Below is an interview with Brother Gorazd, who is a cantor at Strahov Monastery. Under his direction also works the Schola Strahoviensis, a choir composed of the brothers of the Strahov Convent.
Schola Strahoviensis is a choir of the Premonstratensian Brothers' Convent (8 members), which is mainly devoted to liturgical singing - Gregorian chant and old vocal polyphony. Since 2019, under the direction of cantor P. Gorazd Krušina O.Praem., the choir has made several performances both in the Czech Republic (Zlatá koruna, Kroměříž) and in Premonstratensian monasteries abroad (Wilten, Schlägl, Roggenburg, Bamberg, Türje, Magdeburg). During the General Chapter of the Order (Strahov, 2024), the choir premiered the composition "Proprium St. Norberti" by F. Fiala (*1966). The choir's activities are recorded on the CDs "Coram angelis psallam tibi Domine" (2020) and "Columnae spirituales" (2021).
A native of Hustopece in South Moravia, he graduated from the Brno Conservatoire in violin (1991). After his conversion, he entered the Premonstratensian monastery in Strahov (1993), where he met Gregorian chant and Mr. Jaroslav Orl, who, as a tertiary of Strahov, shaped the renewing community in the field of singing and church music. After taking his solemn vows (1998) and completing his theological studies at the CTF UK, he was ordained a priest (1999). He worked as a chaplain first in Jihlava and later at St. Kopecek near Olomouc. There he founded youth choirs (Juventus, Liberi), with which he developed the treasure of the old vocal polyphony. Among his deep interests are scripture and spirituality. He currently lives and works at Strahov, where he is the sub-priest of the convent and a formator. He is also the cantor of the Strahov Monastery and chaplain of the Basilica of the Assumption.
Gorazd, you are a musician in body and soul - you play the violin and many people know you on the double bass. What music do you like and which composers are among your favourites?
To clarify: I haven't played violin for quite a long time, if I sometimes, quite rarely, pick it up, it's always a very closed group, which can endure a lot. It is quite good to stand behind the double bass, on the one hand it looks like one knows how to play it, even if one just leans on it, on the other hand the double bass is quite photogenic. So, yes, I sometimes hold on to it.
I like good music. Which is always very debatable. I grew up listening to classical music, never really liked classical and romanticism. I like the old music, the early music, when the multiple voices and their possibilities are emerging, on the other hand it is sometimes very refreshing to hear some contemporary music. I feel like this music clears my brain, makes me think, and not only overwhelms me with feelings. My favourite composer since my student days has been Bohuslav Martinů. I still love his music and his musical thinking and expression. And of the old masters, Josquin Desprez and Guillaume Dufay are particularly dear to my heart.
At Strahov you are in charge of the cantor. Could you explain what this task consists of?
This function has been more or less renewed for my person, before we did not have one cantor in charge. I mainly try to be the mainstay of the singing of Gregorian chant at Mass liturgy and choir prayer, or active singing in the first place. In the second place, it is necessary to ensure what will be sung, which means choosing the repertoire according to the requirements of the liturgy, preparing materials for singing and also trying to teach the brothers something from time to time. We have two scholae in the monastery, which overlap in personnel to a large extent: one provides the singing of Gregorian chant at Mass and the other tries to do early polyphonic chant, which we do on selected occasions.
Can your CDs "Coram angelis psallam tibi Domine" (2020), "Columnae spirituales" (2021) be purchased anywhere?
Yes, you can buy the CD in our monastery shop in Strahov Courtyard opposite the Infocentre.
You accompany Gregorian chant at Mass. When do such Masses take place in Strahov? Is it only singing without organ accompaniment or is it supported by organ playing?
Choral Masses are now always on the first Sunday evening of the month at 6 pm. Chant is essentially monophonic singing; it cannot be accompanied successfully without losing its very unique quality. It is modal music that would be forcibly "re-modulated" into a different key system by accompaniment in major or minor. However, it is possible to combine chorale and organ playing in the form of a sung antiphon or other chant followed by organ improvisation on a given chorale theme. This then depends on the skill of the organist.
How does the cooperation with the organist work?
Cooperation with the organist - this is generally a sensitive subject. It always depends on the individual personality. At Strahov, I think, we understand each other and these genre issues are quite well balanced.
Can ordinary visitors also listen to the Strahov Schola live? When?
The schola choir, of course, at those Sunday choral masses, which are regular, public. The schola more extended, polyphonic singing is irregular, we have no fixed calendar of events. So the best thing to do is to have a contact with one of the scholiasts, or to get lucky (for example, last time we sang at the Sunday Advent Vespers, we will be "opening" the Pueri gaudentes choir concert, and some other occasions are slowly coming up).
Can people participate in the choir prayer with the Premonstratensians? When and how?
Regularly at 6:30 in the morning we pray morning praises and officium in the basilica, the basilica is open, so anyone can come. Likewise, for Vespers on weekdays, the Basilica is usually open to the grille at the back of the church, and on Sundays it is easiest to either come for evening Mass and stay for Vespers already in the church, or come after evening Mass and join us. These Sunday Vespers services are also usually streamed online, so if anyone wants to know "what they are getting into" they can watch the broadcast and be sitting amongst us in the choir the following week ? Anyone who would like to experience praying with us in the choir pews can contact us to arrange the details and explain how it works.
How do you think singing and music can be connected with the area of prayer?
Very good. Music is one of the very appropriate and, I believe, God-blessed and God-given ways to experience prayer. I see Gregorian chant solely as prayer, never as an aesthetic musical experience. It's like a sermon or an icon: they are meant to help us deepen our perspective on a spiritual theme, to notice the words, the context. And also to impress the sensory side of a person who can be captivated by a good sermon, a beautiful icon, spiritual music, to attract his interest, or to arouse his enthusiasm for the cause of God. To set the heart on fire.
Of course, there is a very thorny issue connected with this, and that is the genre of music and the criteria of music to be called truly spiritual, because not everything that contains a sacred text can be successfully called spiritual or liturgical music.
Where do you yourself draw from and are inspired for your multi-faceted spiritual and musical ministry?
Probably in the music itself. It's like reading scripture. Sometimes the first time you read it, you don't "get it". You have to give it time, let it work on you, and of course look for it, trust that it contains that deeper potential. It is the same with chant or sacred music: it is written to a certain inspired text, usually a biblical text, which is itself a carrier, and someone, according to his meditation, has let it resonate with the tones that resonated in his heart. Singing a choral antiphon is similar to listening to a good sermon, which is more of a confession of the preacher, a testimony of what the passage means to him, than a speech aimed primarily at the listener. The chorale was once born out of contemplation, and I find that contemplation speaks to me, and I try to pass on what I have captured from it to others.
How would you formulate your ideal of music in liturgy?
To reinforce God's action around the altar. Orient everything to the One who has gathered us. Anything that draws our attention to Him more than He does, and that distracts and draws us away from Him, is bad music.
Do you have any wishes, musical dreams that you would like to experience or realize in your life?
To learn to sing the "new song" spoken of in the book of Revelation one day.
Is there anything personal you would like to say to the readers of this interview?
Never to be discouraged. It is necessary to have an ideal that I would like to reach; on the other hand, I must work where the Lord has called me and with the material He has given me (Moses, when he had to return to Egypt where his life was at stake, was equipped by God with only a staff - and His presence and help). Often the outcome will then be quite at odds with my plans or dreams, but it is not my dreams, but God's. If I want to serve the Lord God through music, through singing, I have to accept that He is not interested in sold-out halls, perfect flawless performance, but has His own vision, His own idea of what is best here now. Not to be poisoned, because God will not be poisoned.
