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Views from the Choir Loft

Free Downloads • Works by Cardinal Bartolucci (Part 1)

Andrew Leung · January 21, 2016

CTL Cardinal Bartolucci HAVE POSTED about Aurelio Porfiri’s blog and Colin Mawby in the past. I would like to bring your attention to this blog, Castaway, again. I recently discovered the FREE DOWNLOADS section of the blog:

    * *  Free Downloads

There are a good number of pieces, among other composers, by the late Domenico Cardinal Bartolucci (1917-2013).

Cardinal Bartolucci was the Director Emeritus of the Sistine Chapel Choir. He held the position from 1956 to 1997. Before that, he had also served at St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major. He was appointed by Pope Pius XII after the dead of his predecessor, Msgr. Lorenzo Perosi. Bartolucci is known for defending the Church’s musical traditions during and after Vatican II. He is the reason why we can still hear Gregorian Chant in St. Peter’s Basilica nowadays. He was a very active composer and he often composed based on Gregorian Chant and the style of Palestrina.

He was created a cardinal in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI, recognising him for his service to the Church in the area of Sacred Music. He was 93 when he was elevated into the College of Cardinal and was excused from the requirement that a cardinal be or become a bishop. His motto on his coat of arm is “Psallam Deo Meo“, I will sing to my God. He died in 2013 and at his funeral, Pope Francis described him as:

“A dear and esteemed priest, illustrious composer, and musician, who exercised his long ministry particularly through sacred music, which is born of faith and expresses faith.”

In the download section of the blog, there are some shorter pieces like a few Gospel Acclamation, but there are also some longer motets like his setting of O Sacrum Convivium, which is based on the original chant:

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 Andrew Leung

Andrew Leung currently serves the music director of Vox Antiqua, conductor of the Cecilian Singers, and music director at Our Lady of China Church.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    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
    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

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

“The chapter decides that henceforth neither singers nor instrumentalists may be loaned to any outside individual or organization, any more than can the chalices or copes owned by the cathedral. This prohibition applies to all those days of the church calendar for which polyphony is designated.” [From “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]

— Sevilla: Chapter Resolution (13 June 1561)

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  • Now Available! • “Hymns of Cardinal Newman: Kevin Allen’s Legendary Choral Settings”
  • Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)

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