I am presently listening to KUSC's production of a recent performance that
Paul Salamunovich directed at the Thornton School of Music at USC (University
of Southern California).  

He used 5 examples of the Ave Maria that span the centuries, beginning with the
Gegorian Chant version, followed by those of Thomas Louis de Victoria, Anton
Bruckner and Igor Stravinsky, culminating with the Morten Lauridsen version.  

He explained how it was seeing a 10-cent movie as an 8-year old boy in
Redondo Beach, CA, that turned his heart and mind to the Church's music.  He
paid another 10 cents and watched the whole movie again just to hear the Ave
Maria.  In his later years, this "being hooked" would turn into a career, after he
sang with the Men's chorus under Richard Keys Biggs (no relation to E. Power
Biggs) and the Roger Wagner Chorale.  One day Wagner asked Paul to stand in
for rehearsing his group, and Paul took them to a new level.  He later became
director of several choirs and professor of choral singing at LMU for some 23
years, conductor of the LA Master Chorale and ran numerous international
conductor workshops.  His career spans over 60 years, beginning before the
abomination of Vatican II.

Lauridsen composed his Ave Maria just for Paul.  It was so well received,
not in any small measure due to the way Paul directed it with the Los Angeles
Master Chorale, that the composer was inspired to set to work on his magnum
opus, if you will, Lux Aeterna, which Paul is proud to have premiered in 1997.
It became a worldwide overnight success, hurling Lauridsen into the limelight
and permanent enshrinement in music history for all time.

I am pleased to be an acquaintance of Paul Salamunovich, whose life and work
has given me much appreciation for excellence in the vocal treasury of the
Catholic Church, especially in Gregorian Chant.  Unfortunately, he has little
regard for the modern state of the liturgy, for the preservation and
availability of the CTLM or the use of the Church's treasury for that setting
for which it was developed and fits most perfectly.  For him, our musical
patrimony in the Church is just as good for the purpose of its use as a concert
setting in a secular performance hall.  This is a great tragedy, IMHO.  He is a
magnificent artist and the Mass that gave him his foundation is as well as
forgotten?!  He is, IMHO a microcosm of the Church in the Modern World today.  
And he has not long to live.  

He has disdain for women in music, and has no regard for a woman's role as
director or conductor, even though some of his most devoted fans have been
women.  He talks about his death a lot.  And when it comes time for that, he
or his caretakers will no doubt (if possible) seek the aid of a priest, but you
can be sure it will not be a traditional priest.  He'll get whoever the local diocese
has on hand, and I dare say, ironically, it might even be a woman, as a
hospital "chaplain" or a functionary from the local parish assigned to that role,
for they don't really consider "the anointing of the sick" to be a "sacrament"
anymore.  It's a kind of well-wishing, or an act of respect or recognition, not
much different than the bestowal of a certificate of honor or an act of
charity, as in "visiting the sick."  Think of how a Protestant would view a visit
from his pastor, who would not bring him any "sacrament."  

There is nothing I can say to Paul that will change his outlook on the state of
the Church.  He doesn't want to think about it.  He was personally recognized
by JPII, and literally called to the Vatican on several occasions to help out with
the deplorable state of the art of music there, as you can easily see in any
rendition of Vatican sacred music over the past 50 years, mostly under the
supervision of Bartolucci.  But those in control of the levers of power would not
give Paul the authority that he needed to make any real difference.  IMO he
could have done a great deal if they would have listened to him.  He told me
"That's what I do!"  But I didn't want to antagonize him with questions about
how the Vatican musicians paid him no heed.  But he is now most proud of
his recognition from JPII, and he said to me, "I understand now he is known
as Blessed Pope John Paul II."   Where do you go with that?  

As I said, he is a microcosm of the Church in the Modern World.  And it breaks
my heart to say so.  He is a living tragedy and he doesn't even know it.  Nor
does the Church in the modern world know that it is a living tragedy.

Correct me if I'm wrong!

Paul is now retired, but you can't keep a good man down.  He still responds to
requests for visits to small groups to share his insight and offer a few pointers
on singing and interpretation of music, for which he is an unquestionable living
treasure.

Thornton Center Stage - www.usc.edu/music

Etc. Alan Chapman, KUSC radio.

I think it's a good show.  This is a replay.  If you would like to hear it again
or if you missed it entirely, perhaps there is a link on the KUSC website
to play it over again.  

While I was typing this the program has ended.  It's possible that someone will
be typing his biography at the moment that he dies........................