ArtistInfo

Holy Ghost Church Choir

Band,
Classical

Church choir from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The choir was organized early in the twentieth century during the pastorate of the late Reverend Aloysius Fretz. Father Fretz's love of music and his adherence to the best liturgical traditions inspired the choir in its beginning years. His successor, the late Monsignor Scott A. Fasig also took a keen interest in the choir. In 1933, faced with the task of finding a replacement for an organist and choir master, Monsignor Fasig turned to the youth of the Parish, in whom he was most interested. He selected Francis L. Mies, a twenty-two year old protege of the first organist and choir master, Mr. Henry Rohs. Under the direction of Mr. Mies the choir expanded from a membership of twelve to forty-five. World War II left the choir with few young singers, but at the war's conclusion the choir was revitalized. The repertoire included liturgical music with Latin Masses by Perosi, Carnevali, Bach, and Stahle. English and German hymns and motets became the music characteristic of the Holy Ghost of the forties. In 1946, St. Bernard's R.C. Beneficial Society invited the Chorus to be the nucleus of the "Samaritan Glee Club." The purpose of this secular group was to entertain at social and civic functions. The Glee Club demonstrated its versatility in their renditions of light classicals by Beethoven and selections from operettas by Romberg and Friml. Other choices include American marches, patriotic tunes, rolling sea chanties, medleys of barbershop quartet music, Negro spirituals, and novelty songs. In 1961, Reverend Reginald S. Billinger, D.D. was named pastor of Holy Ghost Church. Father Billinger provided the choir with the same inspiration for "God's Glorification" as did his predecessors. The choir implemented the changes in the liturgy approved by the Second Vatican Council, and can be heard singing English Masses and other selections of English liturgical music. The choir was honored by being the first Lay Choir to sing a High Mass at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. The choir is the nucleus of the original Pageant Chorus which furnished the background music for the Lenten Pageant, "Behold the Man of Bethlehem," a production of Catholic Pageants, Inc.

Members

	Francis L. Mies org
	Leo A. Taglang