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Views from the Choir Loft

New Propers Collection By Lawrence M. Rutherford

Jeff Ostrowski · November 19, 2014

655 Larry AWRENCE RUTHERFORD is to be congratulated for his new publication: English Psalm-Tone Propers for the Ordinary Form of the Mass. He has carefully set the Introits, Responsorial Psalms, Alleluias, Offertories, and Communions to the traditional Gregorian psalm tones, also providing organ accompaniments. I had concerns about his unique notational style, but, having carefully examined his books, I see that my concerns were unfounded. Moreover, the thoughtful way he fits English texts to the Psalm Tones—which were designed for the Latin language—is remarkable.

Anyone interested in restoring the Propers to a vernacular Mass ought to pick up a copy of this two-volume set. The settings are very simple: even a single cantor can tackle them. The editor has included a few Latin verses for the more famous Introits, but less than 1% of the entire book is in Latin. He has also included nice artwork with reflections.

      * *  English Psalm-Tone Propers for the Ordinary Form of the Mass

As with any publication, there are a few typos which need to be corrected in subsequent editions. Good Friday lacks a page number in the index. A header in the Preface is incorrect. The page numbers overlap in some instances. Such minor errors happen in almost every publishing project.

653 error A 652 error B 651 error C

649 sample DURING A REVIEW, it’s normal for the reviewer to mention one “flaw.” I have to say that I wish Mr. Rutherford had set the Sung Propers (which come from the Revised 1974 Gradual) instead of setting the Spoken Propers (which come from the Sacramentary). Obviously, he had no choice about the Offertories, which do not exist in the Sacramentary, and needed to be taken from the Gradual.

If a congregation is following the Mass by means of a printed Order of Worship, such as the Jogues Illuminated Missal, they will be looking at the Sung Propers. That means their texts will match Mr. Rutherford’s almost perfectly, except for the Communion antiphons. Therefore, either the congregation will be confused by hearing the Spoken Text Communion (a.k.a. “Sacramentary Text Communion”) or the musician should use some other collection, such as the Simple English Propers (CMAA, 2011) for the Communion.

MY REVIEW IS FINISHED but I would like to say I’m really glad Aquinas & More is still running. (A few years ago, they announced they would be closing.) Also, I would like to know if Mr. Lawrence M. Rutherford is related to Ian Rutherford, who runs Aquinas & More. If not, that’s some coincidence!

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Graduale Romanum Roman Gradual Propers, Simple English Mass Propers, Sung Vs Spoken Propers Novus Ordo Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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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).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    PDF Download • “Polyphonic Extension” (Kevin Allen) for Gloria III
    EVIN ALLEN was commissioned by Sacred Music Symposium 2025 to compose a polyphonic ‘middle section’ for the GLORIA from Mass III, often denoted by its trope name: Missa Kyrie Deus sempiterne. This year, I’m traveling from Singapore to serve on the symposium faculty. I will be conducting Palestrina’s ‘Ave Maria’ as well as teaching plainsong to the men. A few days ago, I was asked to record rehearsal videos for this beautiful polyphonic extension. (See below.) This polyphonic composition fits ‘inside’ GLORIA III. That is, the congregation sings for the beginning and end, but the choir alone adds polyphony to the middle. The easiest way to understand how everything fits together is by examining this congregational insert. You may download the score, generously made available to the whole world—free of charge—by CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED:
    *  PDF Download • Gloria III ‘Middle Section’ (Kevin Allen)
    Free rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #24366. Related News • My colleague, Jeff Ostrowski, composed an organ accompaniment for this same GLORIA a few months ago. Obviously, the organist should drop out when the polyphony is being sung.
    —Corrinne May
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Yahweh” in church songs?
    My pastor asked me to write a weekly column for our parish bulletin. The one scheduled to run on 22 June 2025 is called “Three Words in a Psalm” and speaks of translating the TETRAGRAMMATON. You can read the article at this column repository. All of them are quite brief because I was asked to keep within a certain word limit.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    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
    When to Sit, Stand and Kneel like it’s 1962
    There are lots of different guides to postures for Mass, but I couldn’t find one which matched our local Latin Mass, so I made this one: sit-stand-kneel-crop
    —Veronica Brandt
    The Funeral Rites of the Graduale Romanum
    Lately I have been paging through the 1974 Graduale Romanum (see p. 678 ff.) and have been fascinated by the funeral rites found therein, especially the simply-beautiful Psalmody that is appointed for all the different occasions before and after the funeral Mass: at the vigil/wake, at the house of the deceased, processing to the church, at the church, processing to the cemetery, and at the cemetery. Would that this “stational Psalmody” of the Novus Ordo funeral rites saw wider usage! If you or anyone you know have ever used it, please do let me know.
    —Daniel Tucker

Random Quote

It is unworthy that the stone holds Him, Who encloses everything in His hand, Locked in by the forbidding rock. (“Indígnum est cujus claudúntur cuncta pugíllo | Ut tegat inclúsum rupe vetánte lapis.”)

— SALVE FESTA DIES (Eastertide)

Recent Posts

  • PDF Download • “Polyphonic Extension” (Kevin Allen) for Gloria III
  • “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
  • PDF Download • “Text by Saint Francis of Assisi” (choral setting w/ organ: Soprano & Alto)
  • “Yahweh” in church songs?
  • “Music List” • Pentecost Sunday

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