David Haas
Encyclopedia
David Edwin Haas, is an American
author and composer of Contemporary Catholic liturgical music
. His most popular songs include "You Are Mine," "We Have Been Told," and "Now We Remain."
Haas lives in Eagan
, Minnesota, where he is the Director of the Emmaus Center for Music, Prayer and Ministry. He was also Campus Minister and Artist in Residence at Benilde-St. Margaret's School
in St. Louis Park, Minnesota
, where he taught in the music and theology departments. In 1998, Haas began the program Music Ministry Alive!, a 5 day liturgical program for adults and youth that takes place on the campus of St. Catherine University
in St. Paul, Minnesota. In the fall of 2011, Haas began work at Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota. He assists in the Campus Ministry Department, works as an Artist in Residence, and is leader of the Liturgical Choir that sings at prayer gatherings throughout the school year.
Haas has produced over forty original collections and recordings of liturgical music. His music is sung throughout the world and appears in many hymnals of various denominations and languages. His best-known works include sacred songs and hymns, including "Blest Are They", "We Have Been Told", "You Are Mine", "Song of the Body of Christ" and "We Will Rise Again", as well as several Masses, collections of ritual music, and collections of psalm
settings and paraphrases.
David is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas
, St. Paul,
. Following the movement that began with the St. Louis Jesuits in the 1970s and 1980's, , Haas, together with Marty Haugen (actually a Protestant Christian), became some of the most prolific composers of contemporary Catholic liturgical music during the period of rapid liturgical change following Vatican II. Their hymns, songs, and liturgy make up a good deal of the contents of the GIA Gather hymnals, and are widely published in other hymnals used by the Catholic Church in the United States.
Because Haas and Haugen have become synonymous with this style of music, their names are often mentioned in criticism of liturgical use of music of this folk style. One of the main criticisms is that the musical style is similar to that used for children's musicals, thus trivializing the mood and feel of the liturgical celebration, as well as being already-dated folk-stylings of the 1970s and '80s, once popular with the baby-boomer generation.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author and composer of Contemporary Catholic liturgical music
Contemporary Catholic liturgical music
Contemporary Catholic liturgical music encompasses a comprehensive number of styles of music for Catholic liturgy that grew both before and after the reforms of Vatican II...
. His most popular songs include "You Are Mine," "We Have Been Told," and "Now We Remain."
Haas lives in Eagan
Eagan, Minnesota
Eagan is a city south of Saint Paul in Dakota County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River. Eagan and nearby suburbs form the southern portion of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the fifteenth largest...
, Minnesota, where he is the Director of the Emmaus Center for Music, Prayer and Ministry. He was also Campus Minister and Artist in Residence at Benilde-St. Margaret's School
Benilde-St. Margaret's School
Benilde-St. Margaret's School, named after Saint Bénilde Romançon and Saint Margaret of Scotland, is a Catholic, co-educational private school for grades 7–12 located in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, that draws its over one thousand students from throughout the Twin Cities Metro Area...
in St. Louis Park, Minnesota
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,126 people, 20,782 households, and 10,557 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,122.5 persons per square mile . There were 21,140 housing units at an average density of 1,975.0 per square mile...
, where he taught in the music and theology departments. In 1998, Haas began the program Music Ministry Alive!, a 5 day liturgical program for adults and youth that takes place on the campus of St. Catherine University
St. Catherine University
is a private university in Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan. It was established first as a women's junior college in 1966 and became a women's four-year university in 1988. It became a co-educational university in 2004.-External links:*...
in St. Paul, Minnesota. In the fall of 2011, Haas began work at Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota. He assists in the Campus Ministry Department, works as an Artist in Residence, and is leader of the Liturgical Choir that sings at prayer gatherings throughout the school year.
Haas has produced over forty original collections and recordings of liturgical music. His music is sung throughout the world and appears in many hymnals of various denominations and languages. His best-known works include sacred songs and hymns, including "Blest Are They", "We Have Been Told", "You Are Mine", "Song of the Body of Christ" and "We Will Rise Again", as well as several Masses, collections of ritual music, and collections of psalm
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
settings and paraphrases.
David is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas
University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)
The University of St. Thomas is a private, Catholic, liberal arts, and archdiocesan university located in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States...
, St. Paul,
His music in contemporary Catholic culture
David Haas is one of many musicians who compose contemporary Catholic liturgical musicContemporary Catholic liturgical music
Contemporary Catholic liturgical music encompasses a comprehensive number of styles of music for Catholic liturgy that grew both before and after the reforms of Vatican II...
. Following the movement that began with the St. Louis Jesuits in the 1970s and 1980's, , Haas, together with Marty Haugen (actually a Protestant Christian), became some of the most prolific composers of contemporary Catholic liturgical music during the period of rapid liturgical change following Vatican II. Their hymns, songs, and liturgy make up a good deal of the contents of the GIA Gather hymnals, and are widely published in other hymnals used by the Catholic Church in the United States.
Because Haas and Haugen have become synonymous with this style of music, their names are often mentioned in criticism of liturgical use of music of this folk style. One of the main criticisms is that the musical style is similar to that used for children's musicals, thus trivializing the mood and feel of the liturgical celebration, as well as being already-dated folk-stylings of the 1970s and '80s, once popular with the baby-boomer generation.
External links
- David Haas' page at GIA Publications' Web site
- David Haas' page at Oregon Catholic PressOregon Catholic PressOCP is an American liturgical publisher based in Portland, Oregon. The not-for-profit company publishes liturgical music, books, choral collections, hymnals, missals, and support materials for the Catholic Church...
' Web site - David's wife's homepage