TrulyGrace

Wine and Cheese with J. Michael Thompson

After spending some time grading yesterday afternoon, I met up with Christina P and Regina C (my summer roommates) at the Wine and Cheese evening. Before the evening started, I talked briefly with the speaker. The evening started with three-part motet sung by the Oratory Schola, led by Ryan Murphy. Then J. Michael Thompson delivered a talk about sacred music. He noted that "THREE
THINGS ARE NEEDED FOR BEAUTY, WHOLENESS, HARMONY, AND RADIANCE." (St. Thomas Aquinas, quoted in Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man). His talk was edifying and entertaining. Danelle, Emily, and Justin from choir were all present.

Us three ladies chatted with Chris, and Kyle and Maggie chatted with us, as well. Br. Peter indicated that Joey was doing well as a FOCUS missionary, and is preparing for his upcoming nuptials.

Here is a description of the talk by Thompson, from the PR from the Oratory:
Inquiries into the "good" of good music are and will long be a standard human pastime, both in sacred and secular terms. Our concern lies a step back: why is music itself good in the first place, and not simply a pleasure. The questions then proceed to fall in line: which music (genre, artist, period) reflects that good
adequately, and why? At what time or in what places? What, if any,
priorities exist in the practice of sacred music? And finally, what, if
any, implications follow for the rest of Christian life?

J. Michael Thompson, founder of the Schola Cantorum of St. Peter the
Apostle, will give a short presentation.

posted by Grace @ 3/04/2012 09:08:00 AM