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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • Complete Kyriale on Modern Staves!

Jeff Ostrowski · May 2, 2019

VEN TODAY, masters of the Gregorian Repertoire can be found. One example is Dr. Horst Buchholz, who currently serves as choirmaster at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, Missouri. He has many talents. For example, Dr. Buchholz can look at Gregorian notation and immediately create beautiful organ accompaniments—and I’ve seen him do it. Most organists agree that if one chooses to accompany plainsong, Dr. Buchholz’s approach is the best. Were I to attempt such a thing, I would probably “cheat” by using this marvelous edition by Dr. Karl Weinmann, printed on modern staves:

    * *  PDF Download • GREGORIAN KYRIALE on Modern Staves (94 pages)

It was first printed in 1909. A century later, we scanned the book and placed it online. You can read the Preface in English thanks to Dr. Janya Martin.

84727 modern staves GREGORIAN


In a certain sense, I feel Dr. Weinmann really did create a powerful tool in 1909. On the other hand, it might be dangerous—because it will prevent singers from learning how to read Gregorian notation properly. By the way, this book never caught on because of a certain “situation” that developed involving a quarrel between the Solesmes monastery and the Sacred Congregation of Rites—but that’s another story for another day! The final result: Rome officially stopped any publisher from printing “modified” versions of the Editio Vaticana, and Weinmann’s edition certainly does modify the neumes by making the Porrectus (“flexus resupinus”) easier to read.

One thing cannot be doubted: This “inexpensive choral edition” (as the Preface refers to it) must have required a tremendous effort to produce, especially in such a beautiful and professional way.

If you visit the St. Jean de Lalande Library of Rare Books, you can download the complete Graduale by Weinmann: all 678 pages!

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

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: Karl Weinmann 1873-1929 Last Updated: October 11, 2022

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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 Michigan. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “Music List” • 17th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (27 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 Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Communion • “Ask & You Shall Receive”
    All of the chants for 27 July 2025 have been added to the feasts website, as usual under a convenient “drop down” menu. The COMMUNION ANTIPHON (both text and melody) are exceedingly beautiful and ancient.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Jeff’s Mother Joins Our Fundraiser
    To assist our fundraiser, Mrs. Kathleen Ostrowski has drawn several beautiful sketches which she offers to all our readers free of charge. If you have a moment, I invite you download them at this link.
    —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

To end an impropriety, noticed particularly at orchestral Vespers, when two or three Psalms are sung with full orchestra, and then the other Psalms and the Hymn are rapidly hurried through with organ accompaniment only […] we order that at Mass all portions of the text, including “Agnus Dei,” be sung with orchestral accompaniment. […] Moreover, the musicians are not allowed to put the instruments away and leave their places before the conclusion of the sacred function.

— Cardinal Patrizi (18 November 1856)

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