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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Important Resources for Liturgical Reform (3 of 7)

Fr. David Friel · August 10, 2014

LOVE DICTIONARIES. Online dictionaries are the best invention ever, because they save me tons of time. It wasn’t the act of breaking open a paper dictionary, itself, that used to take up so much time; rather, it was the stopping at every page on which I spotted an unfamiliar word that drew out the process. With online dictionaries, though, I simply type in a single word and move on without being distracted by the latent treasures of our plenitudinous English language.

Another good place to get lost in time is clicking through the scores available on the Choral Public Domain Library (CPDL). This site is a magnificent reserve of some of the greatest sacred music ever written, and it is all FREE for the download. Some pieces even have multiple versions from which you might choose, featuring different keys, arrangements, file-types, etc. If you have never wasted time perusing CPDL, you should try it. You’ll meet composers of whom you never heard and pieces that you’ve never sung. Fair warning: afterwards, you may question the need ever to buy another octavo.

HERE ARE, of course, plenty of published resources that deserve a choir director’s investigation. Allow me to mention two publishing houses outside “the big three” that offer serious, quality, sacred music.

First, there is “The Cathedral Series” of sacred works available through MorningStar Music. You can see a full list of products in this series HERE. While I have not reviewed every piece offered therein, those that I have are all well suited to the liturgy. Some of the pieces are ritual music, while others are motets, Mass parts, organ works, etc.

Music directors of small, country parishes should not be scared off by the word “Cathedral” in the title. Many of these pieces would be within the capabilities of the average volunteer choir.

HE SECOND RESOURCE for published music, I admit, is a bit of a repeat. Even though Richard Clark already highlighted CanticaNOVA Publications in his introduction to this series, I must echo his praise. The planning resources available through CanticaNOVA are well researched, well organized, and well worth a look. Furthermore, among the published music available through their catalog, you will find the names of a few composers familiar to you as contributors on Views from the Choir Loft:

Richard J. Clark

Fr. David M. Friel

Andrew R. Motyka

Aurelio Porfiri

INALLY, if you are looking for a new English Mass setting to introduce to your congregation, the best place to browse is right HERE on Corpus Christi Watershed. All of these Masses are faithful to the Missal texts, composed in sacred style, and FREE for the download.

Among them, you will find the works of numerous Views contributors available freely through the Creative Commons. Several of the Masses are composed with chant-like melodies and have free rhythm, which is better suited to the sacred liturgy that the strict confines of metricality. One Mass posted there is the Mass of St. John Neumann, which I composed as a dignified metrical setting for parishes in which a free-rhythm ordinary is still too much of a leap. In such places, while free rhythm should remain the goal, a metrical setting marked by holiness, beauty, and universality is still a significant step forward.

If you are looking for resources to help in leading grassroots liturgical reform at your parish, these are a few ideas to assist you as you get started. Stay tuned to this series for more ideas.


7-part series:   “Important Resources for Liturgical Reform”

FIRST PART • Richard Clark

SECOND PART • Veronica Brandt

THIRD PART • Fr. David Friel

FOURTH PART • Jeff Ostrowski

FIFTH PART • Jon Naples

SIXTH PART • Andrew Motyka

SEVENTH PART • Peter Kwasniewski

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Reform of the Reform, Sheet Music Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Why A “Fugue” Here?
    I believe I know why this plainsong harmonizer created a tiny fugue as the INTRODUCTION to his accompaniment. Take a look (PDF) and tell me your thoughts about what he did on the feast of the Flight of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Egypt (17 February). And now I must go because “tempus fugit” as they say!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?
    Choirs love to sing the famous & splendid tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1952, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. In other words, their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1952 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. I really like the groovy Germanic INTRODUCTION they added.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The following question is asked by the Most Reverend Lord Bishop of the Diocese of Chur: May this Diocese’s ancient custom be continued of having the Celebrant in Sung Masses (excepting more solemn Masses) intone the Credo and when he is finished reciting it going on immediately to the offertory and finishing it while the credo is being sung by the choir?” (Dubium of Dec 1909)

— 11 December 1909

Recent Posts

  • Why A “Fugue” Here?
  • “Three Reasons To Shun Bad Hymns” • Daniel B. Marshall
  • “Puzzling Comment” • By A Respected FSSP Priest
  • New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
  • “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)

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