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Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • Kyrie “O Magnum Mysterium”

Jeff Ostrowski · December 18, 2017

ACK in 2015, I created individual rehearsal videos for “O Magnum Mysterium,” and tens of thousands have downloaded them. But the season of Christmas is often short, and that motet can’t be sung at other times of the year. Can we keep singing it? Well, let’s remember that—twenty years after composing “O Magnum Mysterium”—Fr. Tomás Luis de Victoria wrote an entire Mass based on that motet. In my opinion, this setting fits the Sundays after Epiphany well.

Earlier today, I recorded the KYRIE (#3595).

But please pardon my screechy soprano notes!

REHEARSAL VIDEOS for each individual voice await you at #3595.

Download the PDF by following the #3595 link provided above.

Did you notice how Victoria adds variety?

First Point of Imitation: Soprano, Alto, Tenor Bass

Second Point of Imitation: Bass, Tenor, Alto, Soprano

Final Point of Imitation: Tenor, Soprano, Alto, Bass

Something to which we dedicated much time in musicology graduate school was “text underlay.” This incredibly complex subject becomes even more so when we understand that printers sometimes changed the composer’s underlay. Examining the original part books, 1 we often see the underlay as “Ky-rie”—and some have argued that it was pronounced as two syllables. I took this into consideration toward the end of the piece.

We will probably do a Mass by Victoria at the Sacred Music Symposium this coming June, but at this time nothing official has been released.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   I really hope you’ll download the PDF, because I included an example from 1592AD.

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

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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Jeff Ostrowski

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

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Due to Covid-19, California has basically been under “lock down” for 11 months, and these restrictions have had quite a detrimental effect on our choral programs. We are frequently limited to just 2-3 singers, on account of regulations by the government and our Archdiocese. However, although the number of singers is quite small, I was struck by the beauty of the singing last Sunday. Listen to this 15-second live excerpt and see if you agree?

—Jeff Ostrowski
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Surprising Popularity!

One of our most popular downloads has proven to be the organ accompaniment to “The Monastery Hymnal” (131 pages). This book was compiled, arranged, and edited by Achille P. Bragers, who studied at the Lemmensinstituut (Belgium) about thirty years before that school produced the NOH. Bragers might be considered an example of Belgium “Stile Antico” whereas Flor Peeters and Jules Van Nuffel represented Belgium “Prima Pratica.” You can download the hymnal by Bragers at this link.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Goupil deserves the name of martyr not only because he has been murdered by the enemies of God and His Church while laboring in ardent charity for his neighbor, but most of all because he was killed for being at prayer and notably for making the Sign of the Cross.

— St. Isaac Jogues (after the martyrdom of Saint René Goupil)

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