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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

The Theology of a C-sharp Minor Chord

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · January 7, 2016

Calabrese Tavener c sharp chord ID THE CELEBRATION of the birth of Jesus Christ rock your world this year? Did it cause a seismic shift in your life? Did it change everything? If not, then perhaps listening to one C# minor chord will do the trick.

In Sir John Tavener’s (1944-2013) God Is With Us for eight-part choir and organ, we are immersed in the key of C major (with some Lydian F# passing tones). For more than three-fourths of the piece, both choir and tenor soloist cry out the prophecy, “God is with us…Hear ye people…the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light…for unto us a child is born…” and so on. Byzantine microtonal ‘breaks’ in the voice and an occasional A-flat cannot unhinge us from the purely diatonic nature of C major. So long are we kept here, and so forceful is the a cappella singing, that we are lulled into a sense of normalcy.

But what does this C major mean? Perhaps it has a theological or even historical meaning. I believe that the stability of C major is directly related to the important line of the Christmas Proclamation, “the whole world being at peace.” Just at the time of Jesus’ birth, all seemed well, solid, and stable. What could be more stable than C major?

This must be all there is, we think. Perhaps this is just an announcement of the birth of another prophet. And besides, how can this thing happen, “God is with us?” How? The choir proclaims the answer – “Christ is born!”

And now everything is changed.

For after the choir sings “Christ is born,” suddenly and out of nowhere, the full organ enters on a an astonishing C# minor chord! It’s as if the whole world has suddenly shifted off of its axis. Everything we thought was normal is gone. Everything we’ve gotten used to is changed. Tavener has completely and totally explained the impact and import of the birth of Jesus Christ with one chord! With this birth nothing can and will be the same ever again.


Every time I listen to this piece, even though I know what’s coming, I’m still shocked. The theology of this cataclysmic event is all contained in one single chord. Listen to this great piece as the Christmas season comes to a close and see if you agree.

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 Dr. Alfred Calabrese

Dr. Alfred Calabrese is Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Rita Catholic Church in Dallas, TX. He and his wife have two children.—(Read full biography).

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President’s Corner

    2-Voice Arr. • “Creator of the Starry Height”
    Do you direct a choir consisting of women or children only? (Some call this a “treble” choir.) Download a two-voice arrangement of Creator of the Starry Height set to the tune of IOANNES by clicking here and then scrolling to the bottom. In our times, this hymn is normally used during ADVENT, and the Latin title is: Cónditor alme síderum. It’s important to say “cónditor”—placing the accent on the antepenult—because ‘condítor’ in Latin means “one who embalms the dead.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Equal Voices” Choir Pieces
    My colleague, CORRINNE MAY, has posted some delightful compositions for equal voices: that is, choirs consisting of all men or all women. Included there are settings of the “Ave Maria” and “Tantum Ergo.” They strike me as relatively simple and not excessively lengthy. (In other words, within reach of volunteer singers.) Even better, all the scores have been made available as instant PDF downloads, completely free of charge. Bravo!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Typo in the “Missale Romanum” (1962)
    The 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM was a transitional missal. It was on its way to becoming the 1970 version, but wasn’t there yet. It eliminated certain duplications, downplayed the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, expanded the role of laymen, minimized the Last Gospel, made many items optional, and so forth. Father Valentine Young spotted many typos in the 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM, especially incorrect accents. The Offertory Antiphon for this coming Sunday (OF kalendar) contains an error, citing the wrong verse from Psalm 118. It should be 118:107b, not 118:154. If you read verse 154, you’ll understand how that error crept in. [In this particular case, the error pre-dates the 1962 Missal, since the 1940s hand-missal by Father Lasance also gets it wrong.]
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Our Father” • Musical Setting?
    Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Only against this background, of the effective denial of the authority of Trent, can one understand the bitterness of the struggle against allowing the celebration of Mass according to the 1962 Missal after the liturgical reform. The possibility of so celebrating constitutes the strongest, and thus (for them) the most intolerable contradiction of the opinion of those who believe that the faith in the Eucharist, as formulated by Trent, has lost its validity.”

— Cardinal Ratzinger, 2001

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