Views from the Choir Loft

Marian Meditations on RJC Cecilia Music

Richard J. Clark · December 5, 2014

HEN I WAS YOUNG I never viewed the Blessed Virgin Mary as a great source of inspiration for composition. How wrong I was. Mary has been an enormous artistic inspiration to me. Aside from the fact that the rosary was a big part my life growing up, I believe it was Mary’s “Yes!” to God that is the overwhelming inspiration. I have no words to express this gift of “Yes!” to us all. Let music express this joy instead.

Some of these have been featured (even more than once) on this blog, but I leave offer it here for meditation and perhaps inspiration:

Ave Maria, Performed around the world by the American Boychoir – score available for digital download with RJC Cecilia Music

* * 1 • YouTube: Ave Maria | SSAT | The American Boychoir, Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, Director

* * 2 • YouTube: Ave Maria | TTBB | Schola Cantorum Sanctorum Angelorum, Andrew Leung, Director

Gaudens Gaudebo – I Will Greatly Rejoice!, performed by organist, Rosalind Mohnsen at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D. C. Based on the Introit for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, this work also includes several Marian themes quoted throughout.

Score available for digital download with RJC Cecilia Music

Finally, another setting of Ave Maria from a larger nine movement work, called “Woman.” This movement was performed by the Seraphim Singers.

Score available for digital download with RJC Cecilia Music

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

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).

Luis Martínez Must Go!

Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]

—Jeff Ostrowski

Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!

A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“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

Pope Pius XII Hymnal?

Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Hybrid” Chant Notation?

Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

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