Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • New Composition By Kevin Allen

Jeff Ostrowski · January 1, 2016

ATERSHED COMMISSIONED the following setting from composer Kevin Allen to help 2016 begin on the right foot. We hope you enjoy what he’s done with this famous hymn text. I particularly enjoyed the Alto line, and took the liberty of creating some unauthorized rehearsal videos to help amateur choirs. (You’ll find them at the bottom of the page.)

* * PDF Download • “JESU DULCIS MEMORIA”

To learn more about this composer, please visit Emporium Kevin Allen.

1. Jesu dulcis memória,
Dans vera cordis gáudia:
Sed super mel et ómnia,
Ejus dulcis praeséntia.

1. Sweet is the remembrance of Jesus, bringing man his heart’s true joy; but sweet beyond honey and all created bliss is His presence.

2. Nil cánitur suávius,
Nil audítur jucúndius,
Nil cogitátur dúlcius,
Quam Jesus Dei Fílius.

2. No theme is more agreeable in the singing, none more welcome in the hearing, none more comforting in thought than Jesus, the Son of God.

3. Jesu spes paeniténtibus,
Quam pius es peténtibus!
Quam bonus te quaeréntibus!
Sed quid inveniéntibus?

3. Jesus, hope of penitent souls, how gracious You are to those that ask, how good to those that seek; but who shall say what You are to those that find?

4. Nec lingua valet dícere,
Nec líttera exprímere:
Expértus potest crédere,
Quid sit Jesum dilígere.

4. No tongue can tell this, nor pen express it; but the one who has experience of it can know in his heart what it means to love Jesus.

5. Sis Jesu nostrum gáudium,
Qui es futúrus praémium:
Sit nostra in te glória,
Per cuncta semper saécula.

5. Jesus, one day to be our reward, be our joy in this life. May our glory be in You through all eternity.

Literal translation by Fr. Joseph Connelly.

REHEARSAL VIDEOS :

EQUAL VOICES : YouTube • Mp3 Audio

SOPRANO : YouTube • Audio

ALTO : YouTube • Audio

TENOR : YouTube • Audio

BASS : YouTube • Audio

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 Michigan. —(Read full biography).

Luis Martínez Must Go!

Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]

—Jeff Ostrowski

Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!

A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)

I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.

—Jeff Ostrowski

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

On 12 March 1908, Feast of St. Gregory the Great, the complete publication of the “Graduale” was issued by the Vatican Press. That very day, Dom Pothier solemnly presented the first copy to the Holy Father. Pius X wished to be the first to see the new book; he opened it at random, at page 128 of the supplement “pro aliquibus locis”—the Introit of the new Feast of Our lady of Lourdes. The Pope sang it with perfect taste to the last note.

— A witness of the papal audience writing circa 1915