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

Corpus Christi Watershed

“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

  • Donate
  • Our Team
    • Our Editorial Policy
    • Who We Are
    • How To Contact Us
    • Sainte Marie Bulletin Articles
  • 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

Acompañamientos • MISAL ROMANO, Tercera Edición

Richard J. Clark · October 19, 2018

HE NEW Spanish translation of the Roman Missal, Third Edition for the United States has been available since May, 2018. Its implementation becomes mandatory in the United States on the First Sunday of Advent, December 2, 2018. (Its use has been optional since the Vigil of Pentecost, 2018)

Like the English Translation, implemented in 2011, the new Misal Romano, tercia edición contains a great deal more music than any previous edition.

The Zipoli Institute has posted a wonderfully useful site that includes (unaccompanied) recordings here. You can hear them in higher and lower pitched tones.

The Archdiocese of New York has outlined a number of features in the new edition. Among them:

“In an effort to encourage the singing of the Ordinary of the Mass, the US Misal Romano will include more musical notation than any other Spanish language Misal Romano currently used throughout the world.”

TO THAT END, I HAVE ARRANGED some accompaniments for the chants for the Ordinary of the Mass from the Misal Romano. These include guitar chords.

      * *   Acompañamientos para el Ordinario de la Misa • Misal Romano, tercia edición

In addition, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has posted free downloads of all the chants of the Mass with many accompaniments for guitar and organ. These accompaniments were prepared by Marc Cerisier, who also beautifully engraved all of the music found in the misal.

You may find either set of accompaniments useful. While I often find congregations sing more easily to unaccompanied chant, accompaniments can be helpful especially in the learning stages. Furthermore, guitar accompaniment alone can be useful to allow more freedom with the natural accents and rhythms the language. (Guitar and light strings on the organ can also be a very beautiful combination.)

NOTE THAT THE USCCB ACCOMPANIMENTS are written in the “key” of the Vatican Edition. Of course these pitches are really only indicative of the mode and can be sung with any comfortable starting note. As such, it is wise to make adjustments as necessary to suit your congregation.

My accompaniments are taken down a step in most cases to be more comfortable for most congregations. I also added some rhythms indicated by Solesmes or where obvious for the text. (The Roman Missal chants do not have any indications for rhythm as you will see in the USCCB scores. One may find amusing that Theodore Marier would affectionately refer to this approach to notation as “announcing pitches.”)

Finally, I find the two most common mistakes are singing such chants too high and too slowly. This forces a congregation to push and support breath in ways that they are not equipped to do. The result is the people give up on singing altogether. So, sing it lower if necessary, and move the chant along with energy! Finally, take the cue from the people, and allow them to sing naturally.

ADDENDUM
You can also find a number of accompaniments to the Roman Missal Chants in English here

Soli Deo gloria

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Gregorian Chant Accompaniments, ICEL Chants, ICEL New Translation of the Roman Missal, Misal Romano, Zipoli Institute Last Updated: January 1, 2020

Subscribe

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

* indicates required

About Richard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.—(Read full biography).

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “What Martin Luther Said…”
    My pastor asked me to write little columns for the bulletin each week. The article for 20 July 2025 has been posted, and it’s called: “What Luther Said…” Martin Luther (an ex-priest and apostate) was an infamous heretic whose ignorance of JESUS CHRIST was only exceeded by his filthy and disgusting vulgarity.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 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 propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.
    —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

“I ask that future priests, from their time in the seminary, receive the preparation needed to understand and to celebrate Mass in Latin, and also to use Latin texts and execute Gregorian chant; nor should we forget that the faithful can be taught to recite the more common prayers in Latin, and also to sing parts of the liturgy to Gregorian chant.”

— Statement by the Supreme Pontiff (Sacramentum Caritatis, 22-feb-2007)

Recent Posts

  • “What Martin Luther Said…”
  • “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • Worship the Lord in Holy Attire
  • “How to Conduct 90 Vespers Services Each Year and Live to Tell the Tale.”
  • 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

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