Rubrics • Good Friday (Pius XII Holy Week Revisions)

Jeff Ostrowski · April 3, 2015

Some might find the following file helpful:

* * PDF Download • Rubrics for 1955 Good Friday

Always make sure to go through everything at least once beforehand—even Solesmes sometimes goofs. For example, look what they did in Chants Abrégés (1926) for Palm Sunday:

By the way, here’s a written-out version of the Good Friday Communion Psalm prescribed by the rubrics:

* * PDF Download • Good Friday Communion (Ps 21)

This is the first time it’s ever been written out! Not even the mighty—and incredible—GregoBase provides this essential score fully notated.

For the record, the Edmund Campion Hymnal has a very clear—beautifully typeset—version of Good Friday, including wonderful English translations.

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

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).

Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦

Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?

—Jeff Ostrowski

Don’t You Agree About These?

If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?

—Jeff Ostrowski

Choral Vowels? Yes? No?

Here's a live recording of one of the choral “warm-up” exercises my choir enjoys. It was taken during our rehearsal on 27 January 2023. It’s good to make sure each chord is perfectly in tune and balanced before moving to the next one. That only happens when each singer has the correct vowel. If you like, you can freely download that vocal exercise.

—Jeff Ostrowski

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About Jeff Ostrowski