Joseph Gelineau, S.J. Requiescat
Some notice should be taken of the death of Fr. Joseph Gelineau, S.J., on August 8th, at the age of 87. In the 1950s the simple music to which he put the Psalms began to become known in the U.S. He had collaborated in the translation of the Psalms into French for the Bible de Jérusalem, which was eventually translated as the Grail Psalter. His melodies made the Psalms singable by an average congregation. Perhaps most familiar would be his version of Ps. 23: “My shepherd is the Lord; nothing indeed shall I want.” Or of Ps 136: O give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his great love is without end.”
His book, Voices and Instruments in Christian Worship, written just before Vatican II, but updated in the light of the conciliar constitution on the liturgy, was considered one of the most important books of its kind. He believed that the most important criterion for judging music meant for worship was whether it expressed and assisted entry into the mystery of salvation. He later composed chants for the Taizé community with which he was associated for decades.
Someone else will have to give a proper musical appreciation. Our wonderful director of music and the choir at St. Joseph’s Seminary (Dunwoodie), Msgr. Richard B. Curtin, had begun introducing Gelineau’s psalms into the seminary’s worship in the late 1950s. In the summer of 1961 I found myself in Chartres Cathedral, at a Mass for handicapped children, at which a choir of young people were singing Gelineau Psalms. I thought I had died and gone to heaven.
RIP
Thanks for recognizing someone who contributed so much. I will never forget the singing of the 23rd psalm at the funeral of a young priest – it poured out of the church as they brought out his coffin. I also recall the dismissive comment, by an expert on chant, of his arrangements as “so much jelly-roll.” This is a pervassve issue, not easily solved, between popular liturgy and aesthetic quality.
I’ve heard that expression “jelly-roll” before as well, and I think it’s an incredibly cheap shot, with as much credibility as “Haagen-Dazs” as a slam on Marty Haugen and David Haas. Why people use these 4th-grade jokes in public is beyond my comprehension.
I’ve found that implementing Psalms at Mass is difficult. People prefer songs. In other words, the current resistance that I’ve found to Gelineau settings is not that they are too accessible, but the opposite, that they require more discipline than we’re used to.
I think Gelineau’s tones are meditative and beautiful and worth recovering–I would like to know more about his theory, and am glad to know about his book. Someday I might even read it, but right now I have to write a letter to the 26 children who have finished their basic training in my parish’s Youth Classical Schola, and start recruiting for the next group as well. Gregorian chant, all the time–that’s the wave of the future.
Fr. Komonchak, thank you for calling our attention to Fr. Gelineau’s passing. He was a giant of the reform in liturgical music.
I believe it’s difficult for us to appreciate in retrospect the breadth of the tasks facing that first generation of pioneering liturgical artists of the renewal. What should Catholic worship in English sound like? What words should we use? What configurations of singers and musicians? What should the assembly sing? What about the priest? What styles are most suitable? Should we use chant elements? Should we borrow from the Protestant liturgical churches? Would music from paraliturgical devotions be acceptable? Are there secular elements that we may incorporate?
Looking back from the perspective of 2008, much of this seems self-evident because we have the benefit of 40+ years of experience. But none of it was obvious then. And of course, many of these issues continue to be worked out.
FWIW – in the midwest American suburban milieu in which I minister, liturgical music has been on a vector toward a more popular style for quite a long time – a couple of decades or more. The cantor is morphing into a solo performer; instrumentation becomes progressively more electronic; arrangements are getting slicker; and performance spaces look more like stage sets than ever before. Fr. Gelineau’s work used a different mixture of accessible melody, scriptural lyrics and interesting musical plumbing. At the same time, it incorporated traditional hallmarks of Catholic liturgical music, such as chant and organ. It was, I’d argue, more faithful to the Council’s vision of liturgical music than the Christian Contemporary music that seems to be the next coming thing in Catholic musical worship.
There is a place at the table for many styles of music. Gelineau’s important contributions deserve a seat for many years to come.
