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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

PDF Download • “Victimae Paschali” Organ Accompaniment (Nine Versions)

Jeff Ostrowski · April 14, 2020

Updated Version:

*  “Victimæ Paschali Laudes” • Thirty-One (31) Different Versions

*  PDF Download • 2 VERSIONS (Latin + English)
—English Translation approved for liturgical use in the United States by the USCCB.

ERE IS MY ATTEMPT at a harmonization, done strictly according to The Classical Solesmes Method of Dom Mocquereau. Notice how that method creates funny “rhythmic alighting points”—which make singers pronounce peccatóres as if it were peccátores. Would our ears be bothered if Dom Mocquereau’s method were applied to English? Judge for yourself, with this fascinating English version which allows “apples to apples” comparison. (Personally, I prefer this Sequence in Latin.)

*  PDF Download • Latin Version (Jeff Ostrowski)
—Harmonized strictly according to the rhythmic method of Dom André Mocquereau.

*  Mp3 Download • LIVE RECORDING
—Live recording of the Latin version, with female singers.

For “German Rhythm” (Accentualist), use the NOH version:

*  PDF Download • Nova Organi Harmonia (1944)
—Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel was choirmaster at the Cathedral of Saint Rumbold (Belgium).

For some reason, the “German Rhythm” never caught on. Even to this day, the vast majority of Gregorian accompaniments follow “Mocquereau Rhythm.” Here are seven examples:

*  PDF Download • Giulio Bas (1874-1929)
—Giulio Bas was the editor of the “Rassegna Gregoriana” (Rome).

*  PDF Download • Desrocquettes (1887-1972)
—Dom Jean Hébert Desroquettes was organist of Solesmes Abbey.

*  PDF Download • Achille P. Bragers (1887-1955)
—Bragers taught at the Pope Pius X School of Liturgical Music (Manhattanville College, New York).

*  PDF Download • Achille P. Bragers (TRANSPOSED)
—This has been transposed very high.

*  PDF Download • (first) Henri Potiron (1882-1972)
—Potiron was Choirmaster of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Paris).

*  PDF Download • (second) Henri Potiron (1882-1972)
—Another version by Henri Potiron.

*  PDF Download • Father Andrew Green (1865-1950)
—Father Green headed the music department at St. Benedict’s College (Atchison, KS).

*  PDF Download • Dom Gregory A. Murray (1905-1992)
—Dom Murray was a Downside Abbey monk who eventually came to hate Mocquereau’s method.

*  PDF Download • Dr. Eugene Lapierre (1957)
—Lapierre (University of Montreal) granted Roger Wagner his doctorate “in absentia” (from California).

Classical Solesmes Method:

UR SOCIETY has many excellent qualities, but there’s one thing people today seem incapable of appreciating: subtlety. That causes problems when we discuss musical phrasing, due to its delicacy. Grouping notes (or “phrasing”) is something teachers spend hours examining with students during lessons; and great musicians often disagree vociferously. Consider the way E. Power Biggs plays this section from a Bach Fugue. His phrasing (score) is not the “normal” way most organists group those patterns. Frankly, this subject is so delicate, I prefer not speak of it on the internet. Unfortunately, plainsong harmonizers have no choice—because the chords must be placed according to the note groupings. Dom André Mocquereau (d. 1930) formulated a very sophisticated method of grouping, which we now call the “classic Solesmes method.” Some people love it; others hate it. Regardless, Mocquereau never backed down, and we must admire his tenacity!

Needless to say, the Easter Sequence (Victimae Paschali Laudes) has neither dots nor episemata in the official edition:

Dom Mocquereau placed his “ictus” as follows:

Dom Mocquereau carefully avoids the tonic accent, which is how his method tries to “lighten” the accent, and keep the chant from becoming heavy:

Dom Mocquereau did this for the entire piece, as you can see:

*  PDF Download • Dom Mocquereau Rhythm
—Taken from 1957 Mass & Vespers (Solesmes Abbey).

This is quite different from “German Rhythm.” Consider this example by Dr. Peter Wagner:

Here’s another example of “German Rhythm,” this time from Max Springer of Beuron Abbey:

Here’s a third example of “German Rhythm,” from Father Franz Xaver Mathias:


NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

*   Something rather peculiar: Dom Desrocquettes died the same year as Henri Potiron died, and was born the same year as Achille P. Bragers was born.

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

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Filed Under: Articles, Featured, PDF Download Tagged With: Dom Mocquereau, Gregorian Chant Accompaniments, victimae paschali Last Updated: March 22, 2024

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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

    “Music List” • 19th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (10 August 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    This Sunday’s Communion Antiphon
    This coming Sunday—10 August 2025—is the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). The COMMUNION ANTIPHON is really gorgeous, and two of its features are worth mentioning. First of all, the Gospel reading assigned is from Saint Luke, whereas the the antiphon—although it matches the account—comes from Saint Matthew. (If anyone can point to a similar example, please notify me.) Furthermore, if you look at the authentic Gregorian Chant version posted on the feasts website, you’ll notice that it’s MODE III but ends on the ‘wrong’ note. A comparable instance of such a ‘transposed’ chant would be KYRIE IV.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Using “Ye” Vs. “You” Correctly
    Using “Ye” vs. “You” is rather tricky, because it depends upon which era one is trying to recreate—if that makes any sense. In other words, the rules haven’t always been the same for these two. Nevertheless, Father Philip George Caraman (the legendary Jesuit scholar) gives us a masterclass using Saint Luke’s Gospel. Father Caraman was close friends with Monsignor Ronald Knox, Evelyn Waugh, and Sir Alec Guinness.
    —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

“We wish to express the hope that students of Gregorian Chant come back to the pure Vatican Edition, in the ancient block-note form, without the addition of any signs whatever, in order to achieve Gregorian unity.”

— Josef Gogniat (12 March 1938)

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  • Using “Ye” Vs. “You” Correctly
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