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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

Do You Recognize This Hymn Tune?

Jeff Ostrowski · September 14, 2016

119 St. Robert Southwell HE JESUIT PRIEST and brilliant poet, Saint Robert Southwell, earned his crown of martyrdom at age thirty-three. 1 He left us beautiful verses, and the bravery he demonstrated during his life shows he believed what he wrote—to the very core of his soul. In the CAMPION HYMNAL, many of his religious texts were set to delightful music.

Here’s an example, which focuses on something we don’t like to think about, namely our sins:

This globe of earth doth thy one finger prop,
The world thou dost within thy hand embrace;
Yet all this weight of sweat drew not a drop,
Nor made thee bow, much less fall on thy face;
But now thou hast a load so heavy found,
That makes thee bow, yea fall flat to the ground.

(It’s the second verse of #826 in the Campion Hymnal.)

ONE MUST ALWAYS STRIVE to marry hymn texts to melodies with care and sensitivity. The following is a famous text by St. Robert Southwell, but do you recognize the tune?

121 Southwell MATERNA


It’s a beautiful tune, but I don’t think it could be used—because the association to something secular is (in my opinion) too strong.

Consider two more “grotesque” hymn pairings:

    * *  Example 1 • pairs an Easter text

    * *  Example 2 • pairs “At the Lamb’s High Feast.”

Were you able to discern the melodies?

WHILE POSTING THOSE VERSES by Saint Robert Southwell (SEE ABOVE) I stumbled upon something I published years ago. Now, you must understand that in general I’m a person who hates everything he’s ever done. I’m always embarrassed when I see my old writings or my old projects. This time, however, it was different. Believe it or not, I was spellbound by how good this particular project of mine came out—and I’d previously forgotten I was the author!

But I must say something else.

No matter how great our “accomplishments” are, they are nothing compared to what God does. Anyone who’s a parent, think about your children—how perfect they are. The way their bodies develop: ears; stomach; eyes; hair; feet; and so forth. And the way their little minds develop!

As parents, we had nothing to do with this; it’s 100% God. And no matter how much we develop, through practice and study, our creations are NOTHING compared to the perfections of the children God creates and entrusts to our care. God the Father was “well pleased” in His Son, and this should give parents something to meditate upon during their holy hours.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   Please do read the beautiful words spoken by Fr. Hardon about St. Southwell.

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 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

    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
    Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
    Our readers will be interested in this job offering for Music Director at Saint Adalbert’s Basilica, located 40 minutes from where I live. My pastor was recently elevated to this basilica. He is offering $80,000 per year, plus benefits. I’m told Saint Adalbert’s Basilica is utterly gorgeous and contains one of America’s most magnificent pipe organs. It would be fantastic to have a colleague nearby!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.
    —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

A priest celebrating the Mass “ad orientem” is no more turning his back on the people than a teacher leading her students in the “Pledge of Allegiance” is slighting them by turning her back on them and facing the flag with them.

— Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone (6 April 2025)

Recent Posts

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  • Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
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