I, too, value Gelineau’s contributions more than words can say. Thanks, Fr. Komanchak, for mentioning Msgr. Curtin also, whom I knew as pastor of my home parish, a long time ago!
Thanks, Fr. K. Excellent summary, Jim. I enjoyed my time in the choir under Rory Cooney and signing some of his arrangements. Brings back good memories. Only wish we heard more of his music today.
“On the Manner of Saying the Divine Office”
“We believe that the divine presence is everywhere
and that ‘the eyes of the Lord
are looking on the good and the evil in every place’ (Prov. 15:3).
But we should believe this especially without any doubt
when we are assisting at the Work of God.
To that end let us be mindful always of the Prophet’s words,
‘Serve the Lord in fear’ (Ps. 2:11)
and again ‘Sing praises wisely’ (Ps. 46:8)
and ‘In the sight of the Angels I will sing praise to You’ (Ps. 13[14]
7:1).
Let us therefore consider how we ought to conduct ourselves
in sight of the Godhead and of His Angels,
and let us take part in the psalmody in such a way
that our mind may be in harmony with our voice.”
~ Rule of St. Benedict, Chapter 19
Rita: Msgr. Curtin was the choir director at Dunwoodie for many years and tried to teach us Gregorian Chant. I still remember the first stime I heard the choir singing polyphony when I first entered the seminary. A CD is available of some of his choir’s work.
He was also one of the chief editors of an excellent hymnal that came out in 1966, “The Catholic Hymnal and Service Book.” I had the chance to tell him before he died a few years ago that I still thought it better than anything else available. It is very hard to find now. (Apparently, when new hymnals are introduced, the old ones must be thrown in the trash.)
He was pastor for a while in Ellenville, NY. Is that where you knew him?
No, it was Ascension parish, on the upper west side. He was only there a few years, but yes indeed during that time we acquired the excellent hymnal you mention, which I’m sure is out of print. I still have a copy.
It’s a small world. Bill, you know Rory then? I too, and I admire his acute theological and social justice interests. Christ the Icon is a wonderful example.
Rita – Rory and I were college classmates. He attended a Vincentian high school seminary in California; I attended one in Texas. He left the college seminary the year before we graduated. Have kept up with him over the years – on and off. We re-connected a couple of years ago – he has a blog which is very interesting; has done some workshops in Texas; is very active in the North American Forum for the Catechumenate; and consults with GIA, Oregon Press, and Bishop Trautmann.
We have a good friend, one year behind us, who is the music director at Old St. Pat’s in downtown Chicago.
I also know Rory – his parish is a couple over from mine. Actually know him better from cyber activities than person-to-person but have also met him face-to-face once or twice. His good friend Gary Daigle is the music director at our parish. His lyrics are amazing – the way he can weave scripture and social justice.
My goodness, this is just like a wake — where you meet people you didn’t know you had any connection to! I’ve done Forum institutes with Rory, and we occasionally correspond about theological issues. And by the way, there is a Forum story concerning Joseph Gelineau — he was at the first ever gathering on the catechumenate, organized by Christianne Brusselmans in Senanque, France in the late ’70s. He took some of the participants out on a walking tour, punctuating his remarks with singing… He did live the joy of what he professed!
(Pardon me for cut and pasting something I’ve blogged elsewhere.)
Communion time is the perfect place to make a small but important change in music programming. Instead of singing a hymn from the hymnal, try singing a Psalm that has some relationship to the Eucharist.
Examples include:
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my shepherd
Many others are possible. On special days, consider using biblical canticles that are arranged in refrain-verse format, such as the Magnificat on a Marian feast, the Benedictus on a Feast of St. John the Baptist. Last week, for the Baptism of the Lord, we sang, “You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.”
Have the cantor intone a refrain; the people respond, then the cantor sings the verses, much like a responsorial psalm. The people can sing this refrain while processing to Communion, like those on pilgrimage. No book or rehearsals are necessary.
This is a very easy option for Masses with or without a choir and I believe that it will have great spiritual benefit for the people.
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