Views from the Choir Loft

Square Notes: The Sacred Music Podcast

Fr. David Friel · March 10, 2019

EBCASTING aficionados take heed: a new podcast devoted to sacred music has just been launched. Entitled Square Notes, the program is dedicated to exploring the teaching and vision of the Church on the topic of liturgical music. This project brings the discussion of truly sacred music to a new platform, supplementing what is already available through professional organizations, in the blogosphere, and in print.

The hosts of the podcast are Dr. Jennifer Donelson and Mr. Peter Carter, whose full bios are posted on the podcast’s website.

The first episode (the only one available so far) is an interview with Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of Portland, OR (see here for news of his recently promulgated “Archdiocesan Liturgical Handbook”). The interview, which lasts just over half an hour, involves an engaging discussion of the principles of sacred music and the importance of worthy liturgical celebration.

Future episodes will include stories of conversions prompted by sacred music, conversations with specialists in musical pedagogy for children, and such notable guests as Fr. Cassian Folsom, OSB, Dr. William Mahrt, and Charles Cole.

This new podcast is distributed through various media, including iTunes, YouTube, SoundCloud, and Stitcher. See the program’s own website for links to these listening platforms.

You can also like their Facebook page to stay abreast of newly posted episodes.

For my own first foray into the world of webcasting, check out this podcast from a couple years ago about what constitutes true sacred music.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

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—Jeff Ostrowski

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—Jeff Ostrowski

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—Jeff Ostrowski

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—Corpus Christi Watershed

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—Daniel Tucker