Views from the Choir Loft

How To Chant The Readings At Mass

Corpus Christi Watershed · May 27, 2013

THE FOLLOWING VIDEO takes you step-by-step through the process of chanting the Gospel in English. Deacons might find this video useful, since many are called upon to sing the Gospel.

The video requires you to download:

1. A Score Illustrating Different Tones [pdf]

2. Instructions on this tone in Latin & English [pdf]

HE FIRST READING at Mass is often sung to the “Prophecy Tone,” which was reserved for the Old Testament Lessons in the Extraordinary Form. Here is a PDF document that explains how to do it:

How to chant the 1st Reading in English & Latin

The Second Reading is often sung to the tone that was used for the Epistle in the Extraordinary Form. This PDF document explains how to do it:

How to chant the 2nd Reading in English & Latin

My favorite Gospel tone is called “more ancient” by the Solesmes books:

Singing the Gospel in English & Latin (ANCIENT TONE)

Here is what some people the “more recent” tone for the Gospel:

How to chant the Gospel in English & Latin (SIMPLE TONE)

By the way, all the parts of the Mass are sung according to the “Toni Communes” in the 1974 Graduale by Solesmes. Generally speaking, these are identical to what Abbot Pothier published as the Editio Vaticana around 1908.

N.B. For these, I have borrowed from the work of Professor W. A. Jurgens (Saint Mary Seminary, Cleveland).

How does a priest know how to correctly chant the readings (1st Reading, 2nd Reading, & Gospel) using the Prophecy tone, the Epistle tone, and different versions of the Gospel tones (according to the rules in the Liber Usualis) in ENGLISH ?

Examples (written out) of the different tones for chanting (PDF)

Mp3 Audio Recordings of the different tones:

01 Galatians Chapter 5
02 Gospel (John 15)
03 Wisdom Chapter 3
04 Thessalonains Chapter 4
05 Gospel (John 11)
06 Romans Chapter 8
07 Gospel (John 19)
08 Exodus Chapter 34
09 II Corinthians Chapter 13
10 Gospel (John 3)

Written out examples of chanting the readings at Mass, with free MP3 recordings

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Dr. Mahrt explains the ‘Spoken’ Propers

In 1970, the Church promulgated a new version of the Roman Missal. It goes by various names: Ordinary Form, Novus Ordo, MISSALE RECENS, and so on. If you examine the very first page, you’ll notice that Pope Saint Paul VI explains the meaning of the ‘Spoken Propers’ (which are for Masses without singing). A quote by Dr. William P. Mahrt is also included in that file. The SPOKEN PROPERS—used at Masses without music—are sometimes called The Adalbert Propers, because they were created in 1969 by Father Adalbert Franquesa Garrós, one of Hannibal Bugnini’s closest friends (according to Yves Chiron).

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Music List” (1st Sunday of Advent)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 30 November 2025, which is the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is quite memorable, and the fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • Christ the King Sunday

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 23 November 2025, which is the 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. In the 1970 Missal, this Sunday is known as: Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Universorum Regis (“Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe”). As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the magnificent feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Translations Approved for Liturgical Use”

According to the newsletter for USSCB’s Committee on Divine Worship dated September 1996, there are three (3) translations of the Bible which can be used in the sacred liturgy in the United States. You can read this information with your own eyes. It seems the USCCB and also Rome fully approved the so-called NRSV (“New Revised Standard Version”) on 13 November 1991 and 6 April 1992 but this permission was then withdrawn in 1994.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

Gospel Options for 2 November (“All Souls”)

We’ve been told some bishops are suppressing the TLM because of “unity.” But is unity truly found in the MISSALE RECENS? For instance, on All Souls (2 November), any of these Gospel readings may be chosen, for any reason (or for no reason at all). The same is true of the Propria Missæ and other readings—there are countless options in the ORDINARY FORM. In other words, no matter which OF parish you attend on 2 November, you’ll almost certainly hear different propers and readings, to say nothing of different ‘styles’ of music. Where is the “unity” in all this? Indeed, the Second Vatican Council solemnly declared: “Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community.”

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Our Father” • Musical Setting?

Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?

—Jeff Ostrowski