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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Courses In The Ward Method … This Summer!

Jeff Ostrowski · April 1, 2014

690 Ward OONER OR LATER, singers (and all musicians!) must learn how to locate the “energy” of each phrase. Without a true knowledge of phrasing, vocal lines sound heavy and boring. One of the common “traps” into which amateurs fall is placing too much emphasis on the final tone, which ought to be light.

A great way to learn proper phrasing — and much else — is to accept training in the Ward method. When I studied the Ward method in Washington D.C. I especially liked how the teacher made us perform dancing motions for the musical phrases, assuring a floating, flowing, beautiful performance.

The Catholic University of America sponsors Ward training sessions during the summer:

      * *  Ward Method Brochure — Summer 2014

Here’s how to apply online, if you don’t care for USPS:

      * *  Online Application — Summer 2014

Much valuable information about the Ward Center is here:

      * *  Centre for Ward Method Studies — An Overview

They are offering Ward I, Ward II, and the Chant Practicum (formerly known as Ward IV). The one who runs the program is Fr. Robert Skeris, one of the world’s leading scholars of Gregorian chant. This year, Amy Zuberbueler (whom I recently met in San Antonio) is one of the professors. Limited scholarship assistance is available.

AT THE CONSERVATORY, WE PIANO STUDENTS had an inside joke: “OK, why don’t you sit down and play something?” You see, guest lecturers would present all kinds of theories about phrasing, agogics, technique, and so forth — some even wrote books. But there really was no need: if they simply “sat down and played something” we could quickly discern what they knew about interpretation.

The Ward Method is remarkable because it’s been tested. Time and again, thousands of children would assemble in large churches for Ward demonstrations and sing together flawlessly. A serious chant scholar, Joseph Lennards, said that no other method could even come close to such perfection. The Ward method uses the classical Solesmes method, which was based on actual singing experience, not hypothetical possibilities.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Justine Bayard Ward Method of Singing Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Michigan. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “What Martin Luther Said…”
    My pastor asked me to write little columns for the bulletin each week. The article for 20 July 2025 has been posted, and it’s called: “What Luther Said…” Martin Luther (an ex-priest and apostate) was an infamous heretic whose ignorance of JESUS CHRIST was only exceeded by his filthy and disgusting vulgarity.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

“The chants of the Proper of the Mass—that is, the Introit, Gradual, Offertory, Communion—in sung Masses may be chanted in the vernacular to melodies legitimately approved.”

— Statement (20 April 1964) by the Consilium, the group Paul VI put in charge of inventing the New Mass

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