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Views from the Choir Loft

A Hymn We’re Singing This Lent—In English!

Jeff Ostrowski · March 11, 2020

AVE YOU NOTICED what’s happening? Each week, rehearsal videos are being added to this website, so people can hear each line individually. Hymns can be sung SATB without organ accompaniment, or “German Style” (unison+organ), but can you keep a secret? Hymns also sound really good SATB with organ accompaniment, which is why the Brébeuf Choral Supplement matches the Brébeuf organ harmonies.

During Lent, my choirs have been singing #217 from the Brébeuf hymnal:

Hear each individual voice by visiting the Brébeuf website and scrolling to #217.

That hymn is Ex More Docti Mystico—an ancient, powerful Catholic hymn—translated into English by a talented Catholic priest from England. (You can also see what the plainsong version looks like.)

OME PEOPLE SAY the most wonderful thing about the Brébeuf hymnal is how it uses “common melodies.” These simple tunes make life easy on your congregation! Needless to say, anyone who wishes to add more tunes will have no troubles, since the Brébeuf hymnal contains hundreds. But other Catholic hymnals use common melodies as well. Have you heard of the People’s Mass Book (1964) published by Omer Westendorf? [Omer Westendorf used “J. Clifford Evers” as a pen name.] That book uses tons of common melodies—many of which appear in the Brébeuf hymnal, such as Ad Perennis Vitae Fontem, Dulce Carmen, Oriel, and tons more.

For example, do you recognize this tune?

That’s a page from the People’s Mass Book (1964). So the Brébeuf is hardly the first Catholic hymnal to utilize common melodies!

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: March 11, 2020

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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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3). I'm not a fan of chant in octaves, but we had such limited time to rehearse, it seemed the best choice. After all, everyone should have an opportunity to learn “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium,” which summarizes Candlemas.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The Church has always kept, and wishes still to maintain everywhere, the language of her Liturgy; and, before the sad and violent changes of the 16th century, this eloquent and effective symbol of unity of faith and communion of the faithful was, as you know, cherished in England not less than elsewhere. But this has never been regarded by the Holy See as incompatible with the use of popular hymns in the language of each country.”

— Pope Leo XIII (1898)

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  • Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦

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