Views from the Choir Loft

Now Online! Fr. Josef Jungmann’s Study of the Roman Rite “Missarum Sollemnia”

Jeff Ostrowski · January 25, 2014

SE THE LINKS below to download Fr. Joseph Andreas Jungmann’s masterpiece: The Mass of the Roman Rite: its origins and development. It is also called “Missarum Sollemnia.”

Both volumes are contained in this PDF:

* * 6460 • Both Volumes by Fr. Jungmann

The following files can also be downloaded, but this is unnecessary if you’ve already downloaded #6460.

* * PARS I • Vol. 1, to p. 229

* * PARS II • Vol. 1, p. 230 to END

* * PARS III • Vol. 2, to p. 229

* * PARS IV • Vol. 2, p. 230 to END

* * PARS V • Complete Indices

The priest who translated both volumes into English was Fr. Francis Brunner, C.Ss.R. Years ago, he was a “major player” in the Sacred music movement. He wasn’t a huge fan of the Solesmes rhythmic signs, probably due to his German associations. When I posted Brunner’s gentle condemnation of the hymn “On This Day, Oh Beautiful Mother” it caused quite a uproar …

BEWARE! There’s a version of Jungmann’s Missarum Sollemnia being sold which combines Volume I and II … but all the footnotes are missing!

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

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).

“Entrance Chant” • 21st Sunday Ordin. Time

You can download the ENTRANCE ANTIPHON in English for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) which is coming up on 24 August 2025. Corresponding to the vocalist score is this free organ accompaniment. It’s set in a melancholy mode, but if you heard my choir’s female voices singing it your soul would be uplifted beyond belief. If you’re someone who enjoys rehearsal videos, this morning I tried to sing it while simultaneously accompanying my voice on the pipe organ.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • 19th in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (10 August 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the feasts website.

—Jeff Ostrowski

This Sunday’s Communion Antiphon

This coming Sunday—10 August 2025—is the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). The COMMUNION ANTIPHON is really gorgeous, and two of its features are worth mentioning. First of all, the Gospel reading assigned is from Saint Luke, whereas the the antiphon—although it matches the account—comes from Saint Matthew. (If anyone can point to a similar example, please notify me.) Furthermore, if you look at the authentic Gregorian Chant version posted on the feasts website, you’ll notice that it’s MODE III but ends on the ‘wrong’ note. A comparable instance of such a ‘transposed’ chant would be KYRIE IV.

—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