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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

The Verge Of The Abyss

Aurelio Porfiri · January 12, 2015

457 Aurelio Porfiri THINK WE SHOULD REALLY be honest with one another: church music is on the verge of the abyss. And so it is with liturgy. I am not saying this to appear pessimistic, traditionalist, conservative, or whatever word you want to use with negative meaning (even if these words are not negative at all, in the right context)—I just think it to be realistic.

Church music is mostly coming to an end, if we consider church music to be the kind that is conceived using the best of musical abilities, of composers trained in the tradition of the Catholic Church’s liturgical music. Music that, of course, can be (and has to be) innovative but always developing organically from the musical forms of the tradition. Hey, this is not a traditionalist statement! It’s right out of Sacrosanctum Concilium (23): “and care must be taken that any new forms adopted should in some way grow organically from forms already existing.”

Today everyone can rule over those who are unfortunate, yet still strive to take church music seriously: every catechist, every priest, every nun can teach you what they don’t know. All of these people usually have something in common that is very important: they are completely ignorant about liturgical music, but feel encouraged (from a mysterious spirit) to use their ignorance for the greater glory of God and the edification of the faithful. And of course they use the art of demagogy and political correctness in a way that puts some timid church musicians in an uncomfortable position.

FELLOW CHURCH MUSICIANS, let me tell you wholeheartedly: rejoice and be glad! We are on the verge of the abyss, because we prefer to stand for what we trust than to bow to the messengers of ugliness—to poor people thinking they are making some good when they are actually building the greatest evil: the triumph of mediocrity. There are still a few catechists, priests, and nuns who attempt to resist this triumphal march toward nothing, and they also will share our fate of solitude and isolation. Of course, there are also church musicians who are close minded, arrogant, and self-isolating, in the same way that there are medical doctors who are close minded, arrogant, and self-isolating. But if you need an opinion about your health you would still ask them rather than those who are not trained in medicine. We church musicians are not in the same situation: everyone can decide what music can be sung in the liturgy, following their distorted ideas and tastes and being sure that they can invoke the Council providing that they only know a few lines of the documents…and that is in the best cases.

Fellow church musicians, rejoice and be glad! We are trailed toward the abyss because we want to remain Catholics but at least we know where we are going. Thanks to this, we will be able to taste every good moment that God allows us in the midst of the battle, having a grateful heart and invoking a peaceful spirit.

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Aurelio Porfiri

Renowned as composer, conductor, theorist, author, pedagogue, and organist, Aurelio Porfiri has served the Church on multiple continents at the highest levels. Born and raised in Italy, he currently serves as Director of Choral Activities and Composer in Residence for Santa Rosa de Lima School (Macao, China).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “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
    “Music List” • 27th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 5 October 2025, which is the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the spectacular feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin. Readers will want to check out the ENTRANCE CHANT posted there, which has a haunting melody (in the DEUTERUS MODE) and extremely powerful text.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Kids’ Choir Sings Thomas Aquinas
    Last Sunday, a children’s choir I’m teaching sang with us for the very first time at Sunday Mass. Females from our main choir sang along with them. If you’re curious to hear how they sounded, you can listen to a ‘live’ recording. That’s an English version of TANTUM ERGO by Saint Thomas Aquinas. That haunting melody is called GAUFESTRE and was employed for this 2-Voice Arrangement of a special hymn for 9 November (“Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome”) which replaces a Sunday this year.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Reminder” — Month of September (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
    “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 Humanists abominated the rhythmical poetry of the Middle Ages from an exaggerated enthusiasm for ancient classical forms and meters. Hymnody then received its death blow as, on the revision of the Breviary under Pope Urban VIII, the medieval rhythmical hymns were forced into more classical forms by means of so-called corrections.”

— ‘Father Clemens Blume, S.J.’

Recent Posts

  • “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
  • Involving Women in the Communion?
  • “Toward a More Sacred Style With Pastoral Charity” • Guest Article by Dr. Myrna Keough
  • “Music List” • 27th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • Kids’ Choir Sings Thomas Aquinas

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