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Views from the Choir Loft

Simple English Choral Propers by Jon Naples

Guest Author · May 29, 2014

HIS WORK uses unaltered, the offertories of the Simple English Propers chants by Adam Bartlett. This work treats each chant as cantus firmus. Retaining the chant properties of the SEP, I have expanded each into a full blown motet.

These pieces give parish choirs of all sizes and skill levels the ability to observe the content of the propers in a polyphonic offertory. They may also serve as an excellent stepping stone for the beginning choir to approach polyphony.

      * *  Pentecost Sunday — Free PDF

      * *  Trinity Sunday — Free PDF

      * *  Corpus Christi Sunday — Free PDF

      * *  Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary — Free PDF

— The parts are generally invertible. Meaning, the women’s part(s) may be sung by men and vice versa.

— Choirs are advised to first to learn the antiphon melody in unison, then learn the verse tones in SATB, then their respective part of the polyphony.

— In the verse tones, the choir changes pitch on the words in bold type.

— In the antiphons, black notes (equal to a square note of chant) are the basic unit of time and in turn, determine the duration of the half notes, dotted half notes, and whole notes.

— The conductor is advised to observe two and three-beat groupings according to the rhythm of the text and melody combined.

— For reasons of musical interest most of the pieces contain two contrasting settings of the antiphon. Antiphon I should be heard after the odd numbered verses, and Antiphon II after the even numbered verses. Long antiphons have one setting.


We hope you enjoyed this guest post by Jon Naples.

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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Quick Thoughts

16 May 2022 • Harmonized Chant?

This year’s upcoming Sacred Music Symposium will demonstrate several ways to sing the CREDO at Mass. This is because—for many parishes—to sing a full-length polyphonic CREDO by Victoria or Palestrina is out of the question. Therefore, we show options that are halfway between plainsong and polyphony. You can hear my choir rehearsing a section that sounds like harmonized plainsong.

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • “Pure” Vatican Edition

As readers know, my choir has been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana. That is to say, the official rhythm which—technically—is the only rhythm allowed by the Church. I haven’t figured out how I want the scores to look, so in the meantime we’ve been using temporary scores that look like this. Stay tuned!

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • Gorgeous Book

If there is a more beautiful book than Abbat Pothier’s 1888 Processionale Monasticum, I don’t know what it might be. This gorgeous tome was today added to the Saint John Lalande Online Library. I wish I owned a physical copy.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“As often as possible they gathered together the children of the village and sat them down in the cabin. Father Brébeuf would put on a surplice and biretta and chant the Our Father, which Father Daniel had translated into Huron rhymes, and the children would chant it after him. Next, he taught them the sign of the cross, the Hail Mary, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Commandments.”

— Biography of St. Jean de Brébeuf

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