• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

  • Donate
  • Our Team
    • Our Editorial Policy
    • Who We Are
    • How To Contact Us
    • Sainte Marie Bulletin Articles
    • Jeff’s Mom Joins Fundraiser
  • Pew Resources
    • Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal
    • Jogues Illuminated Missal
    • KYRIALE • Saint Antoine Daniel
    • Campion Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Repository • “Spanish Music”
    • Ordinary Form Feasts (Sainte-Marie)
  • MUSICAL WEBSITES
    • René Goupil Gregorian Chant
    • Noël Chabanel Psalms
    • Nova Organi Harmonia (2,279 pages)
    • Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Catechism of Gregorian Rhythm
    • Father Enemond Massé Manuscripts
    • Lalemant Polyphonic
  • Miscellaneous
    • Site Map
    • Secrets of the Conscientious Choirmaster
    • “Wedding March” for lazy organists
    • Emporium Kevin Allen
    • Saint Jean de Lalande Library
    • Sacred Music Symposium 2023
    • The Eight Gregorian Modes
    • Gradual by Pothier’s Protégé
    • Seven (7) Considerations
Views from the Choir Loft

Guerrero’s Gloria from “Missa Iste Sanctus”

Jeff Ostrowski · May 9, 2017

N 2001, as a college sophomore, I began creating polyphonic rehearsal CDs for my church choir. The newspaper in Kansas was so fascinated by young people gathering to sing ancient music they featured us—and later, a television station ran a segment about us. (Perhaps there wasn’t much news in Kansas!) I recently came across a rehearsal track from 2004, which presents a HOSANNA. 1

Participants in this year’s Sacred Music Symposium will learn how to create these rehearsal videos, which I now produce by myself—so please forgive my soprano notes! Friday morning, I recorded a GLORIA by Guerrero:

    * *  PDF • GLORIA from Guerrero’s Missa Iste Sanctus

REHEARSAL VIDEOS for each individual voice await you at #5612.

I will soon release the KYRIE, SANCTUS, BENEDICTUS, HOSANNA, and AGNUS DEI.

WHAT IS THE POINT of all these rehearsal videos? Is this a waste of time, like so many other “internet projects” that make no difference in the real world? On the contrary, the results have been astounding. Just last week (30 April 2017) the first Latin Mass in fifty years was offered in Santa Barbara. The entire church was packed with more than 600 people. Even the choir loft was filled to the brim, and some had to stand for the whole Mass:

Santa Barbara Mass FSSP.la — 2395 Santa Barbara Mass FSSP.la — 2380 Santa Barbara Mass FSSP.la — 2258 Santa Barbara Mass FSSP.la — 2197 Santa Barbara Mass FSSP.la — 2177 Santa Barbara Mass FSSP.la — 2174 Santa Barbara Mass FSSP.la — 2170 Santa Barbara Mass FSSP.la — 2167 Santa Barbara Mass FSSP.la — 2141

Very few of our choir members read music, and some have just begun attending the Latin Mass. Rehearsal videos were indispensable in making sure the FSSP Apostolate in Los Angeles could provide worthy sacred music.

Someone kindly sent me an iPhone excerpt. But please remember microphones never capture choral sound accurately:


The choral sound is “harsh” on the tiny recording device. But I was there—and I can assure you it was anything but harsh.

DR. LUCAS TAPPAN often speaks of the beautiful choral sound found in England, and the following excerpt from Aylesford Priory (near Kent, England) in 1960 certainly demonstrates this, even in a simple little piece like Palestrina’s MISSA BREVIS:

Quick message for liturgical nerds: The priest almost makes a mistake by moving toward the center after the CHRISTE but corrects himself discreetly. Notice, too, his English pronunciation of the word “pax.” The priest butchers the intonation, so the choir pauses before beginning the GLORIA—undoubtedly so they can use the pitch pipe.

If you visit YouTube, you can view the entire video. Even their hymn singing, toward the beginning, is remarkable. Sometimes I’m tempted to get discouraged because our choral sound is still in need of improvement, but remembering Leonard Bernstein helps me. You see, Bernstein often gave “musical explanation sessions”—watched by millions—talking about classical music. When he demonstrated at the keyboard, his piano skills are frequently atrocious: no sense of line, sloppy passagework, and zero attention to counterpoint. I’ve heard children in the second grade perform better. (Bernstein clearly spent no time preparing, because he studied at Curtis with the legendary Vengerova and occasionally showed great keyboard skill, e.g. performing Gershwin.) If Bernstein got away with horrific playing, I console myself, our congregations will surely tolerate our imperfections, so long as we continue to improve.

