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Views from the Choir Loft

Preparing for Lent

Veronica Brandt · March 1, 2014

Kramskoi Christ dans le desert Christ in the desert by Russian painter I.N. Kramskoi (1837-1887) IVING UP A BAD HABIT FOR LENT? Or taking up a good habit? How about learning some more of the Propers? Lots of cool saints in heaven know these tunes, so dive in to the treasury of the Church’s Sacred Music today!

My choir is still aiming at a monthly Sung Mass. The next one happens to be the First Sunday of Lent, a good time for putting in a little more effort. This Sunday in the Extraordinary Form happens to have the longest Tract in the book. I am assured that once you get into it, the Tract is not so hard, and can be a good spot for ten minutes meditation for the congregation. I think we will go with the psalm toned version though. Here is the Gradual and Tract in a psalm tone on one page.

Corpus Christi Watershed is a great resource for singing the propers. See that link up there “Liturgical Music”? Go there for scores to print and recordings to hear and videos to watch.

Some singers have asked me to make recordings as a sort of half-way house between absolute ignorance and monastic mellifluence. Something that may seem a little more attainable. The idea of making a video was largely for the sake of learning about making videos, but in the process I found being able to watch the hand movements really added to the recording.



And if you are trying to improve your chant, recording and editing a video is a great way to drum those tunes into your head! And link it here so I can listen too.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Gregorian Chant, Propers Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Veronica Brandt

Veronica Brandt holds a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering. She lives near Sydney, Australia, with her husband and six children.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

PDF Download • Trinity Sunday (22 pages)

Feel free to download this Organ Accompaniment Booklet for Trinity Sunday (Second Vespers). Notice how the modes progress by number. Psalm 1 is mode 1; Psalm 2 is mode 2; Psalm 3 is mode 3; Psalm 4 is mode 4; Psalm 5 is mode 5. I am told by an expert that other feasts (such as Corpus Christi) are likewise organized by mode, and it’s called a “numerical office.”

—Jeff Ostrowski
10 June 2022 • “Official” rhythm of plainsong

I continue to search for the most beautiful way to present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores. (Technically, the “pure” rhythm of the official edition is what everyone is supposed to use.) You can download my latest attempt, which is the Introit for this coming Sunday: Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. Because this is not an ancient feast, the Introit had to be adapted (perhaps around 750AD). Prior Johner says the adaptation is “not an entirely happy one.”

—Jeff Ostrowski
7 June 2022 • FEEDBACK

From Chelan, Washington: “CCWatershed is a God-sent resource that I can’t function without! Such great work by the team to bring beauty back to our liturgy!” From Gainesville, Florida: “I am so appreciative of the work, of my brothers and sisters in music!” From Troutman, North Carolina: “Keep up the excellent work in service of the Liturgy!”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

No concession should ever be made for the singing of the Exsultet, in whole or in part, in the vernacular.

— ‘Fr. Augustin Bea, S.J. in the years immediately before the Second Vatican Council’

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