Views from the Choir Loft

“Beatus Vir Editions” Announces New Publication

Guest Author · September 1, 2017

WE HAVE RECEIVED word from BEATUS VIR EDITIONS of a new publication with fresh contemporary settings by Roman Catholic composer Royce Nickel.

Press release by BEATUS VIR EDITIONS:

UBLISHED IN HONOR of Saint Therese of Lisieux, this comprehensive collection contains settings of the Lectionary Chants for every Sunday in the Roman calendar, the principal solemnities and feasts, and for various sacred rites, including weddings, funerals, and confirmation. There is a Vocalist’s Edition and an Organist’s Edition, each including the complete cycle of psalm and alleluia settings. The Psalm Responses and Alleluias are set in a simple yet beautiful modal style: melodic simplicity guarantees ease of use for cantor and congregation, while the modal style evokes the beauty of the sacred. For the Alleluias, seven different melodies are provided, changing in the course of the Church year to mark the seasons. The verses to be sung by cantor or choir employ the traditional Gregorian psalm tones. Whereas the psalm settings use the simpler Office tones, the Gospel Acclamation verses feature the more ornate Mass tones, the greater solemnity of style heralding the reading of the Gospel, the high point of the Liturgy of the Word. The Organist’s Edition conveniently presents the Responsorial Psalm and the Gospel Acclamation for each feast on facing pages, avoiding the need for page turns. An appendix provides a scriptural index of the psalm settings for purposes of liturgical planning.

A sample page (Psalm and Alleluia) can be downloaded:

* * Sample page courtesy of BEATUS VIR EDITIONS

We are grateful for this notification by BEATUS VIR EDITIONS and hope that other publishing companies will continue to contact us with new offerings so we can help spread the word.

The book is being sold through Lulu publishing:

* * Lulu.com • Organ Edition

* * Lulu.com • Vocalist Edition

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

PDF Download • “Ubi Caritas” (SATB)

I remember singing “Ubi Cáritas” by Maurice Duruflé at the conservatory. I was deeply moved by it. However, some feel Duruflé’s version isn’t suitable for small choirs since it’s written for 6 voices and the bass tessitura is quite low. That’s why I was absolutely thrilled to discover this “Ubi cáritas” (SATB) for smaller choirs by Énemond Moreau, who studied with OSCAR DEPUYDT (d. 1925), an orphan who became a towering figure of Catholic music. Depuydt’s students include: Flor Peeters (d. 1986); Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel (d. 1953); Arthur Meulemans (d. 1966); Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989); and Gustaaf Nees (d. 1965). Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #19705. When I came across the astonishing English translation for “Ubi Cáritas” by Monsignor Ronald Knox—matching the Latin’s meter—I decided to add those lyrics as an option (for churches which have banned Latin). My wife and I made this recording to give you some idea how it sounds.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Cantus Mariales” (192 pages)

Andrea Leal has posted an absolutely pristine scan of CANTUS MARIALES (192 pages) which can be downloaded as a PDF file. To access this treasure, navigate to the frabjous article Andrea posted Monday. The file is being offered completely free of charge. The beginning pages of the book have something not to be missed: viz. a letter from Pope Saint Pius X to Dom Pothier, in which the pope calls Abbat Pothier “a man versed above all others in the science of liturgy, and to whom the cause of Gregorian chant is greatly indebted.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Music List • (2nd Sunday of Lent)

Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for this coming Sunday, which is the 2nd Sunday of Lent (1 March 2026). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. This feast has magnificent propers. Its somber INTROIT is particularly striking—using a haunting tonality—but the COMMUNION with its fauxbourdon verses is also quite remarkable. I encourage all the readers to visit the feasts website, where the Propria Missae may be downloaded completely free of charge.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Extreme Unction

Those who search Google for “CCCC MS 079” will discover high resolution images of a medieval Pontificale (“Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 079”). One of the pages contains this absolutely gorgeous depiction of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

PDF Chart • “Plainsong Rhythm”

I will go to my grave without understanding the lack of curiosity so many people have about the rhythmic modifications made by Dom André Mocquereau. For example, how can someone examine this single sheet comparison chart and at a minimum not be curious about the differences? Dom Mocquereau basically creates a LONG-SHORT LONG-SHORT rhythmic pattern—in spite of enormous and overwhelming manuscript evidence to the contrary. That’s why some scholars referred to his method as “Neo-Mensuralist” or “Neo-Mensuralism.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “O Come All Ye Faithful” (Simplified)

I admire the harmonization of “Adeste Fideles” by David Willcocks (d. 2015), who served as director of the Royal College of Music (London, England). In 2025, I was challenged to create a simplified arrangement for organists incapable of playing the authentic version at tempo. The result was this simplified keyboard arrangement (PDF download) based on the David Willcocks version of “O Come All Ye Faithful.” Feel free to play through it and let me know what you think.

—Jeff Ostrowski