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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

New Release! • “Dies Irae” Rehearsal Video

Jeff Ostrowski · November 3, 2016

Here’s my attempt to provide a clear “Dies Irae” rehearsal video:


The DIES IRAE “gives us a new conception of the powers of the Latin tongue” according to Dr. Samuel Duffield. Here are two exceptionally powerful lines:

Then will be brought out the book in which is written
the complete record that will decide each man’s fate.

And when the Judge is seated, all secret sin will be made known,
and no sin will go without its due punishment.

IT WAS QUITE COMMON in the 1940s and 1950s to accompany the Requiem Mass on the organ, in spite of legislation to the contrary. Dr. Daniel T. Politoske, who allowed us to borrow his copy of the NOH for scanning, once said to me: “If I had a dollar for every Requiem I sang and accompanied on the organ myself in those days, I’d be a rich man.” Many tried their hands at writing harmonies for the DIES IRAE, but the version by Msgr. Jules Van Nuffel is probably the best. I must admit that accompanying the DIES IRAE seems 100% incorrect, in my view. It takes away the “austere” and beautiful sound of voices alone. 1

Here’s an Mp3 file of the above video. And here’s the fantastic score we use at FSSP.la, based on the work of Andrew Hinkley, which includes a literal translation by Fr. John Connelly:

    * *  PDF Download • DIES IRAE (Literal English Translation)



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   The 1953 book “Chants of the Church” (by the Monks of Solesmes) includes a version in modern notation with a translation by Msgr. Charles E. Spence.

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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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    “Glory To God” • (For Choir + Congregation)
    I wish to thank everyone for the nice comments I received vis-à-vis my Glory To God setting for Choir & Congregation. A gentleman with a musical doctorate from Indiana University wrote: “Love this setting so much. And I will pray, as you asked, for your return to composition more fully. You are very very good.” A female choir director wrote: “I love your harmonizations, your musicality, and the wonderful interplay you have with dissonance and consonance in your music. So fun to listen to, and great for intellect, heart, and soul!” A young woman from California wrote: “Thank you for releasing your new Glory To God in honor of Saint Noel Chabanel. I'm enjoying reading through the various parts and listening to your recordings.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    William Byrd • “Mass for Five Voices”
    Our volunteer choir is learning the “Sanctus” from William Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices. You can hear a short excerpt (recorded last Sunday) but please ignore the sound of babies crying: Mp3 recording. We still have work to do—but we’re on the right track. Once we have some of the tuning issues fixed, I desire to use it as an example proving volunteers can sing complicated polyphony.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Baptism” • A Unique Hymn
    Father Christopher Phillips is the founding Pastor of Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church. One of his hymns is unique and (in my humble opinion) quite beautiful. His hymn is basically a prayer to the Holy Trinity but also speaks of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. It would be an ideal Communion hymn on Trinity Sunday or the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. You can hear live recording from last Sunday by clicking here.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“These French offices represent a new case of the old tendency towards local modification—which the Council of Trent had meant to repress. They are commonly attributed to Gallican ideas and are supposed to be not free from Jansenist venom. Some of these local French uses survived almost to our own time. They were supplanted by the Roman books in the 19th century, chiefly by the exertions of Dom Prosper Guéranger (d. 1875).”

— Dr. Adrian Fortescue (d. 1923)

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