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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

Where Did “Do-Re-Mi” Come From?

Jeff Ostrowski · June 7, 2019

84288 ut queant laxis HOSE WHO WILL attend Sacred Music Symposium 2019 can look forward to singing Solemn Vespers at night—and we have beautiful things planned! One of the hymns is for Saint John the Baptist—UT QUEANT LAXIS—and it shows us where “Do-Re-Mi” comes from. (Later on, “Ut” was changed to “Do,” perhaps as an exercise in vanity by Giovanni Battista Doni.) Here is the Editio Vaticana version from a wonderful Solesmes Abbey book published in 1957:

    * *  PDF • “Ut Queant Laxis” (Vaticana)

What about an organ accompaniment? If you carefully search the NOH collection, you will see that two different harmonizations are provided for this hymn: One in volume 7, another in volume 8. (It is slightly puzzling to understand why, but sometimes a particular melody seems to have “struck a chord”—pardon the pun—with the editors. When that happens, we encounter in the NOH various harmonizations for the same melody by different composers: Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel, Flor Peeters, Monsignor Jules Vyverman, Gustaaf Frans Nees, and so on.)

A concise and clear explanation vis-à-vis how we got solfège (DO-RE-MI-FA-SOL-LA-TI) is provided on page 1,229 of the 1957 publication mentioned earlier:

84286 Ut quéant laxis resonáre fibris


A literal translation of the Latin by Father Connelly:

1. Ut quéant laxis
resonáre fibris
Mira gestórum
fámuli tuórum,
Solve pollúti
lábii reátum,
Sancte Joánnes.

1. That thy servants
may be able to sing
the wonders of thy deeds
with loosened throats,
O holy John,
remove the guilt
of our polluted lips.

2. Núntius celso
véniens Olýmpo,
Te patri magnum
fore nascitúrum,
Nomen, et vitae
sériem geréndae
Órdine prómit.

2. A messenger coming
from high heaven
discloses in due order
to thy father that
thou wouldst be born great,
thy name, and the course of life
thou wouldst lead.

3. Ille promíssi
dúbius supérni,
Pérdidit promptae
módulos loquélae:
Sed reformásti
génitus perémptae
Órgana vocis.

3. Doubtful of the
heavenly promise,
he (Zachary) lost the power
of ready speech;
but thou, when born,
didst restore the organs
of the lost voice.

4. Ventris obstrúso
récubans cubíli
Sénseras Regem
thálamo manéntem:
Hinc parens nati
méritis utérque
Ábdita pandit.

4. While buried in the
hidden abode of the womb,
thou didst perceive
the King reposing in His chamber;
whereupon both parents,
by the merits of their son,
revealed hidden things.

5. Sit decus Patri,
genitaéque Proli,
Et tibi compar
utriúsque virtus,
Spíritus semper,
Deus unus, omni
Témporis aevo.
Amen.

5. O God, one
and likewise three,
may the heavenly citizens
extol Thee with praises:
and we suppliants
ask Thy pardon:
do Thou spare the redeemed.
Amen.

For myself, I prefer the melodic variant found in the 1903 Liber Usualis of Dom Mocquereau. The problem is, if your choir already knows the standard version, it will be annoying to introduce a different tune—but I really do like it better:

    * *  PDF Download • Melodic Variant (1903)

(Believe it or not, this accompaniment matches the 1903 version, not the Editio Vaticana.)

Did I mention I prefer the 1903 version? Sorry, just checking…

Veronica Brandt has created an Editio Vaticana version with a different literal English Translation underneath the notes:

    * *  PDF Download • Version by Veronica Brandt

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Ut Queant Laxis Last Updated: February 24, 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 Michigan. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Typo in the “Missale Romanum” (1962)
    The 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM was a transitional missal. It was on its way to becoming the 1970 version, but wasn’t there yet. It eliminated certain duplications, downplayed the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, expanded the role of laymen, minimized the Last Gospel, made many items optional, and so forth. Father Valentine Young spotted many typos in the 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM, especially incorrect accents. The Offertory Antiphon for this coming Sunday (OF kalendar) contains an error, citing the wrong verse from Psalm 118. It should be 118:107b, not 118:154. If you read verse 154, you’ll understand how that error crept in. [In this particular case, the error pre-dates the 1962 Missal, since the 1940s hand-missal by Father Lasance also gets it wrong.]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 30th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 26 October 2025, which is the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). 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 top-notch feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Little Encouragement?
    In the Gospel, our Savior tells about 10 lepers who were healed. Only one went back to give thanks. Precious few express gratitude, yet many have endless energy to complain. For that reason, I deeply appreciate receiving messages like the following, which arrived a few days ago (about the parish where I direct in Michigan): “Last Sunday, a couple I knew from Grand Rapids was at Mass at 10:00 a.m. I got a chance to talk to them after Mass. I wanted to let you know what they said about the choir. They were absolutely floored by our sound!!!!! They both said they could continuously listen to our choir and the beauty of it. They asked me: “Do you always sound like that?” And they were also very surprised at how packed the church was. They said it was nice for them to be in such a full church. I just thought you would be interested to know their thoughts about our choir.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Our Father” • Musical Setting?
    Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Although the New Testament is now so much more important to us than the Old, we must remember that the archetype of the Canon of Scripture is the Old Testament. At first that was the whole Bible, to Christians as to Jews. When the apostles speak of “Scripture” they mean the Old Testament only. Indeed, the way in which the books of the New Testament came to be considered canonical was by making them equal to those of the Old.

— Rev’d Doctor Adrian Fortescue

Recent Posts

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  • “Music List” • 30th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • “Our Father” • Musical Setting?
  • Little Encouragement?
  • Children’s Repertoire • Mueller’s Recommendations

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