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Views from the Choir Loft

Don’ts for Choirmasters (Part 2)

Andrew Leung · January 11, 2018

CTL Don'ts for Choirmasters 2 AST WEEK, I shared about John Newton’s Don’ts for Choirmasters in my post, and this post is the continuation of “Part 1”. I was told that if you order the book on Amazon, they will only ship within the UK. So, if you are interested in ordering the book and are living outside of the UK, you can place your order with the publisher directly.

In “Part 1” of my post, I shared about Newton’s view and appreciation for Gregorian chant. He encourages choirmasters not to neglect singing plainchant and he states that plainchant is an important field of study. Today, I would like to share some of his very practical advice on choral singing. I found these advice very helpful, especially in laying down a good and strong foundation for a choir.

11. DON’T neglect the starts…All four parts should begin together—precision of attack is very important. Listen to, and learn a lesson from good string quartet playing.

32. DON’T fail to attend to the breathing points; “phrasing” is of vital importance; sometimes it is necessary to mark the points where breath should be taken…

33. DON’T neglect Unisonal singing. Impress upon your choirmen that singing in unison is not mere child’s play. It is a difficult task to get thirty or forty voices to sing a melody exactly in tune, to blend, and to keep together…

34. DON’T let Descant and Faburden remain unexplored any longer. Both of these embroideries make delightful exercises and are electrical reliefs in a long hymn, but a word of caution—do not serve them up too often; their occasional use is very desirable.

40. DON’T neglect antiphonal singing…

55.DON’T rehearse music on Sunday morning for use at a later service. It is scarcely fair to the boys and it is probably too late to have any effect…

These are some of Newton’s very practical advice. Mastering these basic choral techniques is what distinguishes a “great choir” from the “good choirs”. Some of these basic choral skills might seem so easy, but trust me, turning them into a habit (remembering and doing them every time you sing) is not so easy. Consistency with these good techniques are the key to improve choral singing.

POILER ALRET!!! Here are some more “DON’Ts” that you might not be expecting from what seems to be a very serious book! It is a manual for choirmasters, but it is also very fun to read, and some of Newton’s advice are just so specific!

4. DON’T abuse the surplice. Surplices should be put on just before the vestry prayer. Is it seemly to put on a surplice and then to discuss yesterday’s match or tomorrow’s concert?

23. DON’T sing Nunc dimittis painissimo. It is not the lament of a dying man, but the triumph song of one who was full of hope…

41. DON’T forget the power of silence. The other day a priest preached a forty-minute sermon on the great value of silence!…

53. DON’T allow carol singing in the streets by your boys; it is very undignified, and frequently irreverent, besides being very bad for the voice.

59. DON’T sing only music of the modern school; be broad in your taste. Church music did not being in the nineteenth century…

61. DON’T get depressed when the man in the pew—who as a rule does no church work himself, and finds all he wants in Evensong—dares to criticize the music and the singing…“Do not care how many, but whom, you please,”

67. DON’T burst into song on Good Friday. The day is too solemn for much music, and “Passion” music should not be left so late. “But,” it is urged, “people enjoy hearing big works on this day.” I reply—Is it a day for enjoyment? If the world chooses to run concerts and to feast on this day, let the world carry on. There’s money in it. But the church’s command is— “Eyes front! Halt!”

While this book was written over ninety years ago, a lot of the advice is still relevant nowadays. Do consider getting a copy and read through the whole book! Enjoy!

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 Andrew Leung

Andrew Leung currently serves the music director of Vox Antiqua, conductor of the Cecilian Singers, and music director at Our Lady of China Church.—(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

“Before any seminarian is accepted for ordination, he must not only strive for chastity but actually achieve it. He must already be living chaste celibacy peacefully and for a prolonged period of time—for if this be lacking, the seminarian and his formators cannot have the requisite confidence that he is called to the celibate life.”

— Archbishop Viganò (16 February 2019)

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