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Views from the Choir Loft

Method of the Solesmes Plain Chant

Corpus Christi Watershed · March 19, 2013

km0_GCT-tome_1904_Method_of_the_Solesmes_Plain_Chant HE FOLLOWING BOOK has been made available for free download courtesy of the Jean de Lalande Library. If you appreciate these efforts, please consider making a donation by using the link at the top of the page.

      * *  Method of the Solesmes Plain Chant

• Author: Birkle, Suitbertus, 1876-1926. • Title: A complete and practical method of the Solesmes plain chant • Publisher: New York, J.F. Wagner • IMPRIMATUR: 1904 – COPYRIGHT: 1904 • TRANSLATION: Lemaistre • (supposedly printed in 1904) • • Please Note: EXCERPTS ONLY •

      * *  The Vatican Plainchant

• Author: Birkle, Suitbertus, 1876-1926. • Title: The Vatican plain chant; a practical manual for teacher and student • Publisher: New York, J. F. Wagner • IMPRIMATUR: 1904 COPYRIGHT: 1904 • TRANSLATION: Lemaistre • (supposedly printed in 1906) •

N.B.   These two titles by Suitbertus Birkle are but one book masquerading as two. They are identical, except for their titles. The one called “The Vatican plain chant: etc.” says that it’s a NEW AND REVISED EDITION. However, in this “new and revised edition” the Preface is missing. The Preface said, “This method has nothing new to offer. It is based upon well-known Plain Chant hand-books by authorities such as DOM POTHIER, KEINLE, TINEL, WAGNER, HABERL, etc.” Again, this Preface is NOT printed in the one called “The Vatican Plain chant; etc.” but it WAS printed in other book (which, again, has the same year of copyright and imprimatur). However, in the INDEX of “The Vatican Plain chant; etc.” it claims that the Preface is on page 7 . . . but there IS no Preface!!!

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Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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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

“The introduction of the vernacular will certainly be a great sacrifice for those who know the beauty, the power and the expressive sacrality of Latin. We are parting with the speech of the Christian centuries; we are becoming like profane intruders in the literary preserve of sacred utterance. We will lose a great part of that stupendous and incomparable artistic and spiritual thing, the Gregorian chant. We have reason indeed for regret […] We are giving up something of priceless worth.”

— Pope Paul VI

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