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Views from the Choir Loft

Benedictus & Hosanna • “Missa Beata Mater”

Jeff Ostrowski · April 20, 2016

HEN THE SANCTUS is sung in polyphony, it is divided thus: the SANCTUS & HOSANNA before the Consecration, the BENEDICTUS & HOSANNA after the Consecration. When sung in plainsong, it is not to be divided. These rules are according to the 1958 legislation. Today, I present the second part of the “Missa Beata Mater” SANCTUS by Francisco Guerrero, who died in 1599AD.

I recorded the voice parts, but please pardon the high notes: I’m a baritone!

    * *  PDF Download • “Benedictus & Hosanna” (Francisco Guerrero)


REHEARSAL VIDEOS :

EQUAL VOICES : YouTube   •   Mp3 Audio

SOPRANO : YouTube   •   Audio

ALTO : YouTube   •   Audio

TENOR : YouTube   •   Audio

BASS : YouTube   •   Audio

543 Pope John Paul II NE OF MY FRIENDS was in charge of picking the music for papal Masses at St. Peter’s Basilica during the 1980s. The pope does not offer Mass there as frequently as one might guess; normally he offers Mass in a private chapel. On one of the occasions when the (young) John Paul II was scheduled to sing Mass in the basilica, my friend chose a setting by Morales, the teacher of Guerrero. The proper way to do it—and remember, this was a Novus Ordo liturgy—is to split the Sanctus & Benedictus.

So, the Sanctus went really well. Then, after the Consecration, Pope John Paul II intoned the “Mystérium fídei.” Now it was time for the Benedictus, and my friend says he began to sweat a little—fearing the pope might be annoyed or confused. But then a wonderful thing happened: Pope John Paul II bent over the altar and started praying as the choir continued singing the Benedictus! According to my friend, the effect was marvelous. Everyone in the basilica, including the cardinals, suddenly realized they also should be praying—so they all closed their eyes and began. What Pope St. John Paul II did is called being a leader!

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Francisco Guerrero Composer, Missa Beata Mater Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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Jeff Ostrowski

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).

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Can You Spare 33 Seconds?

Here’s an audio excerpt (33 seconds) of a setting for Kyrie VIII which was recorded live last Sunday at our parish in Los Angeles. The setting (“Missa de Angelis”) is by composer Richard Rice, and you can download the free PDF if you click here and scroll to the bottom. I think Richard’s composition is marvelous. I missed a few notes on the organ, but I’ll get them right next time.

—Jeff Ostrowski
5 April 2021 • When Girls Sing

Covid restrictions here in California are still extremely severe—switching “two weeks to flatten the curve” into “two years to flatten the curve.” Since 2020, we’ve had police breaking into our church to check if everyone is wearing a mask…even when only 5-6 people are present! But we were allowed to have a small percentage of our singers back on Easter Sunday, and here is their live recording of the ancient Catholic hymn for Eastertide: Ad Cenam Agni Providi. The girls were so very excited to sing again—you can hear it in their voices!

—Jeff Ostrowski
29 March 2021 • FEEDBACK

“E.S.” in North Dakota writes: “I just wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU for all the hard work you have put—and continue to put—into your wonderful website. In the past two years, my parish has moved from a little house basement into a brand new church and gone from a few families receiving Low Masses twice a month to several families (and many individuals) receiving Mass every Sunday, two Saturdays a month, and every Holy Day. Our priest has been incorporating more and more High Masses and various ceremonies into our lives, which has made my job as a huge newbie choir master very trying and complicated. CCWatershed has been an invaluable resource in helping me get on my feet and know what to do!!! Thank you more than I can express! May God bless you abundantly and assist you in your work and daily lives!”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“In everything of any importance at all, Sarum (and all other mediæval rites) was simply Roman, the rite which we still use.”

— Fr. Adrian Fortescue (1912)

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