183 Fr John Berg FSSP IEWING THAT VIDEO from 1960 makes me wonder how Catholic priests felt when the liturgical changes were imposed after Vatican II—especially since the majority of these changes were contrary to what the Council mandated. But the Traditional Mass has been discovered by a whole new generation of Catholics, and finds itself flourishing in a way “experts” assured us would never happen. This coming Sunday, an amazing opportunity comes to Los Angeles:

    REV. FR. JOHN BERG, FSSP
    Superior General, Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter
    Visiting from FSSP Headquarters in Switzerland
    CELEBRATING SOLEMN HIGH MASS (7:00pm)
    Sunday, 14 May 2017 • St. Victor’s Church
    8634 Holloway Dr • West Hollywood, CA 90069

Don’t miss this opportunity! We’d love to see you on Sunday.

As I said earlier, those of us who have discovered the Traditional Mass don’t understand how it could ever have been abandoned—but the same could be said about many other things. For example, nobody cared about J.S. Bach’s music toward the end of his life, because he was considered outdated (although that sounds inconceivable to us now). Or, consider another example. Modern liturgists have tried to convince us that all styles are “equally appropriate” for Mass, and publicly advocate inserting “commercial pop music” into the sacred liturgy. This bizarre notion is presented as unassailable, calling to mind something Leo Bozell (†1997) observed:

The argument moves from the existence of the thing to the correctness of the thing: what is, ought to be. Or, a popular variant: if a thing is, it doesn’t make any difference whether it ought to be—the correct response is to adjust, to learn to live with the thing.

Sing along with the Tenor rehearsal video (or any voice) given above. Or listen again to the Aylesford excerpt. Now brace yourself and listen to Techno based on Star Wars. Or listen to this Bach Concerto, masterfully played by Lipatti. If you really want a jolt, try the OCP song about the Giant Love Ball. Isn’t it apparent that different styles of music evoke different emotions? Who can deny that certain styles possess an inherent dignity—eminently suitable to the public worship of Almighty God—engendering prayerfulness, peace of soul, mystery, and wonder? Why must we be silent about this self-evident truth?




NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   This was part of a full Mass setting I composed for my friend’s first Mass. By the way, I hear my younger brother’s deep bass voice on that 2004 recording, so I must have dragged him over from Benedictine college to help me. I was grateful for his help; he’s a fabulous musician.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: MISSA ISTE SANCTUS Last Updated: December 21, 2021

Subscribe

It greatly helps us if you subscribe to our mailing list!

* indicates required

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).

