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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

[español] ‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime

Veronica Moreno · December 26, 2014

Una traducción del texto de Fr. David Friel del 26 de diciembre 2014
ÉRASE UNA LUNA DE INVIERNO
para nuestros lectores hispanohablantes.

IENTRAS CONTINUAMOS nuestra celebración del Nacimiento de nuestro Señor, aquí hay un hermoso villancico escrito por uno de nuestros patrones de CCW, San Juan de Brébeuf. Escribió el original en Wyandot (la lengua indígena Huron) como medio de evangelización.

En el himno, el padre de Brébeuf utiliza conceptos tradicionales de la religión Huron para transmitir la historia del Nacimiento de Cristo. Esta es “inculturación” en su sentido más verdadero y más saludable. Haga clic aquí para obtener una historia más completa de este villancico.

El autor fue un hombre valiente muy digno de nuestra emulación, y este es un hermoso poema muy digno de nuestra reflexión”.

Érase una luna de invierno,
ya huídos todos los pájaros,
que el poderoso Gitchi Manitou
envió coros de ángeles en su lugar;
en su luz, las estrellas se apagaron,
y los cazadores curiosos oyeron el himno:

R./ Jesús, tu Rey ha nacido,
Jesús ha nacido,
en excelsis gloria.

En una choza de leña rota
se encontró el tierno Niño,
un ropaje raído de piel de conejo
envuelve su entera belleza.
Pero a medida que se acercaban los valientes cazadores,
el canto del ángel sonó alto y fuerte: R./

La primera luna del invierno
no es tan redonda y hermosa
como era el anillo de gloria en
el indefenso Infante allí.
Los jefes de lejos se arrodillaron ante Él
con regalos de piel de zorro y castor.R./

Oh, hijos de la selva libre,
el canto de los ángeles es verdadero.
El Santo Niño de la Tierra y el Cielo
ha nacido hoy para ti.
Ven a arrodillarte ante el radiante Niño,
que te trae belleza, paz y alegría. R./

St. Jean de Brébeuf, c. 1643
(traducción de ccwatershed del la traducción de by J. Edgar Middleton, 1926, alt.)

¡Deseándoles a nuestros lectores mucha alegría a medida que continuamos dando la bienvenida a la Presencia de Cristo entre nosotros!

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: CCWatershed en Español, spanish Last Updated: December 23, 2022

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About Veronica Moreno

Veronica Moreno is married to a teacher and homeschools five children. She has been cantor at her local Catholic parish for over a decade.—(Read full biography).

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President’s Corner

    Easter • Would You Sing This Hymn?
    He who examines Laudes Dei: a hymnal for Catholic congregations (St. Louis, 1894) will discover this pairing of a hymn for Easter. For the record, this isn’t the only Catholic hymn book to marry that text and melody; e.g. Saint Mark’s Hymnal for Use in the Roman Catholic Church in the United States (Peoria, 1910) does the same thing. Sometimes an unexpected pairing—chosen with sensitivity—can be superb, forcing singers to experience the text in a ‘fresh’ and wonderful way. On the other hand, we sometimes encounter something I’ve called “PERNICIOUS HYMN PAIRINGS.” If you find the subject in intriguing, feel free to peruse an article I published in May of 2023. As always, my email inbox is open if you have a bone to pick with my take.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Pipe Organ “Answers” in Plainsong?
    In 2003, I copied a book by Félix Bélédin (d. 1895), who was titular organist—from 1841 to 1874—at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Lyon (France). In 2008, we scanned and uploaded the book to the Lalande Online Library. Nobody knows for sure when the book was published; some believe it first appeared in the 1840s. In any event, one who examines this excerpt, showing GLORIA IX might wonder why it says the organ answers in plainsong. However, the front of the book explains, telling the organist explicitly when to “respond in plainchant.” This is something called organ alternatim. Believe it or not, the pipe organ would take turns with the choir, playing certain texts instrumentally instead of having them sung. I’m not very well-versed in this—pardon the pun—but if memory serves, ORGAN ALTERNATIM was frowned upon by the time of Pope Saint Pius X. Nevertheless, French organists kept doing it, even after it was explicitly condemned as an abuse.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Music List • (5th Sunday of Lent)
    Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for this coming Sunday, which is the 5th Sunday of Lent (22 March 2026). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. Traditionally, this Sunday was called ‘Passion’ Sunday. Starting in 1956, certain church leaders attempted rename both ‘Passion’ Sunday and ‘Palm’ Sunday—but it didn’t work. For example, Monsignor Frederick McManus tried to get people to call PALM SUNDAY “Second Passion Sunday”—but the faithful rejected that. I encourage all the readers to visit the feasts website, where the Propria Missae may be downloaded completely free of charge.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Gregorian Chant Quiz” • 24 March 2026
    How well do you know your Gregorian hymns? Do you recognize the tune inserted into the bass line on this score? For many years, we sang the entire Mass in Gregorian chant—and I mean everything. As a result, it would be difficult to find a Gregorian hymn I don’t recognize instantly. Only decades later did I realize (with sadness) that this skill cannot be ‘monetized’… This particular melody is used for a very famous Gregorian hymn, printed in the LIBER USUALIS. Do you recognize it? Send me an email with the correct words, and I promise to tell everybody I meet about your prowess!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Ubi Caritas” (SATB)
    I remember singing “Ubi Cáritas” by Maurice Duruflé at the conservatory. I was deeply moved by it. However, some feel Duruflé’s version isn’t suitable for small choirs since it’s written for 6 voices and the bass tessitura is quite low. That’s why I was absolutely thrilled to discover this “Ubi cáritas” (SATB) for smaller choirs by Énemond Moreau, who studied with OSCAR DEPUYDT (d. 1925), an orphan who became a towering figure of Catholic music. Depuydt’s students include: Flor Peeters (d. 1986); Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel (d. 1953); Arthur Meulemans (d. 1966); Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989); and Gustaaf Nees (d. 1965). Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #19705. When I came across the astonishing English translation for “Ubi Cáritas” by Monsignor Ronald Knox—matching the Latin’s meter—I decided to add those lyrics as an option (for churches which have banned Latin). My wife and I made this recording to give you some idea how it sounds.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”
    For vigil Masses on Saturday (a.k.a. “anticipated” Masses) we use this simpler setting of the “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989), a Belgian priest, organist, composer, and music educator who ultimately succeeded another ‘Jules’ (CANON JULES VAN NUFFEL) as director of the Lemmensinstituut in Belgium. Although I could be wrong, my understanding is that the LEMMENSINSTITUUT eventually merged with “Catholic University of Leuven” (originally founded in 1425). That’s the university Fulton J. Sheen attended.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me shall find me.”

— Proverbs 8

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  • Pipe Organ “Answers” in Plainsong?
  • “Gregorian Chant Quiz” • 24 March 2026

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