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Views from the Choir Loft

Liturgy And Diversity

Christopher Mueller · September 7, 2015

330 liturgical Chris EVERAL YEARS AGO, I had the very good fortune to have several lengthy conversations with the Director of Music at a cathedral in the United States. This church has an astonishing music program, featuring a world-class children’s choir and professional schola. Each week at the principal Mass of the cathedral, the schola sings chant and polyphony, including the day’s propers (in Latin chant), a full Mass Ordinary (typically Renaissance polyphony, also in Latin), and motets at Offertory and Communion (to follow the chanted propers). The children join them on much of this music (particularly the polyphony).

I thought of these conversations as I perused this thread at the Musica Sacra Forum. The question under discussion is whether a choral Ordinary (that is, an Ordinary sung solely by the choir) is in keeping with the Church’s guidelines on how to celebrate the Ordinary Form. Many think that choral Ordinaries are to be eschewed, because the congregation doesn’t have anything “to do” while the choir provides music for the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus & Agnus Dei.

His answer was very surprising to me, and I thought it both prudential and catholic. He said, “We do a choral Ordinary each week because we can. We are the only Catholic church in the state with the resources to offer the Mass in this manner, and so we do. We don’t prescribe it as normative, and we only do it at a single Mass each weekend. We offer it as a way that the Mass can be celebrated, not as the way that it should be celebrated.” In essence, he provides the Catholic community a greater diversity of liturgical experience by having one Mass per weekend which features some of the most beautiful music man has created, intended for the glory of God and the edification of the faithful. And every week at this Mass, the church is full.

I found his reasoning to be prudent: putting the stewardship of the faithful to wonderful use in service of the Holy Mass. I also found it to be catholic, in the meaning of that word as “universal.” The musical treasures of the church, “greater even than that of any other art” (SC 112), are universal and timeless, just as precious and beautiful today as when they were created. Beauty is one path by which God opens our hearts and leads us to Himself; let us rejoice wherever the church’s music effects this.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Latin Mass Musical Diversity Last Updated: May 29, 2021

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About Christopher Mueller

Christopher Mueller is a conductor and composer who aims to write beautiful music out of gratitude to God, Author of all beauty.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

Many declare that Vatican Council II brought about a true springtime in the Church. Nevertheless, a growing number of Church leaders see this “springtime” as a rejection, a renunciation of her centuries-old heritage, or even as a radical questioning of her past and Tradition. Political Europe is rebuked for abandoning or denying its Christian roots; but the first to have abandoned her Christian roots and past is indisputably the post-conciliar Catholic Church.

— ‘Pope Francis’ Chief Liturgist (31 March 2017)’

Recent Posts

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  • “My First Year with the Latin Mass” • A Music Director’s Perspective
  • Boston Auxiliary Bishop: “In offering the Traditional Mass for the first time, after removing the vestments, I knelt in the back pew and wept.”

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