Is Renaissance Music Too Expressive For Holy Mass?

Jeff Ostrowski · July 20, 2015

ANY GREAT COMPOSERS have set the “Salve Regina.” The version by Tomás Luis de Victoria (d. 1611) is among the finest. In the following excerpt—recorded on YouTube by an excellent group called Genesis Sixteen—consider his gorgeous treatment of the Latin text:

Ad te suspirámus, geméntes et flentes in hac lacrimárum valle.
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Victoria uses typical Renaissance “tricks.” For tears, the lugubrious flats are added. Moreover, the mournful descending lines in each voice—one after another—bring home the “sad valley” concept. Sing each “lacrimárum valle” as the music plays:

* * Mp3 Excerpt • “Salve Regina” (Genesis Sixteen)

It just doesn’t get any better than this, folks!

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).

“Tonus Solemnior” • How old is it?

In the 1962 Missal, a section called “præfationes in tono solemniore” contains ornate melodies for the Preface. An article posted on the blog of the Church Music Association of America claims the tone comes from “the late 19th century” and said its elimination “is one of the very few good things which the post-Conciliar reform did for Gregorian chant.” The author said: “The Roman solemn preface tone is already beautiful enough, there was no need to give a more Romantic feel.”

Some have asked us whether the tonus solemnior comes from “the late 19th century.” It does not. Their author was wrong by at least 400 years. I have seen this tone in MSS from the 1400s—and it may go back even further. Here is an example from 1494AD. And here’s another from the 1400s. The FSSP priests use these tones on high feasts, and the effect is unforgettable.

—Jeff Ostrowski

6 January 2022 • Quick!

A short version of the INTROIT for the feast of the Epiphany has been added to the Saint René Goupil Gregorian Chant Website.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Confusing Feasts of Christmas

Whether one considers the Missale Vetustum or the post-conciliar calendar—or even the 1908 calendar—the feasts which follow Christmas are very confusing. Last year I created this comparison chart. I hope you find it helpful. As far as I can tell, my chart is the first effort to carefully detail the changes made to post-Christmas feasts (unless we also count the rather basic one by Lauren Pristas).

—Jeff Ostrowski

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