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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

What If You Never Again Had To “Teach” Your Choir Notes?

Dr. Lucas Tappan · February 12, 2015

324 Sight Singing HE BOYS of Westminster Cathedral Choir, London, are legendary for their sight-singing capabilities. Msgr. Lawrence Hull—who at one time sang as an adult member of the choir under its famous founder, Sir Richard Terry—reminisced:

“I well remember…the suggestion for a Continental tour. A maestro of one of the great churches, delighted at the prospect of a visit from Dr. Terry and his choir, and wishing to be as accommodating as possible, wrote to say that he would willingly send the music it was proposed to sing, in order that it might be learned. His letter was read to the boys, who all chuckled in genuine amusement at the idea of having to ‘learn’ any music. They were used to singing-practices in plenty, but never for learning notes.”

What if you never had to “teach” your choir notes again?

One of the greatest investments you will ever make in your singers is to take the time to teach them to sing at sight. Think of the mother of a 5 year old who teaches her child to help around the house. It is more work in the beginning, but it provides a great benefit later on. In addition, the child learns to take ownership in the household and has a greater sense of belonging. The same is true for your choristers. But how?

I was not trained to be a music educator, so I have come to most of this through the school of “learning it the hard way.” To put it in a better light (and to lift your spirits if you have struggled and failed), I think of Edison trying a thousand different times to create the light bulb and failing each time. When he finally succeeded, he understood the why as apposed to just the how. You will too.

I would like to begin our journey into the world of sight-singing with a book by John Bertalot

Five Wheels to Successful Sight-Singing
A Practical Approach to Teach Children (and Adults) to Read Music

If you haven’t heard of John Bertalot, treat yourself right now and get your hands on a copy of his book. It is not only short, but it is fun to read. Next week I will begin with his Practical Secret. If you can manage the Practical Secret, the rest will be a piece of cake!

Warning: The website of John Bertalot is very slow, so be patient!

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Dr. Lucas Tappan

Dr. Lucas Tappan is a conductor and organist whose specialty is working with children. He lives in Kansas with his wife and four children.—(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

“Another cathedral functionary, a compañero named (coincidentally!) Francisco Guerrero, departs for the New World sometime before June 8, on which date the benefice held by him comes up for a split among three former choirboys whose voices have changed.”

— Chapter Resolution: 14 February 1562

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