Richard Connolly
Encyclopedia
Richard Connolly is an Australian musician
, composer
and former broadcaster for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
(ABC). His published and performed works allow him to be counted as among Australia's most prolific composers of Roman Catholic church music particularly with regard to the hymns he composed for the Catholic Church in Australia, and which are now published and used inter-denominationally. He is noted for his collaborations with Australian poet James McAuley
. His compositions have been successful internationally, both in the Christian
field and in the secular field. His hymns have been composed to accommodate and adorn the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council
.
. In 1955, he was introduced to McAuley by Fr Ted Kennedy. Kennedy asked Connolly to compose hymns to sing at various points during the mass
. Thus began a long-standing partnership between McAuley and Connolly. Their subsequent musical collaboration during the 1950s and 1960s contributed significantly to the contemporary Australian hymnody. Their compositions were first released in a collection titled Hymns for the Year of Grace in 1963. In 1960 Connoly's work had anchored the Living Parish hymnbook, edited by Tony Newman and published by a group gathered around Roger Pryke, which would sell one million copies over the next decade, enabling congregations to sing hymns in a distinctively Australian voice. Many of the hymns published in both collections are still widely sung across all Christian denominations in Australia and abroad.
In 1956, Connolly had joined the ABC, and by 1960 had gone to work in the ABC Education department, working mainly in Schools Broadcasts. In 1967 he joined the Radio Drama and Features Department, becoming Features Editor. In 1971 he undertook a Churchill fellowship
in Italy, Radio France, Bayerischer Rundfunk
, and spent several months working in the BBC's radio drama script unit. During this time, he also composed music for the BBC TV series, The British Empire. He returned to Australia and was appointed Head of Radio Drama and Features.
He composed music for the first Australian visit of a pope, Pope Paul VI
at both Randwick
and at St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
, in particular for this occasion he composed a "papal entry and march" version of Psalm 85.
Back in 1844, the bishops of Australia had chosen the Virgin Mary, under the title "Help of Christians" as patroness for the Australian nation, and the words are nationalistically resonant for Australian Catholics. While personally remaining largely aloof from in-house Catholic politics, Connolly's setting of these words in his hymn "Help of Christians, Guard this Land" became the battle hymn of the Catholic Right in Australia in the 1950s and 1960s.
In December, 2009, he was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Arts by the University of Notre Dame Australia in recognition of his "extraordinary contributions to Catholic liturgical music in Australia". In his acceptance speech he said that the hymns he had made with James McAuley were "the centrepiece of my liturgical work and, of all the things that I have made, apart from my family, the best".
Music of Australia
The music of Australia is the music produced in the area of, on the subject of, or by the people of modern Australia, including its preceding Indigenous and colonial societies. Indigenous Australian music is a part of the unique heritage of a 40–60,000 year history which produced the iconic...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and former broadcaster for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
(ABC). His published and performed works allow him to be counted as among Australia's most prolific composers of Roman Catholic church music particularly with regard to the hymns he composed for the Catholic Church in Australia, and which are now published and used inter-denominationally. He is noted for his collaborations with Australian poet James McAuley
James McAuley
James Phillip McAuley was an Australian academic, poet, journalist, literary critic and a prominent convert to Roman Catholicism.-Life and career:...
. His compositions have been successful internationally, both in the Christian
Christian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....
field and in the secular field. His hymns have been composed to accommodate and adorn the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
.
Biography
From 1946 to 1950, Connolly pursued theological studies for the priesthood in Rome. A few months before his ordination, he abandoned his studies and returned to Australia, where he completed an Arts degree from the Sydney University. At that time, Connolly was a member of the Holy Spirit parish at North RydeNorth Ryde, New South Wales
North Ryde is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. North Ryde is located 15 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Ryde...
. In 1955, he was introduced to McAuley by Fr Ted Kennedy. Kennedy asked Connolly to compose hymns to sing at various points during the mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
. Thus began a long-standing partnership between McAuley and Connolly. Their subsequent musical collaboration during the 1950s and 1960s contributed significantly to the contemporary Australian hymnody. Their compositions were first released in a collection titled Hymns for the Year of Grace in 1963. In 1960 Connoly's work had anchored the Living Parish hymnbook, edited by Tony Newman and published by a group gathered around Roger Pryke, which would sell one million copies over the next decade, enabling congregations to sing hymns in a distinctively Australian voice. Many of the hymns published in both collections are still widely sung across all Christian denominations in Australia and abroad.
