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Views from the Choir Loft

A Criticism & Good News

Fr. David Friel · April 26, 2015

HEN I wrote last week about Fr. Samuel Weber’s new publication, it was not my purpose to give a thorough review of the book. Nor do I plan to do so today. But I will share one criticism and a bit of good news.

As I wrote last week, this volume has made the singing of Mass propers in English accessible like never before. The Proper of the Mass is simply unprecedented. With the four different versions supplied for virtually every chant, Fr. Weber has made proper chants a viable option for nearly every choir in nearly every parish.

I am grateful that the book is printed in chant notation, since it is so much more precise than modern notation. (Also, I can’t say enough good things about the brief introduction to chanting offered at the outset of the book—a truly excellent summary!) But the unfortunate consequence of using chant notation is that most organists are not proficient in accompanying from it. Thus, the only criticism I would dare to offer is that this work lacks an organ accompaniment edition.

The bit of good news is that Fr. Weber is already working on the organ accompaniment at this time. The accompaniment version, I believe, will extend the book’s accessibility even further. Once it is completed, it will be almost untenable for a parish priest or music director to claim that singing the propers is beyond reach.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Hymns Replacing Propers, Proper of the Mass in English, Propers Ignatius Press by Fr Samuel Weber, Simple English Mass Propers, Simple Steps To Improve Parish Music, Singing the Mass Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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Fr. David Friel

About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at St. Anselm Parish in Northeast Philly. He is currently a doctoral candidate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

5 March 2021 • “A policeman” — really?

According to Monsignor Frederick R. McManus, there were “policemen” serving the Sanhedrin in the time of Our Blessed Lord. Look at this awful translation in the 1966 “Saint Andrew Bible Missal” from 1966. Yuck!

—Jeff Ostrowski
4 March 2021 • Can you spare 15 seconds?

Due to Covid-19, California has basically been under “lock down” for 11 months, and these restrictions have had quite a detrimental effect on our choral programs. We are frequently limited to just 2-3 singers, on account of regulations by the government and our Archdiocese. However, although the number of singers is quite small, I was struck by the beauty of the singing last Sunday. Listen to this 15-second live excerpt and see if you agree?

—Jeff Ostrowski
Surprising Popularity!

One of our most popular downloads has proven to be the organ accompaniment to “The Monastery Hymnal” (131 pages). This book was compiled, arranged, and edited by Achille P. Bragers, who studied at the Lemmensinstituut (Belgium) about thirty years before that school produced the NOH. Bragers might be considered an example of Belgium “Stile Antico” whereas Flor Peeters and Jules Van Nuffel represented Belgium “Prima Pratica.” You can download the hymnal by Bragers at this link.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“What will be the results of this innovation? The results expected, or rather desired, are that the faithful will participate in the liturgical mystery with more understanding, in a more practical, a more enjoyable and a more sanctifying way.” [Enjoyable?]

— Pope Paul VI (26 Nov 1969)

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