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Corpus Christi Watershed

“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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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

    15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
    Our readers will be interested in this job offering for Music Director at Saint Adalbert’s Basilica, located 40 minutes from where I live. My pastor was recently elevated to this basilica. He is offering $80,000 per year, plus benefits. I’m told Saint Adalbert’s Basilica is utterly gorgeous and contains one of America’s most magnificent pipe organs. It would be fantastic to have a colleague nearby!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.
    —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

The Latin language, “far from being held in little regard, is certainly worthy of being vigorously defended.”

— Pope Saint Paul VI (15 August 1966)

Recent Posts

  • “How to Conduct 90 Vespers Services Each Year and Live to Tell the Tale.”
  • 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • The Tallis Scholars
  • Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
  • Pope Saint Paul VI to Consilium (14 October 1968)

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