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We worship Christ in words and song, and now, thanks to the hard work of the St. Thomas Music Ministry Choir, the music we hear in Mass each Sunday can fill our homes, cars and iPods. Speak Lord, In the Stillness is a new CD featuring nine songs of adoration and worship with music written by St. Thomas Music Ministry Director Cormac O'Duffy.
The CD features the Song of St. Thomas, (My Lord and My God).
In addition to the voices of Cormac and Fiona O'Duffy, St. Thomas parishioners Chuck and Mary O'Donnell are featured vocalists and parishioner Donna Curry plays the flute.
Cormac recently offered some insight into how and why the CD came to be:
Webmaster: Why did you want to record a CD?
Cormac: Fr. Christian was talking about Podcasting some of the music at Mass, but for this you need to have Podcast licenses. Besides the music quality of a live service would not be good, so we thought of making a CD of some of the music we have been introducing at church that could also be used with podcasts. Here it is!!
Webmaster: Where did you record the music?
Cormac: River Run Studios in Maryville and in the Church.
Webmaster: How long did it take to record the entire CD?
Cormac: In total 47 hours! We thought it would take twenty!
Webmaster: What are the biggest challenges in recording?
Cormac: Preparing the voice tracks for the choir to sing with and reducing the final music to a master which takes many hours!
Webmaster: What made recording different from performing during Mass?
Cormac: Background noise at mass would be impossible to remove as it was even difficult to remove - but easier - in a studio environment. Balance would be an enormous problem in a live recording and there would be less chance of making good edits.
Webmaster: Were some tracks recorded at different times?
Cormac: Most of the initial sung tracks were recorded immediately and then the slow process of tracking over other voices, etc. We probably were at the studio about 7 times all told!
Webmaster: How did the St. Thomas choir react to the idea of recording?
Cormac: A new challenge - something they had not done before - but they all enjoyed the experience and I hope were pleased with the outcome.
Webmaster: How did they hold-up under the pressure of recording?
Cormac: Trying to keep the noise to an absolute minimum was the biggest problem - such as rustling of papers etc!
Webmaster: How did you choose the selections on the CD?
Cormac: These are all my songs largely written for adoration and post communion meditation. Nearly all the words are traditional - from St Thomas Aquinas to Pope JohnXX11 and even Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. St Thomas Song based on John 20 was written specially for the Church and has been popular with the congregation.
Webmaster: This can't be an inexpensive endeavor. Do you have to sell a certain number of CDs to cover costs?
Cormac: We need to sell over 200 to cover costs - we have sold 100 so far so please come and buy one! They are available at the Parish Life Center!
Webmaster: My wife Mary (Mrs. Webmaster) says you guys need to record a Christmas CD. Any chance that might happen?
Cormac: I hope we may be able to record the Choir live with an Orchestra at Easter for a sung Classical Requiem. I hope we will also film this and make it available for purchase. We have other ideas to make recordings, but not a Christmas one as yet!
The CD is priced at $15 and available after Masses and in the St. Thomas Parish Family Life Center. Profits from the CD will go towards a special evangelization project.
Coming Soon: Music samples from the CD. Stay tuned! |
