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Views from the Choir Loft

“Morae Vocis” acc. to the Vatican Edition

Jeff Ostrowski · February 22, 2017

HE PAUCITY of melismatic morae found in the Vatican Edition KYRIALE is stunning. However, one notable exception is Kyrie V (SEE BELOW). The Solesmes editions were always in violation of Church law—I know this will shock some people—because they altered the rhythm of the official edition. Even as late as 1958, after Solesmes Abbey had been the official Vatican editor of the chant for several decades, the Vatican insisted:

The signs, called rhythmica, which have been privately introduced into Gregorian chant, are permitted, provided that the force and meaning of the notes found in the Vatican books of liturgical chant are preserved.
§59 “De Musica Sacra” (3 September 1958)


Compare Kyrie V in various editions and you’ll see how Solesmes alters the mora vocis clearly indicated by the Vatican Edition. Perhaps they simply couldn’t bring themselves to abandon the rhythm of manuscripts like this one:

344 melismatic morae


The Solesmes rhythmic theories were called by Peter Wagner an “untraditional garment draped over the melodies.” Abbot Pothier’s analysis was uncharacteristically cranky in his famous “de caetero” letter of 1906, which you can download here. Indeed, when Pope St. Pius X was presented with editions by publishers without any rhythmic markings—Pustet, Mechlin, Schwann, and so on—Cardinal Merry del Val wrote a letter (dated 9 June 1906) saying:

His Holiness was pleased to receive this gracious gift and had, furthermore, words of praise for publications of this character which, in not presenting any sort of additions, are in true conformity with the aforementioned Vatican Edition.

But this is another topic for another day…

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: melismatic morae vocis, Pothier De Caetero 1906 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

16 May 2022 • Harmonized Chant?

This year’s upcoming Sacred Music Symposium will demonstrate several ways to sing the CREDO at Mass. This is because—for many parishes—to sing a full-length polyphonic CREDO by Victoria or Palestrina is out of the question. Therefore, we show options that are halfway between plainsong and polyphony. You can hear my choir rehearsing a section that sounds like harmonized plainsong.

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • “Pure” Vatican Edition

As readers know, my choir has been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana. That is to say, the official rhythm which—technically—is the only rhythm allowed by the Church. I haven’t figured out how I want the scores to look, so in the meantime we’ve been using temporary scores that look like this. Stay tuned!

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • Gorgeous Book

If there is a more beautiful book than Abbat Pothier’s 1888 Processionale Monasticum, I don’t know what it might be. This gorgeous tome was today added to the Saint John Lalande Online Library. I wish I owned a physical copy.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Young people have entrusted me with their absolute preference for the Extraordinary Form… […] But, above all, how can we understand—how can we not be surprised and deeply shocked—that what was the rule yesterday is prohibited today? Is it not true that prohibiting or suspecting the Extraordinary Form can only be inspired by the demon who desires our suffocation and spiritual death?”

— Cardinal Sarah to Edward Pentin (23 September 2019)

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