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Views from the Choir Loft

Ridiculously Awesome Sanctus You’ve Never Heard

Jeff Ostrowski · February 2, 2016

HEN I FIRST ENCOUNTERED Guerrero’s SANCTUS & HOSANNA, I wasn’t impressed; but then I began to look deeper. I noticed how Guerrero places the ancient chant “Beata Mater” as a Trope in the Soprano, then—to add variety—moves it to the Alto. Scholars are divided on whether, in fact, the Trope would have been sung. 1 It turns out the marvelous melody we mentioned earlier was taken from the end of the chant—how cool is that?

I recorded all the voice parts myself to give an idea how it sounds:

    * *  PDF Download • Guerrero SANCTUS & HOSANNA


The second half of the SANCTUS is based on that same motif. Those Renaissance composers certainly did appreciate “order and structure” in their compositions, and that’s part of what makes their music so great. 2

We don’t spend time denigrating the work of others on this blog. That being said, it is obscene for today’s “liturgical” composers to offer their works as substitutes for composers like Guerrero, Victoria, Nanini, and Palestrina. Comparing them would be like comparing my bank account to Michael Jordan’s—but judge for yourself! Sing through the Tenor line. Sing through the Alto line. See for yourself how dazzling Guerrero can be!

This is the 1st Section only. I hope to add the 2nd Section (“Benedictus”) soon. 3

REHEARSAL VIDEOS :

EQUAL VOICES : YouTube   •   Mp3 Audio

SOPRANO : YouTube   •   Audio

ALTO : YouTube   •   Audio

TENOR : YouTube   •   Audio

BASS : YouTube   •   Audio




NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   We have very little information about the precise way this music would have been performed. People have all kinds of hypotheses—for example, regarding whether instruments would have been used—but things get hairy when you ask them “How did you arrive at your conclusion?” I have no trouble believing that the text of this Trope would have been sung. On the other hand, secular songs were also included in such scores, and I’m not sure those would have been sung. Here’s what a famous musicologist told me recently:

Such an inclusion of the text of a source of a cantus firmus is often seen in the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. In manuscripts I’ve seen in color, these texts are often red—so maybe “sing the black, think the red.” Stranger things have been done, but I doubt that they would have sung the text of the song.

In any event, we are not allowed to sing Tropes in the Extraordinary Form. That’s why I added the text in italics.

2   By the way, Guerrero has a distinct compositional style, and several of his traits are shown in this Mass setting: penchant for canons; “sneaking in” voices on odd beats, outlining tritones, and even skips of a seventh (over a rest).

3   At the conclusion of the “Benedictus,” the same HOSANNA is sung.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Francisco Guerrero Composer, Missa Beata Mater 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

    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —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

Saint Phillip Neri founded a religious congregation called the Oratory. Animuccia was involved from early on and remained “maestro di capella” of the Oratory until his death. The Oratory was able to attract many musicians who volunteered their services, including the famous singer Francesco Soto de Langa from the Capella Sistina, the composer Palestrina, and probably the composer Tomás Luis de Victoria who lived in the same house as St. Phillip Neri for five years.

— Source Unknown

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