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    PDF Comparison Chart • “Serious Problems with the Lectionary Translation”
    EARS BEFORE truly revolutionary changes were introduced by the post-conciliar reformers, Evelyn Waugh wrote (on 16 August 1964) to John Cardinal Heenan: “I think that a vociferous minority has imposed itself on the hierarchy and made them believe that a popular demand existed where there was in fact not even a preference.” We ask the kind reader— indeed, we beg you—to realize that those of us born in the 1940s and 1950s had no cognizance of Roman activities during the 1960s and 1970s. We were concerned with making sure we had the day’s bus fare, graduating from high school, taking care of our siblings, learning a trade, getting a job, courting a spouse. We questioned neither the nuns nor the Church.1 Do not believe for one instant any of us were following the liturgical machinations of Cardinal Lercaro or Father Bugnini in real time. Setting The Stage • To never question or resist Church authorities is praiseworthy. On the other hand, when a scandalous situation persists for decades, it must be brought into focus. Our series will do precisely that as we discuss the Lectionary Scandal from a variety of angles. We don’t do this to attack the Catholic Church. Our goal is bringing to light what’s been going on, so it can be fixed once and for all. Our subject is extremely knotty and difficult to navigate. Its complexity helps explain why the situation has persisted for such a long time.2 But if we immediately get “into the weeds” we’ll lose our audience. Therefore, it seems better to jump right in. So today, we’ll explore the legality of selling these texts. A Word On Copyright • Suppose Susie modifies a paragraph by Edgar Allan Poe. That doesn’t mean ipso facto she can assert copyright on it. If Susie takes a picture of a Corvette and uses Photoshop to color the tires blue, that doesn’t mean she henceforth “owns” all Corvettes in America. But when it comes to Responsorial Psalm translations, certain parties have been asserting copyright over them, selling them for a profit, and bullying publishers vis-à-vis hymnals and missals. Increasingly, Catholics are asking whether these translations are truly under copyright—because they are identical (or substantially identical) to other translations.3 Example After Example • Our series will provide copious examples supporting our claims. Sometimes we’ll rely on the readership for assistance, because—as we’ve stressed—our subject’s history couldn’t be more convoluted. There are countless manuscripts (in Greek, Hebrew, and Latin) we don’t have access to, so it would be foolish for us to claim that our observations are somehow the ‘final word’ on anything. Nevertheless, we demand accountability. Catholics in the pews are the ones who paid for all this. We demand to know who specifically made these decisions (which impact every English-speaking Catholic) and why specifically certain decisions were made. The Responsorial Psalms used in America are—broadly speaking—stolen from the hard work of others. In particular, they borrowed heavily from Father Cuthbert Lattey’s 1939 PSALTER TRANSLATION:
    *  PDF Download • COMPARISON CHART —We thank the CCW staff for technical assistance with this graph.
    Analysis • Although certain parties have been selling (!!!) that translation for decades, the chart demonstrates it’s not a candidate for copyright since it “borrows” or “steals” or “rearranges” so much material from other translations, especially the 1939 translation by Father Cuthbert Lattey. What this means in layman’s terms is that individuals have been selling a translation under false pretenses, a translation they don’t own (although they claim to). To make RESTITUTION, all that money will have to be returned. A few years ago, the head of ICEL gave a public speech in which he said they give some of “their” profits to the poor. While almsgiving is a good thing, it cannot justify theft. Our Constant Theme • Our series will be held together by one thread, which will be repeated constantly: “Who was responsible?” Since 1970, the conduct of those who made a profit by selling these sacred texts has been repugnant. Favoritism was shown toward certain entities—and we will document that with written proof. It is absolutely essential going forward that the faithful be told who is making these decisions. Moreover, vague justifications can no longer be accepted. If we’re told they are “making the translations better,” we must demand to know what specifically they’re doing and what specific criteria they’re following. Stay Tuned • If you’re wondering whether we’ll address the forthcoming (allegedly) Lectionary and the so-called ABBEY PSALMS AND CANTICLES, have no fear. We’ll have much to say about both. Please stay tuned. We believe this will end up being the longest series of articles ever submitted to Corpus Christi Watershed. To be continued. ROBERT O’NEILL Former associate of Monsignor Francis “Frank” P. Schmitt at Boys Town in Nebraska JAMES ARNOLD Formerly associated w/ King’s College, Cambridge A convert to the Catholic Church, and distant relative of J. H. Arnold MARIA B. Currently serves as a musician in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte. Those aware of the situation in her diocese won’t be surprised she chose to withhold her last name.
    1 Even if we’d been able to obtain Roman journals such as NOTITIAE, none of them contained English translations. But such an idea would never have occurred to a high school student or a college student growing up in the 1960s. 2 A number of shell corporations claim to own the various biblical translations mandated for Roman Catholics. They’ve made millions of dollars selling (!) these indulgenced texts. If time permits, we hope to enumerate these various shell corporations and explain: which texts they claim to own; how much they bring in each year; who runs them; and so forth. It would also be good to explore the morality of selling these indulgenced texts for a profit. Furthermore, for the last fifty years these organizations have employed several tactics to manipulate and bully others. If time permits, we will expose those tactics (including written examples). Some of us—who have been working on this problem for three decades—have amassed written documentation we’ll be sharing that demonstrates behavior at best “shady” and at worst criminal. 3 Again, we are not yet examining the morality of selling (!) indulgenced texts to Catholics mandated to use those same translations.
    —Guest Author
    “Music List” • 17th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (27 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Communion • “Ask & You Shall Receive”
    All of the chants for 27 July 2025 have been added to the feasts website, as usual under a convenient “drop down” menu. The COMMUNION ANTIPHON (both text and melody) are exceedingly beautiful and ancient.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    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

Random Quote

“The Catholic Church holds it better for the sun and moon to drop from heaven, for the earth to fail, and for all the many millions on it to die of starvation in extremest agony, as far as temporal affliction goes, than that one soul, I will not say, should be lost, but should commit one single venial sin, should tell one willful untruth, or should steal one poor farthing without excuse.”

— Saint John Henry Newman (1865)

Recent Posts

  • PDF Comparison Chart • “Serious Problems with the Lectionary Translation”
  • “Music List” • 17th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • Flor Peeters In A Weird Mood?
  • Communion • “Ask & You Shall Receive”
  • Jeff’s Mother Joins Our Fundraiser

Subscribe

Subscribe

* indicates required

Copyright © 2025 Corpus Christi Watershed · Isaac Jogues on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.

The election of Pope Leo XIV has been exciting, and we’re filled with hope for our apostolate’s future!

But we’re under pressure to transfer our website to a “subscription model.”

We don’t want to do that. We believe our website should remain free to all.

Our president has written the following letter:

President’s Message (dated 30 May 2025)

Are you able to support us?

clock.png

Time's up