In 1956, Connolly had joined the ABC, and by 1960 had gone to work in the ABC Education department, working mainly in Schools Broadcasts. In 1967 he joined the Radio Drama and Features Department, becoming Features Editor. In 1971 he undertook a Churchill fellowship
Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trusts are three independent but related living memorials to Sir Winston Churchill. They are based in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The Winston Churchill Memorial Trusts are three independent but related living memorials to Sir Winston Churchill. They are based...
in Italy, Radio France, Bayerischer Rundfunk
Bayerischer Rundfunk
Bayerischer Rundfunk [Bavarian Broadcasting] is the public broadcasting authority for the German Freistaat of Bavaria, with its main offices located in Munich. BR is a member of ARD.- Legal foundation :...
, and spent several months working in the BBC's radio drama script unit. During this time, he also composed music for the BBC TV series, The British Empire. He returned to Australia and was appointed Head of Radio Drama and Features.
He composed music for the first Australian visit of a pope, Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
at both Randwick
Randwick, New South Wales
Randwick is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Randwick is located 6 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Randwick...
and at St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
The Metropolitan Cathedral of St Mary is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and the seat of the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell. The cathedral is dedicated to "Mary, Help of Christians", Patron of Australia...
, in particular for this occasion he composed a "papal entry and march" version of Psalm 85.
Back in 1844, the bishops of Australia had chosen the Virgin Mary, under the title "Help of Christians" as patroness for the Australian nation, and the words are nationalistically resonant for Australian Catholics. While personally remaining largely aloof from in-house Catholic politics, Connolly's setting of these words in his hymn "Help of Christians, Guard this Land" became the battle hymn of the Catholic Right in Australia in the 1950s and 1960s.
In December, 2009, he was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Arts by the University of Notre Dame Australia in recognition of his "extraordinary contributions to Catholic liturgical music in Australia". In his acceptance speech he said that the hymns he had made with James McAuley were "the centrepiece of my liturgical work and, of all the things that I have made, apart from my family, the best".
Hymnody
A few of his hymn tunes have particularly Australian names. Connolly's tunes include (but are not limited to) the following:- Araluen (In Faith and Hope and Love)
- Camilla (Help of Christians)
- Catherine (Holy Father, God of Might)
- (Come Lord Jesus)
- Cosmic Praise (Sing a new song)
- Forbes Street (O Jesus crucified)
- Helen (From many grapes and grains of wheat)
- Jeremy (Where there is Charity and love)
- Lindfield (May this Lenten discipline)
- Newtown (Come O Jesus)
- Sancta Sophia (Jesus in your heart we find)
- Ruggiero (By your kingly power)
- Sandy Bay (Father, we praise you)
- Travalli (By your priestly power)
- Venantius (Seek, O seek the Lord),
Service music
- Psalm 85('Song of the Church') - choir unison, organ and brass consort
- Give us Peace Mass (Congregational)
- 2002 Mass of St John the Apostle dedicated to the people of St John the Apostle Parish, Narraweena (Congregational)
- 2005, Missa Pax et Bonum; a choral and congregational Mass dedicated to the pastors, musicians and people of St Francis of Assisi Parish, Paddington, NSW, AustraliaSt Francis of Assisi Parish, Paddington, NSW, AustraliaSt Francis of Assisi Parish in Paddington, New South Wales, Australia is a Roman Catholic community possessing one of the most significant youth outreach centres and one of the finest parish choirs in Australia....
(SATB Choir, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones and organ) - 2007 Mass of Our Lady Help of Christians (congregational)
- 2009 Mass 'Common Things Divinely" (congregational)
Secular music
- The Play SchoolPlay School (Australian TV series)Play School is an Australian educational television show for children produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It is the longest-running children's show in Australia, and the second longest running childrens show in the world. An estimated 80% of pre-school children under six watch the...
theme for the ABCAustralian Broadcasting CorporationThe Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
(There's A Bear In There!) - and a theme known by heart by generations of Australians.
External links
- From the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit: A Heritage of Traditional Catholic Hymns
- Article on Vatican II renewal mentioning Richard Connolly and James McAuley
- Obituary for Fr Ted Kennedy noting his links with Connolly
- The choir of St Francis, Paddington, Australia, with sound file of Connolly's 2005 Mass