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Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • “What Makes A Good Hymn?”

Jeff Ostrowski · February 6, 2020

EOPLE are making a big deal about a scandalous song by GIA Publications, written for the LA Religious Education Congress later this month. Having listened to an excerpt of the song, I agree with those who insist such “beat music” should never be sung during the Holy Mass. Why an organization called The Gregorian Institute of America would promote that song is a mystery to me. But rather than “attack,” we should provide positive alternatives—beautiful and dignified melodies—such as those found in the Brébeuf hymnal, which the New Liturgical Movement (6/10/2019) called “hands down, the best Catholic hymnal ever published.”

What Makes A Good Hymn Tune?

An excellent article was published in 1912 by the choirmaster of Westminster Cathedral (which is Roman Catholic, whereas Westminster Abbey is currently Protestant):

*  PDF Download • “What Makes A Good Hymn?”
—A fascinating article by Sir Richard Runciman Terry (d. 1938).

In 1885, a Jesuit priest named Father Dreves published a melody which I consider to be excellent:


This famous melody is paired with numerous texts in the Brébeuf hymnal.  For example:


The tune itself is called various names: Vom Himmel Hoch, Erfurt, Altona, and so on.  It was once associated with Christmas, but lost this association a century ago (except in German-speaking countries). Below are examples with non-Christmas texts:

*  PDF Download • “Vom Himmel Hoch” for Eastertide
—An example of “ALTONA” not being used for Christmas.

*  PDF Download • “Vom Himmel Hoch” for General Use
—An example of “ALTONA” not being used for Christmas.

*  PDF Download • “Vom Himmel Hoch” for St. Peter’s Day
—An example of “ALTONA” not being used for Christmas.

*  PDF Download • “Vom Himmel Hoch” for Psalm 114
—An example of “ALTONA” not being used for Christmas.

*  PDF Download • “Vom Himmel Hoch” for Pentecost
—An example of “ALTONA” not being used for Christmas.

An example (same tune) from the Brébeuf hymnal for the Holy Name:


An example (same tune) for Epiphany:


An ancient Catholic text suitable for Holy Communion (same tune):


An example for Christmas (same tune):


The beautiful harmonization (from the Brébeuf Choral Supplement) sounds interesting with the bass line removed—don’t you agree?

*  Mp3 Download • “Altona” without the Bass
—This file has the Bass Line removed.

P.S.

Regarding the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, I see the keynote speaker this year is Bishop Danny Flores. He was on the faculty of a high school where I taught for three years, and (once upon a time) served as the personal driver for Bishop René Gracida, who flew 39 bombing runs in Germany during World War II. Bishop Gracida told me that wherever they drove together—including very long road trips—he forced Bishop Flores (at that time, he was “Father”) to listen to Glenn Gould playing the Goldberg Variations. Awesome choice! Too bad the absolute best recording was not available in those days. [The best recording is a 1959 “live” version of Glenn Gould recorded in Salzburg.]

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

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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Common Hymn Melodies, Jean de Brebeuf Hymnal, Roman Catholic Hymnals, Sir Richard Runciman Terry Last Updated: February 26, 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

    14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —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

“So, as in delirium a man talks in a long-forgotten tongue, now—when her heart is rent—the Catholic Church drops twenty centuries without an effort, and speaks as she spoke underground in Rome, and in Paul’s hired house, and in Crete and Alexandria and Jerusalem.”

— A non-Catholic describing the “Hagios O Theos” of Good Friday in 1906

Recent Posts

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  • Boston Auxiliary Bishop: “In offering the Traditional Mass for the first time, after removing the vestments, I knelt in the back pew and wept.”
  • Now Available! • “Hymns of Cardinal Newman: Kevin Allen’s Legendary Choral Settings”
  • Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)

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