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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 • Organ Accompaniments (Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament)

Jeff Ostrowski · May 16, 2020

HE MOST FAMOUS proponent of the Solesmes school of accompaniment—even more than Dom Jean Hébert Desrocquettes and Henri Potiron—was a man named Achille P. Bragers. Born in Belgium, Bragers studied at the Lemmens Institute, which 30+ years later would produce the magnificent NOH. Bragers was the one who produced the “Chant Service Book” (208 pages)—which we recently scanned—in which he uses “seasonal” Benediction chants. For example: During Advent, he sets “O Salutaris Hostia” to the Creator Alme Siderum melody; during Christmastide, he sets “O Salutaris Hostia” to the Jesu Redemptor Omnium melody; and so forth.

We use “seasonal” melodies at my parish, and here’s the Easter melody:

*  PDF Download • “O Salutaris Hostia” (Eastertide)
—“O Saving Victim Opening Wide” Accompaniment with EASTERTIDE melody.

You can hear how Eastertide sounds played on a toy organ.

*  PDF Download • “O Salutaris Hostia” (Pentecost)
—“O Saving Victim Opening Wide” Accompaniment with PENTECOST melody.

Page 522 of the Brébeuf hymnal allows you to sing any melody, as well as providing the English translation—but we must remember that “O Salutaris Hostia” is taken from Verbum Supérnum Pródiens (a hymn by Saint Thomas Aquinas):

Father Adrian Fortescue’s 1913 Hymnal also presents the “O Salutaris” as part of the Verbum Supérnum Pródiens by Saint Thomas Aquinas:

(When speaking of Verbum Supérnum Pródiens, it’s important to specify it being written by Saint Thomas Aquinas, since a completely different hymn has the same title.)

The Brébeuf hymnal provides a literal English translation, in addition to a “poetic” (i.e. “rhyming”) translation set to several beautiful tunes. Monsignor Ronald Knox created a powerful rhyming translation published in the New Westminster Hymnal. For the record, Achille P. Bragers even employs an Ascensiontide melody for “O Salutaris Hostia” using the Jesu Nostra Redémptio melody (a.k.a. Salútis Humánæ Sator):

I wouldn’t use the melody Bragers chose for the Ascension; it’s too difficult. But our parish knows the Easter melody, because we sing it all the time:

*  PDF Download • “Ad Regias Agni Dapes”
—Also given as “Ad Cenam Agni Providi,” which is the original version.

If you want a melody for the “Tantum Ergo” that nobody knows, try SAINT LEONARD, with a melody taken from #318 in the Brébeuf Hymnal.

More Possibilities :

To the “Whitehall” tune:

*  PDF Download • “O SALUTARIS HOSTIA”
—Demonstrating a “seasonal” melody for Benediction.

Combined with a Rossini motet:

*  PDF Download • “O SALUTARIS HOSTIA”
—Demonstrating a “seasonal” melody for Benediction.

To the “Breslau” tune:

*  PDF Download • “O SALUTARIS HOSTIA”
—Here is the ORGAN ACCOMPANIMENT.

To the “Vexilla Christus Inclyta” tune:

*  PDF Download • “O SALUTARIS HOSTIA”
—Demonstrating a “seasonal” melody for Benediction.

NORMAL BENEDICTION MELODIES:

Of course, you can also use the “normal” melodies during Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament:

*  PDF • “O Salutaris Hostia” (Organ Accompaniment)
—DUGUET is the “normal” melody for O Salutaris Hostia at Benediction.

*  PDF • “Tantum Ergo” (Organ Accompaniment)
—ST THOMAS is the “normal” melody for Tantum Ergo Sacramentum (“Down in Adoration Falling”).

These accompaniments were taken from the Brébeuf hymnal, which carefully lays out each verse of every hymn in the most magnificent way.

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

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Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, Gregorian Chant Accompaniments, Jean de Brebeuf Hymnal Last Updated: June 6, 2021

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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

Re: Low Mass: “It is desirable that in read Masses on Sundays and feast-days, the Gospel and Epistle be read by a lector in the vernacular for the convenience of the faithful.”

— 1958 document, issued under Pope Pius XII

Recent Posts

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  • “Music List” • 19th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • This Sunday’s Communion Antiphon
  • Using “Ye” Vs. “You” Correctly
  • Installment #3 • “Serious Problems with the Lectionary Translation”

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