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Views from the Choir Loft

“Mister Eye” • Do You Mind Him?

Jeff Ostrowski · January 2, 2019

HE WAY WE PRONOUNCE English in 2019 does not always correspond to how English was pronounced in former centuries. In the days of Shakespeare, the word FLIES rhymed with ENEMIES. Certain types of poetry also tolerate what’s called an “eye rhyme”—when two words look the same but are pronounced differently: Sean+Bean; Cough+Bough; Food+Good; Death+Wreath; Love+Move; and so forth.

Whenever possible—and it was not always possible—the Brébeuf Hymnal avoided rhymes such as this one, found in the Cantate Omnes Hymnal (produced in 1952 by the Church Musicians’ Guild of Buffalo):

85761 Mister Eye

For the record, “call” and “festival” (verse 2) no longer rhyme; although they probably did in the 17th century, when Sir Walter Kirkham Blount wrote this translation for a Roman Catholic Missal. It was not always possible for the Brébeuf Hymnal to avoid such rhymes. Indeed, if you examine its 932 pages, you’ll notice several. However, we tried to avoid any that were especially prominent.

The following example by Father Faber is considered by some to be an eye rhyme, because they claim these two words no longer rhymed in the 19th century:

Most ancient of all mysteries,
Before Thy throne we lie;
Have mercy now, most merciful,
Most holy Trinity.

(Because of this hymn, a young child once asked his mother why it was okay to tell lies when we are before the Throne of God…)

Are you bothered by eye rhymes? Let us know in the combox on the CCW Facebook page.

PDF Download • 615 page book:

You can download the entire (marvelous!) Roman Catholic Holy Week book—“The Office of the Holy Week According to the Missall and Roman Breviary”—by Sir Walter Kirkham Blount, published in 1670AD:

*  PDF Download • Holy Week Book (1670AD)
—The Office of the Holy Week According to the Missall and Roman Breviary.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Affordable Hymnal for Catholic Parishes, Jean de Brebeuf Hymnal Last Updated: April 10, 2021

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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

    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Don’t You Agree About These?
    If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Choral Vowels? Yes? No?
    Here's a live recording of one of the choral “warm-up” exercises my choir enjoys. It was taken during our rehearsal on 27 January 2023. It’s good to make sure each chord is perfectly in tune and balanced before moving to the next one. That only happens when each singer has the correct vowel. If you like, you can freely download that vocal exercise.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

To the extent that the new sacred music is to serve the liturgical celebrations of the various churches, it can and must draw from earlier forms — especially from Gregorian chant — a higher inspiration, a uniquely sacred quality, a genuine sense of what is religious.

— Pope John Paul II (June 1980)

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  • PDF Download • Belgian Book of Gregorian Accompaniments (Official Edition)
  • Don’t You Agree About These?
  • Choral Vowels? Yes? No?

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