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“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

Can These Youngsters Save Catholic Music?

Jeff Ostrowski · July 8, 2020

CAN DECLARE myself the King of France, but that doesn’t make it so. I can say I’m an Olympic Gold Medalist, but that doesn’t make it so. Similarly, calling a composition “a canon” doesn’t make it a canon. Canons are the most difficult composition to write because they follow strict rules; indeed, canon means “rule.” I thought this was basic knowledge until I came across a shameful book published by GIA Publications called 59 Liturgical Rounds. In this book, editor William Tortolano has taken a whole bunch of tunes and pretended they are rounds (canons). The trouble is, many aren’t. When something is not a proper canon, labeling it as such is pure folly. Such contemptible rubbish—published by a company that was formerly called “Gregorian Institute of America”—makes me wonder whether our current culture is still capable of appreciating even basic realities about the craft of music. Is there any hope left? Such ignorance is enough to tempt one to despair.

…but then I encounter something like The Brébeuf Virtual Choir.

These youngsters—who met one another at the Sacred Music Symposium—recently recorded a piece by Father Tomás Luis de Victoria which contains a perfect canon between the two Soprano lines. These youngsters are doing amazing things; and I am filled with hope.

To download the score free of charge, visit Lalemant Polyphonic and search for #7412. Rehearsal videos for each individual voice are posted there, too.

August 6th is the feast of the Transfiguration; but the piece also works well for Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. You can learn more about this amazing piece here:

*  Online Article • “Resplenduit Facies Ejus”

If you don’t really understand what a canon is, listen to the following section with Tenor & Bass muted:

The top two voices form the canon: “Canon ad unisonum” and “Resolutio.” Canons are often employed for this text because the previous verse says: “Jesus took Peter and James and his brother John with him, and led them to a high mountain…” Anytime Renaissance composers hear someone “leading” someone else, they try to employ a canon.

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

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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Brébeuf Virtual Choir Last Updated: July 8, 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 Michigan. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “What Martin Luther Said…”
    My pastor asked me to write little columns for the bulletin each week. The article for 20 July 2025 has been posted, and it’s called: “What Luther Said…” Martin Luther (an ex-priest and apostate) was an infamous heretic whose ignorance of JESUS CHRIST was only exceeded by his filthy and disgusting vulgarity.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

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

“I ask that future priests, from their time in the seminary, receive the preparation needed to understand and to celebrate Mass in Latin, and also to use Latin texts and execute Gregorian chant; nor should we forget that the faithful can be taught to recite the more common prayers in Latin, and also to sing parts of the liturgy to Gregorian chant.”

— Statement by the Supreme Pontiff (Sacramentum Caritatis, 22-feb-2007)

Recent Posts

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  • “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • Worship the Lord in Holy Attire
  • “How to Conduct 90 Vespers Services Each Year and Live to Tell the Tale.”
  • 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

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