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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

How to properly sing “Alleluia” in Eastertide (1962 Missal)

Jeff Ostrowski · May 11, 2020

HE Second Vatican Council solemnly declared on 4 December 1963: “There must be no innovations unless the good of the Church genuinely and certainly requires them.” As readers know too well, this mandate was basically ignored. For example, Eastertide’s nomenclature was “bumped” by one digit. In the Extraordinary Form, this coming Sunday will be the Fifth Sunday after Easter, whereas in the Ordinary Form, this coming Sunday will be the Sixth Sunday of Easter. Was this change “genuinely and certainly” required?

Speaking of Eastertide, the 1908 rubrics explain how to sing the Alleluia correctly in the Extraordinary Form. Back in 2014, I published an article explaining how this works. But it’s still pretty confusing, so here’s an explanation video:

 

I have shared in the past my opinion that the “Mocquereau Rhythmic Markings” (a.k.a. the “Classic Solesmes Method”) did tremendous violence to the antiphons of the Divine Office by excessive and overindulgent elongations (horizontal episemata) not found in the official edition. At the same time, I have pointed out that only a lunatic would attempt to restore the “pure Vaticana rhythm” at this point, since the classical Solesmes method has completely dominated the chant world for 130 years.

But it’s not just elongations! The “Mocquereau Rhythmic Markings” also cause damage by ignoring elongations (moræ vocis) which are supposed to be there, making the piece difficult to sing. Notice how Dom Mocquereau ignores the moræ vocis of the official edition:

The 1953 Schwann (Edited by Abbot Urbanus Bomm, O.S.B., Karl Gustav Fellerer, and Msgr. Johannes Overath) inexplicably contradicts the official rhythm, telling the singer to ignore the moræ vocis:

The Abbey of Solesmes does something quite unusual on the word “redémit”—and I’m not talking the hyphenation. 1 I’m talking about Solesmes omitting the required space after one of the neumes. You can see it’s not a typo because even their earliest edition (1908) fails to leave the correct amount of blank space:

The 1953 edition by Schwann did leave the correct amount of blank space—even though the editors tell the singer to ignore it!—as you can verify by carefully examining the official “Vatican Press Edition” of the Vaticana (1908):

Abbot Pothier clearly wanted elongations there, as you can see from his earlier editions. Consider the following, which comes from the Liber Usualis (1896):

As usual, the Nova Organi Harmonia (Belgium) properly reproduces the moræ vocis from the official edition—because they tenaciously adhere to the “pure” Editio Vaticana school of rhythm:

I say again: none but a lunatic would promote the “pure” Editio Vaticana rhythm at this stage of the game. On the other hand, this saddens me; because the music really does suffer, as this example demonstrates so well.

 


NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   Solesmes always hyphenates it as red|é|mit whereas others break it as re|dé|mit.

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

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Filed Under: Articles, Featured Tagged With: Editio Vaticana, Greater Alleluia, Gregorian Easter Alleluia, None but a lunatic Last Updated: November 4, 2023

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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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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

“Ways to receive Our Lord as King of the Universe…read and reflect on the Sunday Scriptures, plan your whole weekend around receiving your King, wear your best garments, spend time in quiet, kneel to receive Him, receive Him on the tongue, offer silent time of thanks after mass.”

— Most Rev. Bishop Strickland (15 December)

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