Choir in the Liturgy of Catholic Church and Works by Lithuanian Choir Conductors, 1990-2015

Doctoral student: Linas Balandis
Supervisors: Prof. Povilas Gylys, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Danutė Kalavinskaitė
Department: Choral Conducting
Intended duration: 2014–2018

Abstract

Linas Balandis

The Catholic Church has served as a medium for the spread, development and professional growth of choir music for centuries. It is where new genres of church (choir) music emerged and performing groups were formed which left a deep imprint in the history of music. A choir in a church primarily plays the role of servitude, so it has always been necessary in the liturgy of the Catholic Church, as a full-fledged participant. Choir music can give the most convincing account of the philosophical nature of faith through blending text and music – this way the ideas have an effect on most believers.
The subject of the present research paper covers two complementary components. The first one is choir in the liturgy of the Catholic Church. The second one is religious works by Lithuanian choir conductors in the period 1990–2015. The notion of a choir has not been clearly defined in Lithuania to date and most Church documents that govern a choir’s activity have not been analysed at all. Finally, it is worthwhile contemplating what choir music in liturgy can and should be like (based on documents) and what music Lithuanian choirmasters used to create in the analysed period.
Given these assumptions, the aim of the research paper is to analyse the notion of a choir’s activity and functionality, its development in the documents of the Catholic Church as well as to characterise the peculiarities of the religious pieces by Lithuanian choirmasters (1990–2015) (from the genre, liturgy and other points of view).
Taking account of the specifics of the research paper, the creative part of the present artistic project will also look into and demonstrate at concerts the different approaches to sacral music by composers from various epochs and of diverse nationalities. The creative part of the artistic project will help to reveal the aspects of identities and diversities of composers who create or created religious music.

Keywords: choir in the liturgy of the Catholic Church, works by Lithuanian choir conductors, documents of the Catholic Church, the notion of church choir, church choral genres, hymnals.