St. Peter’s Music Ministry before Vatican II
As we enjoy the wonderful music provided by the different choirs at St. Peter’s during this Easter season, we reflect on how the Music Ministry has changed over the years, since we first celebrated Easter in the original chapel, 200 years ago.
In 1823, at the consecration of our first church in Liberty, a local paper reported on the “ladies and gentlemen composing the choir of St. John’s church in Frederick”, writing that “much credit is due …we have rarely heard such music in this part of the country”.[1] It may not have been possible for us to have our own choir for this very first Mass, but the importance of music during this sacred liturgy brought parishioners of St. John’s Parish in Frederick to Liberty – no small distance when traveling by horseback or buggy.
48 years later, in 1871 at the
dedication of our 2nd church, “the most delightful music was
rendered by the choir from St. John’s Church, Frederick under its skillful
organist and leader, Prof. John C. Engelbrecht”, was the report in a “Letter
From Frederick”, sent to the editors of the Catholic
Mirror. The writer wrote further
that “the selections were choice and were executed with happy effect”. The ‘new’ church may still
not have had a choir worthy of such an auspicious event, but it most likely had
an organ because 20 years later, in February of 1890, The Daily News reported that “Henry Kappes of Mechanicstown (now
Thurmont) is engaged in repairing the pipe organ in the Catholic church at
Liberty, which has been silent for the past ten years.”
The School Sisters of Notre Dame arrived in
1892 to staff the newly built Notre Dame Academy and the Sisters most probably
took on the role of organist for the liturgies.
Recalls Elizabeth Lee, who retired from the choir in 2018 after 50 years
as a member, “Mary Unglesbee told me that in 1924, when she was 15 years old, Sister
Barbara was scheduled to play the pipe organ at St. Peter’s for midnight Mass. Sister was too ill to play and she [Mary] was
sent for, to play in the Sister’s place.”
Mary also recounted to Elizabeth that Ann Riordan, Paul Sappington and
Miss Claire Sappington were part of the choir at that time.
60 years ago, in March 1963 - and shortly before Mrs. Unglesbee took over as organist for the 9am Mass, St. Peter’s said goodbye to its pipe organ. It had broken and this time it was too expensive to repair. In its place, the Parish bought an electronic Baldwin organ. Wood from the console of the old organ, and possibly the wooden pipes, were cut into squares that were tole painted and marked as being from the pipe organ. A few of pieces of this history have survived and are on display in the Narthex this month.
Mary Unglesbee continued to play for the 9 AM Mass until the retirement of then choir director, Ann White. At that time she started to play at the 7:30 AM Mass, where she continued to play until the church fire in 2004, when she was 95 years old. However, Mary didn’t limit herself to playing; in 1952, at the suggestion of Sr. Barbara, she joined the choir and when she wasn’t playing, she was singing!
Prior to Advent of 1964,
which marked the beginning of the Church year, Mass was in Latin, the organ was
the only accompaniment instrument, 4 hymns were sung in either English or
Latin, and at High Mass, the Gloria, Creed, Sanctus and Agnus Dei were
sung. At Low Mass only the 4 hymns were
sung. After the Vatican II Council, more
parts of the Mass added and were sung – the Responsorial Psalm, the Memorial
Acclamation and Great Amen, to name a few. See next
week’s ‘Key Moment in St. Peter’s History’ to learn how Vatican II influenced
music at St. Peter’s in the ensuing years, through today.
[1] Archives
of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus, Box #10/Folder # 14, on
deposit at the Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Georgetown
University Library, Washington, D.C.
