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“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Sloppy 1953 Schwann

Jeff Ostrowski · October 7, 2015

HAVE OFTEN SPOKEN of the “pure” Editio Vaticana rhythmic system. Those who wish to learn more can read my 2008 article in Sacred Music on this subject. This method was supposed to have been used for singing the official Graduale. For better or worse—and mostly because the system itself was needlessly unclear—the editorial markings of Dom André Mocquereau stole the show … and the rest is history. I sometimes consider having my choir sing the “pure” method but always end up balking, because the Solesmes rhythm really has become the traditional one. (In the 1950s, perhaps coming to the same realization, the Holy See officially gave permission to use it, saying it could be “tolerated.”)

The 1953 Schwann Edition—edited by Abbot Urbanus Bomm, Karl Gustav Fellerer, and Msgr. Johannes Overath—was perhaps the most valiant effort to revive the Editio Vaticana method. However, the “white notes” (as Dr. Joseph Lennards called them) are quite inaccurate, and this took me by surprise:

230 Schwann sloppy


Ultimately, the 1908 Vatican Press Edition is the best way to see the correct “white notes,” although even this edition contains typos. The Solesmes editions are also (surprisingly) faithful to the blank spaces.

Sometimes, Pothier wanted to make it absolutely clear there was to be a mora vocis, and here’s an example from the 1908 Vatican Press Graduale Romanum which drives home this point:

229 Vaticana


Abbot Pothier hinted at his opinion of Mocquereau’s rhythmic changes in a 1906 Letter. When the Vatican officially gave permission for the Solesmes alterations during the 1950s, presumably the 1910 Letter by Cardinal Martinelli was abrogated. Some claim the Martinelli letter applied only to Haberl, but that assertion is false.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Editio Vaticana Preface, melismatic morae vocis, Pothier De Caetero 1906, Pure Vatican Edition Rhythm Last Updated: May 24, 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

There is a lack of that kind of organization which favors mature judgment. Move on, move on, get it out. Schemata are multiplied without ever arriving at a considered form. The system of discussion is bad … Often the schemata arrive just before the discussions. Sometimes, and in important matters, such as the new anaphoras, the schema was distributed the evening before the discussion was to take place … Father Bugnini has only one interest: press ahead and finish.

— Cardinal Antonelli (Peritus during the Second Vatican Council)

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