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Views from the Choir Loft

The Day Music Theory Failed Me

Jeff Ostrowski · July 25, 2019

ELOW IS THE THIRD TEXT from the Brébeuf Hymnal set to the tune of “O Heiland, reiss die Himmel auf.” We have been discussing how crucial it is to have “common melodies”—and these are what make the Brébeuf hymnal so indispensable for the parish choirmaster. I am sure all the readers know my primary degree is Music Theory; and you already know how deeply I believe in the value of Music Theory.

According to Music Theory, if you eliminate the bass line, this should sound terrible:

    * *  Mp3 Download • Bass Voice Eliminated (Experiment)

…but I actually like the result!   (oops!)

Here it is with all four voices:

You can hear the individual tracks if you visit the Brébeuf website and scroll to #659.

Getting back to the idea of “common melodies,” the best way I can demonstrate would be to have you visit two more articles. Both utilize that same melody:

    * *  (article) Brébeuf #188

    * *  (article) Brébeuf #517

The idea of “common melodies” in Catholic hymnals—giving choirmasters great flexibility—is hardly a Brébeuf innovation, as you can see:

—O Heiland reiss die Himmel auf • Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959)
—O Heiland reiss die Himmel auf • Catholic Hymnal (1957)
—O Heiland reiss die Himmel auf • Catholic Hymnal (1936)
—O Heiland reiss die Himmel auf • Catholic Hymnal (1910)
—O Heiland reiss die Himmel auf • Catholic Hymnal (1885)
—O Heiland reiss die Himmel auf • Catholic Hymnal (1989)

P.S.

For the record, the harmonies in that video come from the Brébeuf accompaniment, and notice the beautiful stepwise motion (descending) bass lines. That is best kind of bass line to have, especially when it moves in contrary motion to the Soprano.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Jean de Brebeuf Hymnal Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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Jeff Ostrowski

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

Surprising Popularity!

One of our most popular downloads has proven to be the organ accompaniment to “The Monastery Hymnal” (131 pages). This book was compiled, arranged, and edited by Achille P. Bragers, who studied at the Lemmensinstituut (Belgium) about thirty years before that school produced the NOH. Bragers might be considered an example of Belgium “Stile Antico” whereas Flor Peeters and Jules Van Nuffel represented Belgium “Prima Pratica.” You can download the hymnal by Bragers at this link.

—Jeff Ostrowski
15 February 2021 • To Capitalize…?

In the Introit for the 6th Sunday after Pentecost, there is a question regarding whether to capitalize the word “christi.” The Vulgata does not, because Psalm 27 is not specifically referring to Our Lord, but rather to God’s “anointed one.” However, Missals tend to capitalize it, such as the official 1962 Missal and also a book from 1777 called Missel de Paris. Something tells me Monsignor Knox would not capitalize it.

—Jeff Ostrowski
15 February 2021 • “Sung vs. Spoken”

We have spoken quite a bit about “sung vs. spoken” antiphons. We have also noted that the texts of the Graduale Romanum sometimes don’t match the Missal texts (in the Extraordinary Form) because the Mass Propers are older than Saint Jerome’s Vulgate, and sometimes came from the ITALA versions of Sacred Scripture. On occasion, the Missal itself doesn’t match the Vulgate—cf. the Introit “Esto Mihi.” The Vulgate has: “Esto mihi in Deum protectórem et in domum refúgii…” but the Missal and Graduale Romanum use “Esto mihi in Deum protectórem et in locum refúgii…” The 1970s “spoken propers” use the traditional version, as you can see.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Angularis fundamentum” is typically sung at the dedication or consecration of a church and on church anniversaries. For constructions too numerous to list in recent generations, it would be more appropriate to sing that Christ had been made a temporary foundation. A dispirited generation built temporary housing for its Lord, and in the next millnenium, the ease of its removal may be looked back upon as its chief virtue.

— Fr. George Rutler (2016)

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