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Views from the Choir Loft

Review: An English Gradual (Belmont Abbey, 2013)

Jeff Ostrowski · December 10, 2014

583 An English Gradual ALWAYS TRY to be meticulous and thorough in my postings on this blog. Sometimes, my posts represent the fruit of immense study. Today, however, I want to make it clear that I’m not an expert on Belmont Abbey. Moreover, their new “English Gradual” is rather mysterious, since it’s an in-house publication. I’ve attempted to do some “detective work,” but please verify all information.

The Belmont Abbey we’re talking about is located in England. We’re not talking about the Benedictine Monastery in North Carolina also called “Belmont Abbey.” The book appears to have been done in homage to Dom Alan Rees, Gregorian composer and Abbot of Belmont Abbey from 1986 to 1993, who died tragically—due to an accidental fall at the abbey—on 2 October 2005 at the age of 64.

I believe I can give my opinion of this book in a very few words.

579 BELMONT PAGES IT APPEARS TO BE A SOMEWHAT RANDOM collection of texts. It does not correspond to the Roman Gradual (SUNG PROPERS). Nor does it correspond to the Roman Missal (SPOKEN PROPERS). The antiphons and psalms lack Latin references, so it’s sometimes difficult to understand exactly whence each comes. Perhaps the easiest way to describe it would be a type of “Englished” Graduale Simplex. 1 From time to time, the antiphon matches (in a general way) the assigned Introit. For example, the Introit chosen by Belmont for the Baptism of the Lord is similar to the one in the Roman Missal.

In terms of the compositions, they range from metrical tunes to unmeasured melodies which draw their inspiration from Gregorian chant. In my personal opinion, most of these melodies are not inspired. Some of them are just okay. Only a small percentage are worth writing home about. As you can tell, I was disappointed by the melodies. However, from what I can tell through basic Google searches, Dom Rees was one of the very first to create English “Gregorian” settings. Therefore, perhaps I should cut him some slack!

      * *  Purchase “An English Gradual” (Belmont Abbey, 2013)

The book is softcover. In my view, the binding is quite poor. My pages are already falling out, even though the book has received almost no usage whatsoever. The typesetting is of average quality. To my knowledge, there are no organ accompaniments available for any of the chants in this 270+ page book—a fatal flaw. Those of us who have created such collections know that writing the antiphons is the easy part. The difficult part is providing organ accompaniments for the entire collection, including the psalm verses! The Preface says that a CD of some of these chants is in production.

587 Belmont Abbey FOR YEARS, WE HAVE NOTED the amazing renaissance of collections being produced which set the MASS PROPERS to music. This process was long overdue, and we have welcomed it. I think the Belmont Gradual is a welcome addition, while not rising to the level of indispensable. At the very least, it can show additional possibilities when it comes to creating “Gregorian” settings in English.

As I mentioned, I was not impressed with most of the settings. The melodies are unworthy of an abbey whose architecture is so sacred and stunningly gorgeous.

I have to admit, this Gradual forced me to think about the whole concept of “Gregorian” compositions in English. I started asking myself, “Why are we doing this, if the results are sometimes so poor? Are we not acting arrogantly and foolishly to replace the ancient & beautiful chants of our liturgy? To what end?” Moreover, in the case of this Belmont Gradual, the texts do not even correspond to the Church’s assigned texts!

Obviously, this is a conversation for another day, but I would note in passing what I’ve said before. Even though the Vatican Council specifically allowed a liturgy with both Latin and vernacular, I find the juxtaposition somewhat jarring. Others will disagree. For myself, I prefer the liturgy entirely in Latin or entirely in the vernacular. Again, others will disagree. In any event, it seems to me that the primary advantage of English “Gregorian” settings is their ability to be used well in those liturgies which—in spite of the decrees by Vatican II—take place entirely in the vernacular.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   That is to say, Scriptural texts loosely related to the feast in a general way.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Graduale Romanum Roman Gradual Propers 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

    Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    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

Random Quote

This was first breach in the walls of a fortress, centuries old, stoutly built, strong and robust, but no longer capable of responding to the spiritual needs of the age. [N.B. the “fortress” is a liturgy which nourished countless great saints.]

— Annibale Bugnini (19 March 1966)

Recent Posts

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  • Bishop François Charrière Vs. Hannibal Bugnini
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  • Boston Auxiliary Bishop: “In offering the Traditional Mass for the first time, after removing the vestments, I knelt in the back pew and wept.”

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