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“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

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Views from the Choir Loft

“Sanctus” Recorded By Young Ladies From Las Vegas • Fabulous!

Jeff Ostrowski · November 1, 2016

E’RE CURRENTLY IN THE MIDST of planning next year’s Sacred Music Symposium. During last year’s event, I had the pleasure of meeting members from a wonderful Schola Cantorum in Las Vegas. These young ladies were bright, energetic, and had the most pure voices! They really took to heart what Dr. Calabrese and Dr. Buchholz taught them.

Several members agreed to help record a Palestrina SANCTUS (PDF), and I think you’ll agree the results are magnificent:

REHEARSAL VIDEOS for each individual voice have been created: locate #6962.


You owe it to yourself run through the Tenor rehearsal video. Could anything be more fun, especially in the Hosanna?

THIS SANCTUS IS FROM the same Mass as this Kyrie, so I won’t repeat what I wrote about the hymn tune. I would mention, however, that Palestrina adds a free countersubject to the Sanctus (marked in green). In the Benedictus—which we’ll upload soon—he adds two more! I eliminated the trio Palestrina wrote for “pleni sunt coeli” because that would have made the piece too long for our FSSP.la Masses—causing a delay for the priest. 1

When composers like Palestrina based Masses on a tune, it’s remarkable to see how they change their treatment in each movement. It could be as simple as adding a new countersubject. Or, it might be something “structural” like never beginning more than one movement with the same voice. In the KYRIE, the Soprano entered last, whereas in the SANCTUS it enters second.

I feel there’s something amazing about polyphony—something which grabs the ear of “homo modernus” instantly. Plainsong is powerful in a different way; perhaps a deeper way. For example, no one who sang the full version of the Offertory on 1 November, as we did, could fail to be moved. Consider the significance of the word “autem,” and the marvelous attention the unknown Gregorian composer draws to this crucial word.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   Did celebrants pray slower in Palestrina’s day? Or did they sing faster? This is not easy to answer with certainty.

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 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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Quick Thoughts

    Symposium Draft Schedule Released!
    Those who head over to the Symposium Website will notice the tentative schedule for 2023 has been released. This is all very exciting! Very soon, we will begin accepting applications, so please make sure you have subscribed to our mailing list. If you are subscribed, that means you'll hear announcements before anyone else. (It’s incredibly easy to subscribe to our mailing list; just scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.)
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Good Friday Polyphony by L. Senfl
    The editor of the Sacred Music Magazine recently made available to the public this splendid article by our own Charles Weaver. It includes an edition of polyphony for the GOOD FRIDAY “Reproaches.” Renaissance composers often set the various offices of Holy Week; e.g. readers will probably be familiar with the beautiful TENEBRAE setting by Father Tomás Luis de Victoria (d. 1611). From what I can tell, Ludwig Senfl (d. 1543) was originally a Catholic priest, but eventually was seduced by Luther and ended up abandoning the sacred priesthood.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Coming Soon! • Symposium 2023
    A few weeks ago, dates were announced for Sacred Music Symposium 2023. The rehearsal videos are beginning to appear! For example, the KYRIE ELEYSON contains sections by Lassus, Victoria, and Palestrina. You can see and hear Part 1 at this link. Much more information about this wonderful conference will be released soon!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Some of our younger parish clergy read their sermons. This should not be done except for some very special reason. The priest who is not capable of preparing and delivering a brief, clear instruction on Catholic teaching to his people is not fit to be in parish work. The people as a rule do not want to listen to a sermon reader.”

— Archbishop of Baltimore (9 July 1929)

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