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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

Imposing the Classical Style on Public Building Projects?

Fr. David Friel · February 17, 2020

rchitecture in our nation’s capital is a mixed bag. Many of the Smithsonian Museums and other federal buildings are built in classical style. The National Archives, which houses permanent records created by the Congress, Supreme Court, and other agencies, is a good example.

The Eisenhower building, home to many offices of the executive branch of government, is a splendid example of the French Second Empire Style.

The Pension Building, now serving as the National Building Museum, is an attractive example of Renaissance Revival architecture.

My favorite building (and tour) in all the District of Columbia is the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress, the interior of which could pass for a Romanesque cathedral.

Not all the buildings built here, however, are so distinguished. Many of the more recent Smithsonian buildings, for example, depart drastically from the general tenor of the National Mall.

Among the ugliest buildings in this fair city is the J. Edgar Hoover Building, headquarters of the FBI. A remarkable number of other agencies and departments (e.g., the Department of Education) inhabit equally ghastly spaces.

So far, I have only pointed out public buildings. The disparity, however, is also noticeable in private buildings. Take, for example, this magnificent home on Logan Square.

Now compare it to the scores of new projects that look more or less like these.

It has been reported that the White House is considering an executive order that would establish the classical architectural style as the “preferred and default style” for new and renovated federal buildings. This is an interesting proposal.

I am personally split on the matter. I agree wholeheartedly with the premise that public building projects have been on a poor architectural path for several decades, but I oppose a solution that would pretend that a single style of architecture should be preferred. Thus, while I strongly favor taking action to avoid monstrosities such as the Hoover building, I am not in favor of restricting future projects to the classical style alone. The Eisenhower Building, the Lincoln Memorial, and Union Station, for example, differ substantially from each other, yet each is beautiful. Our nation’s capital would be a poorer, less beautiful place without these dissimilar, yet equally handsome, buildings.

I am interested to see whether this executive order comes to fruition. I am also interested to learn that the President has recently appointed James C. McCrery II, AIA and Duncan G. Stroik, AIA as members of the federal Fine Arts Commission. Both are experts in their field and involved in firms at the forefront of renewal in Catholic church architecture.

Whether this particular executive order comes to pass or not, the matter of public architecture deserves attention. As the recently deceased Sir Roger Scruton argued so passionately, starving ourselves of beauty is not a path forward.

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

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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Beauty, Sacred Architecture Last Updated: February 24, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

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President’s Corner

    2-Voice Arr. • “Creator of the Starry Height”
    Do you direct a choir consisting of women or children only? (Some call this a “treble” choir.) Download a two-voice arrangement of Creator of the Starry Height set to the tune of IOANNES by clicking here and then scrolling to the bottom. In our times, this hymn is normally used during ADVENT, and the Latin title is: Cónditor alme síderum. It’s important to say “cónditor”—placing the accent on the antepenult—because ‘condítor’ in Latin means “one who embalms the dead.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Equal Voices” Choir Pieces
    My colleague, CORRINNE MAY, has posted some delightful compositions for equal voices: that is, choirs consisting of all men or all women. Included there are settings of the “Ave Maria” and “Tantum Ergo.” They strike me as relatively simple and not excessively lengthy. (In other words, within reach of volunteer singers.) Even better, all the scores have been made available as instant PDF downloads, completely free of charge. Bravo!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

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

“There are no hymns, in this sense, till the fourth century; they were not admitted to the Roman office till the twelfth. No Eastern rite to this day knows this kind of hymn. Indeed, in our Roman rite we still have the archaic offices of the last days of Holy Week and of the Easter octave, which—just because they are archaic—have no hymns.”

— Adrian Fortescue (25 March 1916)

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  • PDF Downloads • Four (4) Simple Pieces in Harmony for Men’s Choirs

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