- Address 25 Rose Street, Glasgow, G3 6RE
- Web http://www.staloysius.rcglasgow.org.uk
- Email info@staloysius.rcglasgow.org.uk
- Phone 0141 332 3039
- Type Sacred, Classical
Saint Aloysius Church in Garnethill celebrated the centenary of tha laying of the building's foundation stone in 2008 after extensive refurbishment revealed some beautiful artwork. The church was opened on 6 February 1910 and was (and still is) one of the most beautiful church buildings in the city. The tower is an imposing landmark over the Garnethill area and the interior is lavish. New additions were made in 2008, when a copy of the famous statue of Our Lady of Montserrat (The Black Madonna) was donated by Spanish visitors and it is only the second such statue outside of Catalonia. Another claim to fame is that its 9pm Sunday Mass is thought to be the latest celebration of Mass in western Europe!
The work of the choir was integral from the outset, and under the direction of Mr Arthur Whittet, they sang Elgar and Gounod at the church's opening. At that time there was also a seperate Girls' Choir.
By the 1920s there was always one sung Mass with the adult choir, and a high standard of musical performance was established. It was one of few choirs to maintain a Solemn High Sung Mass with Latin plainchant after Vatican II, but introduced other styles and more modern composers.
That has been maintained to the present day, and the musical offering at St. Aloysius is much different from most liturgical celebrations in the west of Scotland, with works by Palestrina, Byrd, Mozart, Elgar, Fauré and Britten being de reigeur. James Macmillan, Scotland's most prolific modern composer, dedicated a piece to the the choir entitled Divo Aloysio Sacrum.
