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Views from the Choir Loft

Chants for the Feast of the Transfiguration

Jeff Ostrowski · August 2, 2017

F YOU SCROLL towards the bottom of St. René Goupil, you will notice that scores and audio files for the Feast of the Transfiguration have been added (6 August).

Here is a sample:


The rest of this post deals with the ending of the Communion antiphon.

The Communion antiphon (“Visiónem quam vidístis”) is identical to a Magnificat antiphon, except for one note:

4779 Feast of the Transfiguration


At first, it seemed a typo, since the Vatican Edition of the Antiphonale appeared several years after the Graduale.

Further examination, however, shows that some manuscripts only have the punctum:

4770 who


…while other manuscripts have the podatus:

4771 double 4774 c 4774 b

Dom Mocquereau’s 1903 Liber Usualis has a podatus:

4773 Mocquereau 1903


Abbot Pothier’s 1891 Liber Gradualis has a punctum:

1891 Pothier


Pothier’s 1896 Liber Usualis has the punctum for the Magnificat antiphon:

4773 1896 Pothier


…but the selfsame book (Pothier’s 1896 Liber Usualis) uses the podatus for the Communion antiphon:

4773 Pothier was well 1896


Using the search function to quickly find “visionem” in the NOH shows how the composers provided a completely different harmonization both times:

    * *  2,279 pages of Harmonized Plainsong


For the record, the NOH has a typo in the Communion antiphon:

4768 errors


Never have I encountered so many typos in one feast! Yesterday, I spoke of a typo in the Introit that desperately needed correction.

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

Alabama Assessment!

We received this evaluation of Symposium 2022 from an Alabama participant:

“Oh, how the Symposium echoed the words of Cardinal Merry Del Val: …choosing only what is most conformed to Thy glory, which is my final aim. In one short and fast paced week, the faculty and attendees showed me the hand of God and our Lady working in our lives. The wide range of education—from Gregorian Chant, jazz modes in organ improvisation, to ‘staying sane’ while leading a choir—were certainly first-class knowledge from the best teachers of the art. However, the most powerful lesson was learning how to pray as a choir. The sacrifice of putting songs together, taking time to learn the sacred text, meditating on the church teaching through the chants, and gaining the virtues required to persevere in these duties were not only qualities of a choir but of a saint. The sanctification of the lives of the attendees was a beautiful outcome of this event … and that in itself is worth more than a beautifully-sung Solesmes style chant!”

—Jeff Ostrowski
PDF Download • Trinity Sunday (22 pages)

Feel free to download this Organ Accompaniment Booklet for Trinity Sunday (Second Vespers). Notice how the modes progress by number. Psalm 1 is mode 1; Psalm 2 is mode 2; Psalm 3 is mode 3; Psalm 4 is mode 4; Psalm 5 is mode 5. I am told by an expert that other feasts (such as Corpus Christi) are likewise organized by mode, and it’s called a “numerical office.”

—Jeff Ostrowski
10 June 2022 • “Official” rhythm of plainsong

I continue to search for the most beautiful way to present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores. (Technically, the “pure” rhythm of the official edition is what everyone is supposed to use.) You can download my latest attempt, which is the Introit for this coming Sunday: Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. Because this is not an ancient feast, the Introit had to be adapted (perhaps around 750AD). Prior Johner says the adaptation is “not an entirely happy one.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“To get people together once a week without an objective is deadly.”

— Dr. Roger Wagner (19 December 1960)

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