Views from the Choir Loft

Impatiently Awaiting the Publication of the English Translation of von Hildebrand’s Aesthetics

Gwyneth Holston · December 16, 2013

ccording to the Dietrich von Hildebrand Legacy Project website, volume I of Dietrich von Hildebrand’s writings on aesthetics was translated this year. How thrilling! I believe it will be a work of intense interest to Catholic artists and musicians.

For those of you who have not had the pleasure of discovering the writings of Dietrich von Hildebrand or his esteemed wife, Dr. Alice von Hildebrand, I encourage you to read his biography, Soul of a Lion. It is the story of the brilliant son of a famous sculptor and his growth from a childhood immersed in a pagan appreciation of beauty to an adulthood focused on the Christian notion of beauty. An outspoken idealist and philosopher, von Hildebrand was hunted by the Nazis during World War II until he escaped to America.

Dietrich von Hildebrand’s father was the sculptor Adolf von Hildebrand who wroteThe Problem of Form in Painting and Sculpture in 1907. It is a excellent treatise for artists on the depiction of three-dimensional space.

Each summer, the Dietrich von Hildebrand Legacy Project hosts a summer seminar to promote study of his writings and ideas. I went last summer and enjoyed the week immensely. It was astonishing to see how the writings of one man brought together professionals from such fields as philosophy, theology, education, and the arts.

Watch the video below to see the highlights from last year’s program:

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

About Gwyneth Holston

Gwyneth Holston is a sacred artist who works to provide and promote good quality Catholic art. Her website is gwynethholston.com. Read more.

“What Martin Luther Said…”

My pastor asked me to write little columns for the bulletin each week. The article for 20 July 2025 has been posted, and it’s called: “What Luther Said…” Martin Luther (an ex-priest and apostate) was an infamous heretic whose ignorance of JESUS CHRIST was only exceeded by his filthy and disgusting vulgarity.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.

—Jeff Ostrowski

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.

—Jeff Ostrowski

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