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Views from the Choir Loft

Misereris omnium | Ash Wednesday Introit

Richard J. Clark · March 5, 2014

EW PARISHES ARE WILLING to sing Gregorian Introits for the Entrance procession. A growing practice is to sing the Introit followed by a hymn. If even this is too much, one may want to sing the Introit as a prelude. This practice allows the faithful to be exposed to the prayerful power of Gregorian Chant when singing the propers is not feasible. Furthermore, this is an excellent opportunity to engage the congregation more deeply and frequently with these transformative texts and chants.

For example, one can seize this opportunity on Ash Wednesday when the pews are filled with many who do not attend mass regularly. It is significant that the very first Introit of Lent sings of God’s infinite mercy: “Your mercy extends to all things, O Lord, and you despise none of the things you have made. You overlook our sins for the sake of repentance. You grant them your pardon, because you are the Lord our God.” —Wisdom 11:24-25, 27; Psalm 57 (56)

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PDF • Misereris omnium | Introit | Ash Wednesday

N THIS RECORDING of Misereris omnium, the antiphon is followed by organ variations. The transformation and variety of colors in the organ indicate that through the Lenten season, we do not end up in the same place that we started. Beginning with the thick and rich clarinet stop in the tenor, the piece explores many colors, ending with very light 4’ flutes, in anticipation of Christ’s resurrection.


DESPITE BEING AN ORGANIST with a wonderful instrument at my disposal, I tend to not play instrumental preludes or postludes during Lent with the exception of Laetare Sunday. As such, I find the sung preludes to be effective and even popular as a way of preparing the congregation for prayer, which is the intention of a prelude after all. (That being said, I cannot help but to compose organ variations on this wonderful chant.)

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

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

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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).

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Quick Thoughts

    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Don’t You Agree About These?
    If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Choral Vowels? Yes? No?
    Here's a live recording of one of the choral “warm-up” exercises my choir enjoys. It was taken during our rehearsal on 27 January 2023. It’s good to make sure each chord is perfectly in tune and balanced before moving to the next one. That only happens when each singer has the correct vowel. If you like, you can freely download that vocal exercise.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Yet, with all its advantages, the new Missal was published as if it were a work put together by professors, not a phase in a continual growth process. Such a thing never happened before. It is absolutely contrary to the laws of liturgical growth, and it has resulted in the nonsensical notion that Trent and Pius V had “produced” a Missal four hundred years ago.

— Josef Cardinal Ratzinger (1986)

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