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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

Easter Hymn: “O Filii et Filiæ” • Contemporary setting (SATB)

Jeff Ostrowski · March 21, 2017

IKE OTHER musicians—even Horowitz—I often view my earlier projects with disgust. The passage of time can reveal flaws in earlier works. But “for every rule there is an exception,” and I recently stumbled upon a 2001 edition I made of an Easter hymn (based on a work by Msgr. Jules Van Nuffel).

I think it holds up pretty well:

* *  PDF Download • “O FILII ET FILIAE” (SATB)

Pardon my squeaky Soprano notes, but I wanted to show how it sounds:

REHEARSAL VIDEOS for each individual voice—along with PDF score—await you at #5909. If you like them, please consider donating $5.00 per month.

Sing along with the Tenor Rehearsal video—could anything be more fun?

MY EDITION is similar to the version found in the special “English translation edition” of the Solesmes Liber Usualis, which can be downloaded here. If you examine the setting of words like “Salóme” as printed in that 1957 book, you might almost be forgiven for thinking the accent is on the antepenult. On the other hand, similar techniques were used by Machaut and Dufay—and it certainly helps prevent the tonic accent from becoming heavy and predictable.

O fílii et fíliae,
Rex caeléstis, Rex glóriae,
Mórte surréxit hódie.

O sons and daughters,
The King celestial, the King of glory,
From death arose to-day.

Et María Magdaléne,
Et Jacóbi, et Salóme,
Venérunt córpus úngere.

And Mary Magdalene, Salome,
And also Mary of James
Came to anoint the body.

In álbis sédens, ángelus
Praedíxit muliéribus:
In Galilaéa est Dóminus.

In white robes sitting the Angel
Foretold to the women:
In Galilee is the Lord.

Discípulis adstántibus,
In médio stétit Chrístus,
Dícens: Pax vóbis ómnibus.

The disciples standing by,
In the midst stood Christ,
Saying: Peace be to you all.

Víde, Thóma, víde látus,
Víde pédes, víde mánus,
Nóli ésse incrédulus.

See, Thomas, see my side,
See my feet, see my hands,
Do not be unbelieving.

Quándo Thómas Chrísti látus,
Pédes vídit átque mánus,
Díxit: Tu es Déus méus.

When Thomas saw Christ’s side,
When the feet he saw and the hands,
He said: Thou art my God.

Beáti qui non vidérunt,
Et fírmiter credidérunt,
Vítam aetérnam habébunt.

Blessèd they who have not seen,
Yet have firmly believed,
Life eternal shall they have.

In hoc fésto sanctíssimo
Sit laus et jubilátio,
Benedicámus Dómino.

On this feast most holy
Be there praise and jubilation,
Let us bless the Lord.

Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel’s school certainly loved pedal tones in middle voices—as you know if you purchased Volume 5 of the NOH hardcopy, which explains their compositional principles—and the Alto is chock-full of them in the above arrangement.

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured, PDF Download Tagged With: Harmonized Gregorian Chant, O Filii Et Filiae Last Updated: March 7, 2023

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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

“The training in singing, to sing in a chorus, is not only an exercise of external listening and of the voice; it is also training for interior listening, listening with the heart, an exercise in training for life and for peace.”

— Pope Benedict XVI

Recent Posts

  • “How to Conduct 90 Vespers Services Each Year and Live to Tell the Tale.”
  • 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • The Tallis Scholars
  • Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
  • Pope Saint Paul VI to Consilium (14 October 1968)

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