• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

We’re a 501(c)3 public charity established in 2006. We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and run no advertisements. We exist solely by the generosity of small donors.

  • Donate
  • Our Team
    • Our Editorial Policy
    • Who We Are
    • How To Contact Us
    • Sainte Marie Bulletin Articles
  • Pew Resources
    • Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal
    • Jogues Illuminated Missal
    • KYRIALE • Saint Antoine Daniel
    • Campion Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Repository • “Spanish Music”
    • Ordinary Form Feasts (Sainte-Marie)
  • MUSICAL WEBSITES
    • René Goupil Gregorian Chant
    • Noël Chabanel Psalms
    • Nova Organi Harmonia (2,279 pages)
    • Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Catechism of Gregorian Rhythm
    • Father Enemond Massé Manuscripts
    • Lalemant Polyphonic
  • Miscellaneous
    • Site Map
    • Secrets of the Conscientious Choirmaster
    • “Wedding March” for lazy organists
    • Emporium Kevin Allen
    • Saint Jean de Lalande Library
    • Sacred Music Symposium 2023
    • The Eight Gregorian Modes
    • Gradual by Pothier’s Protégé
    • Seven (7) Considerations
Views from the Choir Loft

Improvising – and Praying – on the Propers

Richard J. Clark · January 10, 2014

N RECENT YEARS, I HAVE ADOPTED THE HABIT of improvising on the propers when appropriate and applicable. Most often, this may be at a mass without choir, or perhaps one of the “off-peak” masses. This also comes in the form of the occasional prelude improvisation, usually on the Introit. In doing so, one can never be reminded enough of these words from the Second Vatican Council:

“In the Latin Church the pipe organ is to be held in high esteem, for it is the traditional instrument which adds a wonderful splendor to the Church’s ceremonies and powerfully lifts up man’s mind to God and to higher things.” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 120),

Coupled with the above phrase must be the following:

“Therefore sacred music is to be considered the more holy in proportion as it is more closely connected with the liturgical action…” (Sacrosanctum Concillium § 112)

When one can print the text in a worship aid, the prayerful connection is easily made. However, when this is not the case, what purpose does it serve, and why persist in doing it? The answer is more closely related to the interior prayer life of the organist. Not only is a melody the subject of improvisation, but also the text must be in the heart of the improviser throughout!

To make a habit of carrying these texts in one’s heart on a regular basis can only be helpful to the prayer life of the organist. But what does this accomplish for anyone else? What does this accomplish liturgically? Well, a few things. First of all, a must read is Part Four of Dr. William Mahrt’s “The Musical Shape of the Liturgy: The Function of the Organ.” Dr. Marhrt points out the ancient common practice:

“The prescription found in medieval liturgical books that a melody which is to be carried by the organ is cantabitur in organis (it shall be sung upon the organ), or even dicetur in organis (it shall be said on the organ), and it acknowledges this function of implicitly bearing the text.”

However, this applies to well-known sacred melodies that a listener would easily recognize. The most common example are masses sung in alternatum with the organ. It is clearly understood what the text is whether sung or played.

But what about melodies that are unfamiliar, especially in a present-day context? Consider too, that the heart of improvisation is elaboration. Then what? Does anyone have any idea what we are doing? Is it important? Very few Offertory melodies are being whistled on the way out the door.

In such cases, one would not argue that the organ is speaking the text in the sense of ”dicetur in organis” (it shall be said on the organ). Rather, the music must serve to the heart of prayer in of itself, as well as serve the ongoing liturgical action, which improvisation tends to do fairly well.

CLOSE FRIEND, A PRIEST once told me years ago something I’ve never forgotten. “The people don’t need to know what it is to understand it.” In other words, they will understand the prayer interiorly if not in words. Since hearing that, I have always thought it important to play and pray music related to a relevant text. This is not an excuse for laziness and to not provide texts in worship aids. But in times when texts are not readily available, or even if they are, the liturgical understanding is not present, one relies on faith that what the musician prays edifies and transports those with open ears open to prayer.

Another friend recently wrote to me, “I don’t think that the average Catholic has a conscious appreciation of our need for sacred mystery.” However, I believe that there might be a subconscious hunger for the sacred mysteries. While this may sound silly to some of us, it is worth the reminder to never be afraid of expressing mystery. Improvisation does this quite well as it unleashes the spirit. Coupled with Gregorian Chant, improvisation gives further voice to the sacred. Do not be afraid of the mystery!

ERE I OFFER TWO somewhat random examples from the twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. While crude videos, they were recorded during mass, hopefully retaining the continuity of the liturgical action. In somewhat of a colorful French, yet modal language, I hope my limited improvisational skills assist in prayer.

Hopefully, if we make a habit of keeping the prayers of the propers in our hearts, we will ourselves become converted and transformed in the ways we most need. This in turn may assist in all the other work that we must do.

There is power in improvisation and in prayer.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Improvisation, Pipe Organ, Propers Last Updated: January 1, 2020

Subscribe

It greatly helps us if you subscribe to our mailing list!

* indicates required

About Richard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.—(Read full biography).

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —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

Why do we never sing “De Spiritu Sancto” (St. Athenogenes) in our churches? There are a dozen translations in English verse. Where could anyone find a better evening hymn than this, coming right down from the catacombs? Our hymnbooks know nothing of such a treasure as this, and give us pages of poor sentiment in doggerel lines by some tenth-rate modern versifier.

— Rev’d Adrian Fortescue (d. 1923)

Recent Posts

  • Hidden Gem: Ascendit Deus (Dalitz)
  • PDF Download • Soprano Descant — “Hail, Holy Queen Enthroned Above”
  • “Dom Jausions had a skilled hand. His transcriptions are masterpieces of neatness & precision.”
  • Pope Leo XIV pays tribute to Palestrina
  • PDF Download • Palestrina’s “Ave Maria”

Subscribe

Subscribe

* indicates required

Copyright © 2025 Corpus Christi Watershed · Isaac Jogues on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.

The election of Pope Leo XIV has been exciting, and we’re filled with hope for our apostolate’s future!

But we’re under pressure to transfer our website to a “subscription model.”

We don’t want to do that. We believe our website should remain free to all.

Our president has written the following letter:

President’s Message (dated 30 May 2025)

Are you able to support us?

clock.png

Time's up