Views from the Choir Loft

“Hidden” Hymns by Cardinal Newman

Jeff Ostrowski · October 16, 2019

ANY CONSIDER Fr. Guy Nicholls, Cong Orat, to be the greatest living authority on Cardinal Newman. In these interviews, he speaks about a range of fascinating subjects. For example, in the first video, he mentions “secret” hymns by Newman ¹ that can be found in the Birmingham Oratory as well as Cardinal Newman’s relationship with the music of Beethoven—who was still alive—and how Saint Newman adapted this for use in Church:

Fr. Guy Nicholls speaks about a great many things which will be of interest to our readers, such as the plight of Catholics in England at a time when the Anglicans did not allow Roman Catholics to attend college.

At the time of this posting:

Video 1 of 3 = 188 views
Video 2 of 3 = 78 views
Video 3 of 3 = 82 views

NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1 For the record, the “famous” hymns by Newman—the hymns known by everyone—can all be found in the Brébeuf hymnal. In the interview, Fr. Nicholls makes reference to hymns intended to be used at Birmingham, for which Cardinal Newman wrote the text and chose the melody.

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

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).

22 October 2021 • “Sad & Unnecessary”

The USCCB has completely deleted a section of their website which (before they deleted it) contained helpful resources for the classical Roman Rite. Something cool they had included (before they deleted it) was a link to the new prefaces, approved by Pope Francis on 25 March 2020. Will this madness never end?

—Jeff Ostrowski

11 October 2021 • “Sing All Verses?”

Some claim Catholics deserve condemnation because (unlike Protestants) Catholics often omit verses when singing hymns at Mass. Is that true? The wonderful Sophia Institute Press—as part of a series on authentic sacred music—has provided an answer (PDF) to this question.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Where do Catholics find hymns?

The wonderful Sophia Institute Press has begun a “Q+A” section which tackles common liturgical questions, and here’s a sample: “At a conference I recently attended, the speaker said hymns don’t belong at Mass; was he telling the truth?” And you can read the answer. To access the complete set (which is a work in progress), scroll towards the bottom of this link.

—Jeff Ostrowski

On 12 March 1908, Feast of St. Gregory the Great, the complete publication of the “Graduale” was issued by the Vatican Press. That very day, Dom Pothier solemnly presented the first copy to the Holy Father. Pius X wished to be the first to see the new book; he opened it at random, at page 128 of the supplement “pro aliquibus locis”—the Introit of the new Feast of Our lady of Lourdes. The Pope sang it with perfect taste to the last note.

— A witness of the papal audience writing circa 1915