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Views from the Choir Loft

Counter-Melodies • “Accompaniment of Psalm Tones”

Jeff Ostrowski · December 17, 2018

NE OF THE ABSOLUTE “best kept secrets” of Catholic music was revealed to me by Fr. Valentine Young, OFM. It is Albert Bloomfield’s astounding 465-page book, which allows any parish to sing Sunday Vespers. 1 Each Sunday, we have been using this magnificent book at Saint Vitus—our whole parish sings Vespers, and it is fantastic! I have started to accompany Vespers on the organ, with great success, using the NOH. We alternate between men and women. Once the congregation becomes familiar enough, I want to start adding counter-melodies to the psalmody.

Do you know what counter-melodies are?

Answer: Go to the 1:07 marker and you will hear something worth dying for:


The organist used to belong to a monastery in England—a Catholic monastery, not Anglican. I think he does a magnificent job, although the pause between each verse needs to be shortened; it is just a tiny bit too long. There should be a definite pause, but it should not be too lengthy. If you go back and read the “visitations” from the 15th and 16th centuries, 2 you will notice this is something monks and nuns complained about: when the pause in the middle of each psalm verse was prolonged too much. They also complained about too many dogs in church…I guess bringing dogs into church was common in those days.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   I hope Mr. Bloomfield creates another edition which includes starting pitches.

2   Each year, the visitation was when a bishop would visit the monastery or convent and speak privately with each member. That was an opportunity for the member to complain about whatever was bothersome—and some of these make for fascinating reading!

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Vespers 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

    26 January 2023 • FEEDBACK
    “Jeff, I wanted to personally thank you for your spiritual witness at the Symposium & often blogs that you write too. Praying that prayer in the mornings My God, my Father and my all (by Cardinal Merry Del Val), mentioning saints’ stories of Brébeuf, Jogues, John Vianney, monks who fought in WWII, their hard work in spite of terrible conditions, their relentless zeal for the faith, their genuine love for the laypeople they served, etc. Overall though—more than anything concrete I can point to that you did or said—it was your demeanor at the Symposium. I could tell you really absolutely love and believe the Catholic Faith. You don’t get that everywhere, even in Church circles. And your humility is what then makes that shine even brighter. It is super inspiring! God is working through you probably way more than you know.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Symposium Draft Schedule Released!
    Those who head over to the Symposium Website will notice the tentative schedule for 2023 has been released. This is all very exciting! Very soon, we will begin accepting applications, so please make sure you have subscribed to our mailing list. If you are subscribed, that means you'll hear announcements before anyone else. (It’s incredibly easy to subscribe to our mailing list; just scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.)
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Good Friday Polyphony by L. Senfl
    The editor of the Sacred Music Magazine recently made available to the public this splendid article by our own Charles Weaver. It includes an edition of polyphony for the GOOD FRIDAY “Reproaches.” Renaissance composers often set the various offices of Holy Week; e.g. readers will probably be familiar with the beautiful TENEBRAE setting by Father Tomás Luis de Victoria (d. 1611). From what I can tell, Ludwig Senfl (d. 1543) was originally a Catholic priest, but eventually was seduced by Luther and ended up abandoning the sacred priesthood.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

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The claim that the bishop or the priest originally celebrated “versus populum” is a legend, which Otto Nussbaum (d. 1999) originally did a great deal to spread.

— Dr. Helmut Hoping (University of Freiburg)

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