There’s nothing necessarily authentic about the “authentic” rhythm.
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“24 Sample Pages” • The Saint Isaac Jogues Illuminated Missal, Gradual, and Lectionary
During 2023, why not elevate your Ordinary Form parish’s liturgy with this illuminated pew lectionary?
PDF Download • “Organ Accompaniment Booklet” • Vespers (3rd Sunday of Advent) — 23 pages
Were Pothier and Mocquereau homeless? The answer might surprise you.
PDF Download • “Salve Regina” [Simplex] • An Elegant English Translation (2022)
The incomparable Andrew Hinkley kindly set it to plainchant notation.
Gregorian Rhythm Wars • “Patrick, I Accuse You!”
This is Jeff Ostrowski’s second response to his colleague, Patrick Williams.
PDF Download • Organ Accompaniment Booklet: Vespers (2nd Sunday of Advent) — 27 pages
Dom Gajard said to Jean Langlais: “Hear the blackbird! It doesn’t know what an ‘ictus’ is, yet it sings better than we.”
PDF Download • “Latin Christmas Carol” for SATB + Organ • By Gustaaf Nees (d. 1965)
I’m not embarrassed, because these practice videos save us time during rehearsals.
Gregorian Rhythm Wars • “History Matters” (30 Nov 2022)
“It is important that these melodies should be performed in the manner that they were originally conceived as works of art.” —St. Pius X
“Advent Hymn” • Composed by Flor Peeters
Peeters was organist at Malines Cathedral from 1923 until his death in 1986.
Photographs • Weinmann “Graduale” on 5 Lines!
They were not allowed to remove their boots, so thousands had their feet amputated (as the frostbite often turned into gangrene).
Five Pro Tips for Amateur Choirs
Here are five pro-level tips that can help your amateur choirs to both sound more unified and feel more confident.
Advent Hymn Experiment
Our volunteer choir tried something I wanted to share…
Gregorian Rhythm Wars • “On the Nuance Theory of Plainchant”
A brief historical survey of free rhythm in plainchant, as practiced from the modern monastic foundation of Solesmes (1833) to the present.
PDF Download • Traditional Notation Gradual-Book (692 Pages) on Five Lines!
This book makes it easy for singers who only know Treble Clef.
Join Your Parish Choir! • Why We Sing as a Faith Community
As many parishes struggle, your presence, your voice, your witness to the love of Christ is that much more important!
Gregorian Rhythm Wars • “Repercussion and the Mora Vocis” (21 Nov 2022)
Patrick Williams addresses points raised by Matthew Frederes and Jeff Ostrowski
PDF Download • “How Does the Official Rhythm Actually Sound?”
Including three (3) professionally-scanned versions of the Kyriale, released here for the 1st time!
Reverence: Feeling or Action?
Maybe we can agree that the Latin Mass has more external signs of reverence. Maybe that will clarify our position.
Directing Choirs • “Do You Have What It Takes?”
Church music should not be boring! Here I provide eleven (11) ways to keep it awesome.
Gregorian Rhythm Wars • “Feedback from Dom Stephen Concordia”
“I greatly appreciate your hospitality and willingness to engage in dialogue.” — Dom Concordia, OSB
“A Mother’s New Missal” • Part 1
A mother and her children open the 2022 edition of the “Campion Missal” and find it more compact and very beautiful. Initial impressions include new images, a golden ribbon, and a newly-textured cover.
Gregorian Rhythm Wars • “Disputed Questions” (16 Nov 2022)
A few further thoughts on what ways of singing chant are “allowed.”
Gregorian Rhythm Wars • “Patrick’s Second Response To Jeff” (16 Nov 2022)
“Does it make more sense to judge later manuscripts in light of the oldest sources, or to judge the oldest sources in light of later manuscripts?” —Patrick Williams
PDF Download • Rare “Kyriale” Organ Accompaniment Book (175 pages)
Including a few brief responses to Professor Charles Weaver.
Help Me Banish ‘Wimpy’ Hymn Texts!
Preparing this blog, I discovered interesting snippets about the hymn, the composer, the translator, and even the poet who penned these lines in Latin!
PDF Downloads
PDF Download • “Gregorian Accompaniments” … Just in time for Advent! (366 pages)
The second half of today’s article answers questions submitted by Mr. Matthew Frederes.
“Vatican Commission on Gregorian Chant” • Biographies for Its Twenty Members
Including two (2) documents translated into English for the first time!
“Whoever controls the language controls the Masses.”
“Missa Back-To-The-Future” (a recent OCP offering) isn’t part of the treasury mandated by Vatican II; nor do I belong on the basketball court with Michael Jordan.
“Now Available!” • Campion Missal (3rd Edition)
Three words: “Sleek, Powerful, and Gorgeous”
PDF Download • “Hymn List For Sundays” (until 8 December 2022)
As a child, Rex Harrison contracted measles, which took away the sight from his left eye for the rest of his life.
USCCB • “Principal Music Books for the Eucharist”
The principal books of music for the Eucharist were recently (re-)confirmed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.