Views from the Choir Loft

Essential Resources • Psalm Tones for Mass Propers

Jeff Ostrowski · June 15, 2016

Additional Psalm Verses for the Communion antiphons:

* * [40 pages] • PSALMS FOR COMMUNION (Solesmes, 1957)

* * [232 pages] • VERSUS PSALMORUM ET CANTICORUM (Solesmes, 1962)

* * [307 pages] • Richard Rice «COMMUNIO» (CMAA, 2008)

Notice that “Versus Psalmorum” (1962) also contains extra verses for the introit!

Simple Settings for the Gradual, Tract, and Alleluia verse:

* * [257 pages] • CHANTS ABRÉGÉS (Solesmes, 1930)

* * [290 pages] • CHANTS ABRÉGÉS (Solesmes, 1955)

* * [111 pages] • LIBER BREVIOR EXCERPT (Solesmes, 1954)

The Church Music Association of America has also posted a fabulous resource (“Simplified Graduale”) by Richard Rice in booklet form and also in portrait.

Extra Verses for the Offertory chants:

* * [186 pages] • FULL VERSES by Carl Ott (1935)

* * [36 pages] • SIMPLE OFFERTORY VERSES (Richard Rice)

As I mentioned in my Symposium speech, those interested in adapting the Gregorian psalm tones for English should first study the above resources to understand Gregorian psalmody. Moreover, they should visit the Lalande Online Library and download all the books called “Psalmi in Notis.”

Most of these files were scanned & posted by the CMAA.

The CMAA new policy (22 April 2015) allows reposting when credit is given.

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).

“Gloria in Spanish” • Free Accompaniment

Several people have requested an organ accompaniment for the GLORY TO GOD which prints the Spanish words directly above the chords. The Spanish adaptation—Gloria a Dios en el cielo—as printed in Roman Misal, tercera edición was adapted from the “Glória in excélsis” from Mass XV (DOMINATOR DEUS). I used to feel that it’s a pretty boring chant … until I heard it sung well by a men’s Schola Cantorum, which changed my view dramatically. This morning, I created this harmonization and dedicated it to my colleague, Corrinne May. You may download it for free. Please let me know if you enjoy it!

—Jeff Ostrowski

How Well Does ICEL Know Latin?

This year, the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June 2025) will fall on a Sunday. It’s not necessary to be an eminent Latin scholar to be horrified by examples like this, which have been in place since 1970. For the last 55 years, anyone who’s attempted to correct such errors has been threatened with legal action. It is simply unbelievable that the (mandatory) texts of the Holy Mass began being sold for a profit in the 1970s. How much longer will this gruesome situation last?

—Jeff Ostrowski

Is the USCCB trolling us?

I realize I’m going to come across as a “Negative Nancy” … but I can’t help myself. This kind of stuff is beyond ridiculous. There are already way too many options in the MISSALE RECENS. Adding more will simply confuse the faithful even more. We seriously need to band together and start creating a “REFORM OF THE REFORM” Missale Romanum so it will be ready when the time comes.

—Jeff Ostrowski

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

When to Sit, Stand and Kneel like it’s 1962

There are lots of different guides to postures for Mass, but I couldn’t find one which matched our local Latin Mass, so I made this one: sit-stand-kneel-crop

—Veronica Brandt

The Funeral Rites of the Graduale Romanum

Lately I have been paging through the 1974 Graduale Romanum (see p. 678 ff.) and have been fascinated by the funeral rites found therein, especially the simply-beautiful Psalmody that is appointed for all the different occasions before and after the funeral Mass: at the vigil/wake, at the house of the deceased, processing to the church, at the church, processing to the cemetery, and at the cemetery. Would that this “stational Psalmody” of the Novus Ordo funeral rites saw wider usage! If you or anyone you know have ever used it, please do let me know.

—Daniel Tucker