Views from the Choir Loft

1961 Solesmes “Graduale Romanum” Online

Corpus Christi Watershed · March 19, 2013

HERE is no such thing as a “1962 Graduale Romanum.” The Rites were slightly revised in 1962 (for instance, the various classes for feasts) but Solesmes was not interested in revising their books.

Here’s a free PDF download of the entire Graduale, courtesy of the CMAA (Vatican Edition, large print):

* * 1961 Solesmes Graduale Romanum (PDF)

Some people confuse the “Liber Usualis” and the Graduale Romanum. Basically, the “Graduale” pertains to the Mass, while the “Liber Usualis” also has chants from the Divine Office. Both contain the complete Kyriale.

Here’s a special index, giving page numbers for each INTROIT, GRADUAL, OFFERTORY, etc.

You can also download Jeff Ostrowski’s copy of the Solesmes 1961 Graduale, but his isn’t scanned as nicely as the CMAA copy above:

* * 1961 Solesmes Graduale Romanum (1 of 3)

* * 1961 Solesmes Graduale Romanum (2 of 3)

* * 1961 Solesmes Graduale Romanum (3 of 3)

• GRADUALE SACROSANCTAE ROMANAE ECCLESIAE DE TEMPORIS ET DE SANCTIS SS. D. N. PII X. PONTIFICIS MAXIMI iussu RESTITUTUM ET EDITUM AD EXEMPLAR EDITIONIS TYPICAE CONCINNATUM ET RHYTHMICIS SIGNIS A SOLESMENSIBUS MONACHIS DILIGENTER ORNATUM 900 pages? (hard to reckon: various sections) 1961 Desclée & Socii : : S. Sedis Apostolicae et Sacrorum Rituum Congregationis Typographi : : PARISIIS – TORNACI – ROMAE – NEO EBORACI : : 1961 Copyright 1938 • The 1961 Solesmes Graduale Romanum. •

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

6 January 2021 • Anglicans on Plainsong

A book published by Anglicans in 1965 has this to say about Abbat Pothier’s Editio Vaticana, the musical edition reproduced by books such as the LIBER USUALIS (Solesmes Abbey): “No performing edition of the music of the Eucharistic Psalmody can afford to ignore the evidence of the current official edition of the Latin Graduale, which is no mere reproduction of a local or partial tradition, but a CENTO resulting from an extended study and comparison of a host of manuscripts gathered from many places. Thus the musical text of the Graduale possesses a measure of authority which cannot lightly be disregarded.” They are absolutely correct.

—Jeff Ostrowski

2 January 2021 • Temptation

When I see idiotic statements made on the internet, I go nuts. When I see heretics promoted by people who should know better, I get angry. Learning to ignore such items is difficult—very difficult. I try to remember the words of Fr. Valentine Young: “Do what God places in front of you each day.” When I am honest, I don’t believe God wants me to dwell on errors and idiocy; there’s nothing I can do about that. During 2021, I will strive to do a better job following the advice of Fr. Valentine.

—Jeff Ostrowski

31 December 2020 • “COMITES CHRISTI”

The feasts for Saint Stephen Proto-Martyr (26 December), Saint John the Evangelist The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved (27 December), and the Feast of the Holy Innocents (28 December) seem untouched by any liturgical reforms. These are very powerful feasts—I believe they once possessed octaves—and I believe they could sometimes “overpower” a Sunday feast. The rules for octaves in the olden days are extremely complex. These feasts are sometimes referred to as a single entity as: Comites Christi (“Companions of Christ”). This is just a guess, but there seems to be a triple significance: STEPHEN martyred after Christ lived, JOHN was a martyr who knew Christ personally, and the HOLY INNOCENTS were martyred before Christ’s birth.

—Jeff Ostrowski