Views from the Choir Loft

The Theology of a C-sharp Minor Chord

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · January 7, 2016

ID THE CELEBRATION of the birth of Jesus Christ rock your world this year? Did it cause a seismic shift in your life? Did it change everything? If not, then perhaps listening to one C# minor chord will do the trick.

In Sir John Tavener’s (1944-2013) God Is With Us for eight-part choir and organ, we are immersed in the key of C major (with some Lydian F# passing tones). For more than three-fourths of the piece, both choir and tenor soloist cry out the prophecy, “God is with us…Hear ye people…the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light…for unto us a child is born…” and so on. Byzantine microtonal ‘breaks’ in the voice and an occasional A-flat cannot unhinge us from the purely diatonic nature of C major. So long are we kept here, and so forceful is the a cappella singing, that we are lulled into a sense of normalcy.

But what does this C major mean? Perhaps it has a theological or even historical meaning. I believe that the stability of C major is directly related to the important line of the Christmas Proclamation, “the whole world being at peace.” Just at the time of Jesus’ birth, all seemed well, solid, and stable. What could be more stable than C major?

This must be all there is, we think. Perhaps this is just an announcement of the birth of another prophet. And besides, how can this thing happen, “God is with us?” How? The choir proclaims the answer – “Christ is born!”

And now everything is changed.

For after the choir sings “Christ is born,” suddenly and out of nowhere, the full organ enters on a an astonishing C# minor chord! It’s as if the whole world has suddenly shifted off of its axis. Everything we thought was normal is gone. Everything we’ve gotten used to is changed. Tavener has completely and totally explained the impact and import of the birth of Jesus Christ with one chord! With this birth nothing can and will be the same ever again.

Every time I listen to this piece, even though I know what’s coming, I’m still shocked. The theology of this cataclysmic event is all contained in one single chord. Listen to this great piece as the Christmas season comes to a close and see if you agree.

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

About Dr. Alfred Calabrese

Dr. Alfred Calabrese is Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Rita Catholic Church in Dallas, TX. He and his wife have two children.—(Read full biography).

PDF • “Music List” (Xmas Midnight Mass)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for Christmas Midnight Mass (“Ad Missam In Nocte”). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is simple, but quite beautiful. 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

PDF • “Music List” (4th Sunday of Advent)

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—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • Our Lady of Guadalupe (12 Dec.)

The Responsorial Psalm may be downloaded as a PDF file (organist & vocalist) for 12 December, which is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. When it comes to the formulary for this Mass, it’s astounding how infrequently it’s included in official books. Prior to Vatican II, one had to search through “supplemental material” printed in the back of hand-missals and graduals. But since 1970, the feast is virtually nonexistent. According to the UNIVERSAL KALENDAR, 12 December is the “Feast of Saint Jane Frances De Chantal, Religious” (Die 12 decembris: S. Ioannæ Franciscæ de Chantal, religiosæ). Why should that feast overpower Our Lady of Guadalupe? In the United States, OLG is celebrated—and I’d assume in Mexico, Central America, South America, and Canada—but, as I said, the Propria Missae are virtually impossible to locate. I possess only three books which mention this feast.

—Jeff Ostrowski

What does this mean? “Pre-Urbanite”

One of the things informed critics have frequently praised vis-à-vis the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal has to do with its careful treatment of the ancient hymns vs. the “Urbanite” hymns. This topic I had believed to be fairly well understood—but I was wrong. The reason I thought people knew about it is simple; in the EDITIO VATICANA 1908 Graduale Romanum (as well as the 1913 Liber Antiphonarius) both versions are provided, right next to each other. You can see what I mean by examining this PDF file from the Roman Gradual of 1908. Most people still don’t understand that the Urbanite versions were never adopted by any priests or monks who sang the Divine Office each day. Switching would have required a massive amount of effort and money, because all the books would need to be changed.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Santo Santo Santo”

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—Jeff Ostrowski

Pope Leo XIV on Sacred Music

On 5 December 2025, Pope Leo XIV made this declaration with regard to liturgical music.

—Corpus Christi Watershed