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Views from the Choir Loft

PDF • “Additional Versions of the Credo” (1934)

Jeff Ostrowski · February 28, 2019

85283 Credo VII • Gregorian Chant OST PEOPLE would probably presume that the Ordinary of the Mass is more ancient than the Proprium Missae (“propers”), especially the Greek KYRIE. Such a mistake is understandable, but it’s still wrong. The Propers are the most ancient part of the Mass, and the Ordinary is rather late by comparison. Moreover, the addition of the CREDO is extremely late, and even to this day the Creed is said only on special feasts. In recognition of this fact, musical settings of the Creed are kept in a completely different location than the rest of the Kyriale.

If you examine the Campion Missal, you will see that both CREDO V and CREDO VI were included, even though not that many people sing them. The Saint Antoine Daniel website includes a marvelous setting called Credo VII, along with an organ accompaniment.

But this morning, I received a surprise in my inbox from a reader!

Versions of the CREDO I had never seen before:

    * *  PDF Download • Supplement to the Kyriale (1934)

The file appears to be one of the numerous “supplemental inserts” included at the back of the Solesmes books. Readers will recall me speaking of how fascinating some of these are, especially the ones added to the Reims-Cambrais edition of the Graduale.

One of the versions appears to be based upon CREDO I, which would be only natural since this was the sole version people sang for centuries:

85281 comparison CREDO versions


Contained in that PDF are a whole bunch more versions of the Kyriale I have never seen before. We owe a debt of gratitude to whoever scanned this!

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 12, 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

19 May 2022 • “Trochee Trouble”

I’m still trying to decide how to visually present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores, using what is (technically) the official rhythm of the Church. You can download my latest attempt, for this coming Sunday. Notice the “trochee trouble” as well as the old issue of neumes before the quilisma.

—Jeff Ostrowski
16 May 2022 • Harmonized Chant?

This year’s upcoming Sacred Music Symposium will demonstrate several ways to sing the CREDO at Mass. This is because—for many parishes—to sing a full-length polyphonic CREDO by Victoria or Palestrina is out of the question. Therefore, we show options that are halfway between plainsong and polyphony. You can hear my choir rehearsing a section that sounds like harmonized plainsong.

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • “Pure” Vatican Edition

As readers know, my choir has been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana. That is to say, the official rhythm which—technically—is the only rhythm allowed by the Church. I haven’t figured out how I want the scores to look, so in the meantime we’ve been using temporary scores that look like this. Stay tuned!

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Young people have entrusted me with their absolute preference for the Extraordinary Form… […] But, above all, how can we understand—how can we not be surprised and deeply shocked—that what was the rule yesterday is prohibited today? Is it not true that prohibiting or suspecting the Extraordinary Form can only be inspired by the demon who desires our suffocation and spiritual death?”

— Cardinal Sarah to Edward Pentin (23 September 2019)

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  • 19 May 2022 • “Trochee Trouble”
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