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“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Message From A “Traditional” Priest

Jeff Ostrowski · June 7, 2015

HEN I SAY “traditional” priest, I often mean clerics ordained in the 1940s and 1950s. Recently I stumbled across something in a remarkable book by Solesmes—perhaps the greatest one they ever produced—published in 1957:

659 Corpus Christi


I sent a message to a “traditional” priest and got this response:

Jeff: It means the Feast of Corpus Christi. Back in 1957, Corpus Christi still had a second class privileged Octave. This meant we said the Corpus Christi Office and Mass every day except for the Sunday which had its proper parts. But the proper parts that it did not have were taken from Corpus Christi. So the Mass commemorated the Octave, as did Lauds and Vespers, but the rest of the office—at least psalms, antiphons and hymns—were taken from Corpus Christi. Believe me, we had some long offices back in those days. But we often had the External Solemnity of Corpus Christi on Sunday and so therefore did not use the propers or mass of the Second Sunday after Pentecost.

The rubrics were quite complicated back in those days! But the Liber Usualis was pretty good in telling you what to do.

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 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

PDF Download • Trinity Sunday (22 pages)

Feel free to download this Organ Accompaniment Booklet for Trinity Sunday (Second Vespers). Notice how the modes progress by number. Psalm 1 is mode 1; Psalm 2 is mode 2; Psalm 3 is mode 3; Psalm 4 is mode 4; Psalm 5 is mode 5. I am told by an expert that other feasts (such as Corpus Christi) are likewise organized by mode, and it’s called a “numerical office.”

—Jeff Ostrowski
10 June 2022 • “Official” rhythm of plainsong

I continue to search for the most beautiful way to present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores. (Technically, the “pure” rhythm of the official edition is what everyone is supposed to use.) You can download my latest attempt, which is the Introit for this coming Sunday: Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. Because this is not an ancient feast, the Introit had to be adapted (perhaps around 750AD). Prior Johner says the adaptation is “not an entirely happy one.”

—Jeff Ostrowski
7 June 2022 • FEEDBACK

From Chelan, Washington: “CCWatershed is a God-sent resource that I can’t function without! Such great work by the team to bring beauty back to our liturgy!” From Gainesville, Florida: “I am so appreciative of the work, of my brothers and sisters in music!” From Troutman, North Carolina: “Keep up the excellent work in service of the Liturgy!”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

The Sanctus and Benedictus are one text and should be sung through without a break. The practice—once common—of waiting till after the Consecration and then singing: “Benedictus qui venit…” is not allowed by the Vatican Gradual.

— Father Fortescue, writing in 1912

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