This week’s improvisation involved an excellent chant text. “Super flumina Babylonis” means “by the waters of Babylon.” Knowing that piece of information, I tried incorporate a water-like texture based on the chant in very quick succession before introducing the chant in shorter tones. One of the great challenges of improvising in a liturgical setting is to somehow time the form; it’s usually some kind of two part form for the short length of time at the Monastery for the Monday Novena Masses. When you get to the end, you’ll note the rather abrupt ending. Sometimes it works out perfectly, sometimes it doesn’t.