music for their wedding ceremonies, I can attest that this consumerist culture is not simply relegated to externals like flowers and clothing; rather, it has seeped into ...
Soon after the release of her latest album Inheritance, Catholic singer-songwriter Audrey Assad graciously provided the following interview describing her inspirations and her aspirations for this project and for her music in general. We are grateful to Audrey for sharing her thoughts with us as a complement to the review of her album featured here at Church Life.
In a response to U2 frontman Bono’s criticism that Christian music lacks honesty, a recent piece at Aleteia named Catholic singer-songwriter Audrey Assad as one of five “real” Christian singer-songwriters, citing her latest latest album Inheritance as the reason behind their choice. What sets Assad apart from the other four artists named in the article provides the focus for this review of her apt...
Last week, composer Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Pulitzer Prize winning musical Hamilton, which tells the story of “ten-dollar founding father” Alexander Hamilton through rap and hip hop, made history of its own when it received sixteen Tony nominations, more than any other Broadway musical.
As the Church enters into its yearly observance of Holy Week, liturgical musicians throughout the world anticipate the fruition of months of preparation and prayer. Every year, the liturgies of Holy Week, and especially of the Sacred Paschal Triduum, place a joyous burden on those involved in liturgical music ministry as they lead congregations in singing the mysteries that lie at the heart of the...
