“The Beauty of the Sung Mass”: A Public Lecture by Dr. William Mahrt (Stanford)

The inaugural lecture of the Catholic Institute of Sacred Music’s Public Lecture and Concert series will be given by Dr. William Mahrt of Stanford on the topic of “The Beauty of the Sung Mass.”

The fundamental beauty of the Mass is the action of Christ offering a sacrifice to the Father, in which the people are essential participants. The music of the Mass creates a sense of transcendent order and purpose, and in a dynamic motion, focuses upon the action of Christ. The various elements of chant and polyphony, of celebrant, choir, and people each makes a unique contribution to this Christocentric beauty.

The lecture will focus on the beauty of the action of Christ in the Mass and the people’s participation in his sacrifice. Sung examples will illustrate the various ways in which music creates a dynamic motion supporting this action. The roles of celebrant, choir, and congregation will be described as each making a unique contribution to this Christocentric beauty.

The in-person event will be followed by a reception. Ample guest parking is available on-site. Live-streaming and archived viewing of the event are also available. Please visit http://catholicinstituteofsacredmusic.org or http://beautyofthesungmass.eventbrite.com to RSVP. An RSVP is appreciated, but not required. This free event is open to the public.