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Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download: 1896 “Liber Usualis” • Extremely Rare

Jeff Ostrowski · February 19, 2015

252 Abbat Joseph Pothier HANKS to Margaret Coats—who generously loaned her copy for scanning—everyone in the world can finally download the 1896 “Liber Usualis” of Solesmes.

Starting in 2008, Watershed released a whole slew of books which remain of supreme importance to Gregorian scholars. Historic releases included such books as Mocquereau’s Liber Usualis (1904); Abbot Pothier’s Graduals & Antiphonary; Father Hermesdorff’s Graduale (both versions); and the Nova Organi Harmonia (Flor Peeters & Jules Van Nuffel). This 1896 book is not quite as significant as our 2008 releases, since much of it is contained in Pothier’s other books. On the other hand, it contains a tremendous amount of fascinating & rare chants:

      * *  PDF Download • 1896 “Liber Usualis” (1,479 pages)   {203MB}

If you’re like me, you will have a glorious time perusing this stupendous book. There’s no reason to describe it, since you can download the entire thing. However, I would mention:

1. The book was published in a very small format, which made it difficult to recognize morae vocis and angered Pope Pius X, who preferred the larger size of the Graduale.

2. The book contains many rare chants and especially local French feasts which seldom appear in any other book.

3. There is almost no artwork in the book, whereas Pothier’s 1884 Graduale had lush artwork. Most chants of the Temporale match Pothier’s earlier versions note-for-note.

4. The official title of the book above is:

Paroissien Romain
Contenant La Messe Et L’office Pour Tous Les Dimanches Et Fêtes Doubles
Chant Grégorien • Solesmes Imprimerie Saint-Pierre 1896

5. We are accustomed to the term Liber Usualis (“Useful Book”) which doesn’t translate very well. In fact, what the French call a “Paroissien Romain”—when it contains music—is very similar. They used many titles in those days, such as Manuale Missae et Officiorum . Most people don’t realize the Solesmes monastery published a special version of the Liber Usualis with complete English translations five years before the Second Vatican Council began. The reason nobody knows it has to do with the title (“Mass & Vespers”), which most people fail to recognize as the Liber Usualis.

The titles for this 1896 book are in French, but everything else is written in Latin:

255 Liber

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

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: 1896 Liber Usualis by Solesmes 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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    Schola Director Posts ‘Live’ Recording
    As I explained in my article posted earlier today, Nun Komm Der Heiden Heiland is actually a Catholic tune (in spite of what some have claimed). The volunteer choir I direct sang that beautiful ADVENT melody last Sunday, and I invite you to listen to the live recording. It will get better the more we sing it.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Message from the Vice-President!
    The Vice-President of the Church Music Association of America, Dr. Horst Buchholz (who also serves as Director of Sacred Music for the Archdiocese of Detroit) sent us an email yesterday regarding the harmonizations (PDF) I composed for the Gregorian Chant psalm tones. Dr. Buchholz says: “Those settings are absolutely exquisite, as I'm used to when it comes from you. Bravo! Well done! Now, as a sequel, if you could write something for accompanying psalms in English that would be awesome.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Requesting Our Advent Eucharistic Hymn
    A young lady named Agnes wrote to us: “Dear Mr. Ostrowski, do you have the PDF score for Ave Corpus Domini set to the ADVENT melody? Last year, we sang the hymn tune “Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland” quite a bit using your contrafactum technique. My choir appreciates the Latin hymns and practice videos, especially in the ADVENT and CHRISTMAS seasons. Your recent article on Gregorian Psalm Tones is a great help to my organist brother, and reminds us of attending VESPERS years ago when we lived in California. Thank you so much for all the effort put into providing these wonderful resources!”   Agnes, if you are listening! Yes, the PDF file you desire can be downloaded for free at the Brébeuf Portal via this URL link. Thanks for writing to us!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Ways to receive Our Lord as King of the Universe…read and reflect on the Sunday Scriptures, plan your whole weekend around receiving your King, wear your best garments, spend time in quiet, kneel to receive Him, receive Him on the tongue, offer silent time of thanks after mass.”

— Most Rev. Bishop Strickland (15 December)

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