Culture

Celestial assault in a mind-altering performance of Hildegard’s soaring music

whatever we know about the 12th-century religious polymath hildegard of bingen is new knowledge, because she all but vanished from the recor...
Michael White

‘Mystic passionate emotion’: Hector Berlioz’s uncompromising Catholic vision

although he wrote a requiem mass, te deum , and other spiritual compositions, the french romantic composer hector berlioz has regularly rece...
Benjamin Ivry

Hear the angels sing: Some Christmas carols have a more complicated origin than we think

we might be surprised by the origin of certain christmas carols, says andrew gant one of the notable features of our much-loved christmas ca...
Andrew Gant

When the wind has flayed the trees: melancholia and the season

melancholy memories are part of the christmas experience for many . every advent sunday, i turn to a lovely poem by former archbishop of can...
Niall Gooch

Keeping the fast and keeping the feast

kate ford presents some fasting food for advent, sam marsden looks forward to christmas fare, and cornelia van der poll embarks on her own o...
The Catholic Herald

Shane MacGowan on 'seeking the eternal buzz'

the 19th-century french poet arthur rimbaud was known for his piety as a boy. receiving his first holy communion at the age of 11, his rever...
Karl Gustel Warnberg

The music is good, but a new musical about the Gunpowder Plot lacks direction

too wordy and worthy? the music is good, but a new musical about the gunpowder plot lacks direction, says ferdie rous . in treason , we have...
Ferdie Rous

A Christmas Alleluia!

at this time of year, we should celebrate god’s gift of his life and the gift of our salvation, writes john studzinski . “alleluia!” around ...
John Studzinski

Music can contribute to the joys and thoughtful memories of the Christmas season

of all the holy days of the liturgical calendar, none involves the senses more than christmas. the sensory experiences of christmas invoke f...
Ken Craycraft

An apocalyptic band sees the world through the incarnation of Christ

an apocalyptic band sees the world through the incarnation of christ. it was around this time of year three years ago that i encountered the...
Katherine Bennett