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Views from the Choir Loft

“Spinning The Wheel” Each Week For Hymns

Jeff Ostrowski · February 25, 2013

OR YEARS I have been one of the many people trying to describe the “Spin the Wheel for Hymns” game played almost universally in our churches. For one reason or another, our efforts at explanation have not been all that successful, but let me briefly try one more time. Basically, the Church assigns special prayers to each and every Mass. Most go back at least 1500 years and have been set to some of the world’s most sublime melodies. These prayers are called the Propers. Taking advantage of a loophole in Church legislation, a very large percentage of Catholics replace all of these Propers each Sunday. They substitute hymns (or worse). The end result is that each Sunday is very much like a “Spin the Wheel” game where the music director says, over and over, “What hymns do I feel like hearing today? What hymns do I feel like playing today? What theological message do I feel ought to be proclaimed today?”

Before anybody gets angry at my tone, please realize that I, myself, often do this. It has become so common, it will be hard to fix.

Indiscriminately replacing 100% of the Propers 100% of the time may not seem like a big deal, but it actually is. It is the de facto destruction of the Roman Rite, because all of a sudden the Rite becomes . . . whatever anybody feels like each week! Everyone is free to choose as he likes. The Rite becomes nothing more than a reflection of the personal tastes and whims of each music director.

However, the following video gives me hope. I was given permission to post it on the condition that the singers and location remain anonymous. Basically, it is sung by a bunch of really young Catholics who are trying to sing the Propers each week, in a simplified English version called the “Simple English Propers.” Very few members of the group read music, and they rely heavily on the videos provided free of charge by CCW. Here’s the live recording from this Sunday’s Mass:

As far as I am concerned, this group is sounding pretty good for starting out just recently! And I think as the years go by they will get better and better. They are “praying” the Mass. They are not “replacing” the Mass. Good for them.

Some people may feel that getting away from the practice of “replacing” the Mass would be impossible. Perhaps they can be inspired by the life of Nick Vujicic. Nick was born lacking legs and arms, but has done amazing things. If you do a Google search, you will find thousands of videos about Nick, and here is one example:

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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

19 May 2022 • “Trochee Trouble”

I’m still trying to decide how to visually present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores, using what is (technically) the official rhythm of the Church. You can download my latest attempt, for this coming Sunday. Notice the “trochee trouble” as well as the old issue of neumes before the quilisma.

—Jeff Ostrowski
16 May 2022 • Harmonized Chant?

This year’s upcoming Sacred Music Symposium will demonstrate several ways to sing the CREDO at Mass. This is because—for many parishes—to sing a full-length polyphonic CREDO by Victoria or Palestrina is out of the question. Therefore, we show options that are halfway between plainsong and polyphony. You can hear my choir rehearsing a section that sounds like harmonized plainsong.

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • “Pure” Vatican Edition

As readers know, my choir has been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana. That is to say, the official rhythm which—technically—is the only rhythm allowed by the Church. I haven’t figured out how I want the scores to look, so in the meantime we’ve been using temporary scores that look like this. Stay tuned!

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“With all the powers of modern music open to him, from romanticism through French impressionism to the German and Russian modernists, he is yet able to confine all these contradictory forces on the groundwork of the Gregorian tradition.”

— Theodor Rehmann (on Msgr. Jules Van Nuffel)

Recent Posts

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  • On Mistakes (Part I of II)
  • 19 May 2022 • “Trochee Trouble”
  • “Gregorian Chant Not In Danger Pope Tells French”
  • PDF Download • “O Salutaris” (Modern Setting)

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