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Views from the Choir Loft

Endeavor That Playing The Organ Be Not Lascivious Or Obscene

Jeff Ostrowski · March 1, 2013

ART AND PARCEL with the publication of the Campion Missal & Hymnal [url] was the necessity of writing many promotional articles. These articles invariably involved much discussion about the Roman liturgy. I think it is probably fair to say that anyone who examines the Campion Missal will soon realize how intimately “bound up” it is with the whole liturgical movement of the twentieth century. Briefly stated, the liturgical movement was an effort to help people in the pews pray the actual prayers of the Mass along with the priest, as opposed to (for example) praying the Rosary or other private devotions. This topic is so vast, I could probably write articles for the next four decades without running out of material. Furthermore, it is a complex issue: it’s not “black and white.” For instance, Cardinal Ratzinger pointed out that while praying the Rosary at Mass would probably not be considered the ideal, depending on each circumstance (and he used the example of his grandmother), praying the Rosary might actually be the most perfect way for that individual to assist at Mass. Let me say again, it’s a complex subject that can be difficult to write about in a satisfactory way.

Anyway, in light of all this, I thought the reader might be interested in this 1934 article [pdf] printed in the Caecilia Magazine. It’s only two pages long, but it describes how the organist ought to play the organ all through the Mass.   [Pause . . . allow the reader to be shocked by this statement.]

Let me say that again: the article describes the best ways of playing the organ all throughout the Low Mass. Believe it or not, this practice was not rare once upon a time. In France, many “bigtime” organists treated Low Masses as concerts. As I mentioned in my (too lengthy!) Preamble, this subject is complex. We ought not rush to judgement immediately. I think most Catholics would probably agree that playing organ throughout the entire Mass is probably not in keeping with the Liturgical Movement. However, I remember Jeffrey Morse (conductor at an FSSP parish in California) mentioning to me that he has attended such Masses and was quite moved. My advice? Read the article, ponder it, and come to your own conclusions.

In some of the publicity pieces I mentioned earlier, I have included articles like this one by Villani, but I must admit that no matter how many of these articles I read, it always strikes me as bizarre to hear organists describing, for instance, what stops to use during the Gospel. Note that Villani even quotes the Ceremonial of Bishops with regard to what type of music ought to be played during the Elevation . . .

I thought it was funny that the article mentioned “Cavendum est ne sonus organi sit lascivus aut impurus” (“Endeavor that the playing of the organ be not lascivious or obscene”). We all know that pieces like that were never played in Church circa 1934 . . . (I am being sarcastic, by the way!)

Speaking of Caecilia, it really was a well-produced magazine. It was not easy to print a monthly periodical during the Depression, yet they did. However, “all that glitters is not gold.” Not everything is the Caecilia is all that professional. For example, look at this 1935 biography of Fr. Franz Witt [pdf]. They make a big deal about it in the Table of Contents and . . . it’s literally a sentence long! Oops! I guess they said everything they needed to about Rev. Witt in that sentence . . . It reminds me of a sermon we once heard at a Latin Mass (Diocesan Indult) many years ago. The priest came to preach the homily, and he said something like, “So, my children, we must always strive to adhere to the Catholic Faith. What is the Catholic Faith? Read the Catechism: it’s all in there.” And that was it! That was the entirety of his homily! Incidentally, Fr. Franz Witt, a Catholic priest, was friends with Abbé Franz Liszt, and I believe they dedicated pieces to one another.

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

    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
    14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —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

“It is required of a man that he should share the passion and action of his time at peril of being judged not to have lived.”

— Oliver Wendell Holmes

Recent Posts

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  • “My First Year with the Latin Mass” • A Music Director’s Perspective
  • Boston Auxiliary Bishop: “In offering the Traditional Mass for the first time, after removing the vestments, I knelt in the back pew and wept.”

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