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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

“Stella Caeli Exstirpavit” • Gregorian Chant During Times Of Pestilence

Jeff Ostrowski · July 31, 2020

ERONICA BRANDT recently alerted to me to a piece I’d never heard of: Stella Caeli Exstirpavit—“plainsong during time of plague.” I see that young ladies from the fabulous new Brébeuf Virtual Choir have recorded this piece, and I have no idea how they were able to accomplish this virtually. I understand how metrical (“rhythmic”) pieces are recorded virtually, but pieces in free rhythm are impossible…at least that’s what I thought until I heard their gorgeous rendition:

*  PDF Download • Stella Caeli Exstirpavit
—Common melody • Gregorian Chant During Times Of Pestilence.

*  PDF Download • Alternate Melody
—Alternate melody • Gregorian Chant During Times Of Pestilence.

Watch Out For Typos!

Some differences don’t matter. For example, “exstirpavit” and “extirpavit” are both correct, just as “exsultet” and “exultet” are both correct. The same is true for “coeli” and “caeli”—these are orthographical changes of little consequence. One the other hand, certain versions have “plántavit”—a major error:

It should be “plantávit,” as you can see here:

Also, it is “dignétur” not “dignátur,” as you can see:

Latin With English Translation

Stella coeli exstirpávit,
quae lactávit Dóminum:
Star of Heaven,
who nourished the Lord

Mortis pestem quam plantávit
primus parens hóminum.
and rooted up the plague of death
which our first parents planted;

Ipsa stella nunc dignétur
sídera compéscere,
may that star now deign
to hold in check the constellations

quorum bella plebem coedunt
dirae mortis úlcere.
whose strife grants the people
the ulcers of a terrible death.

O piíssima stella maris,
a peste succúrre nobis,
O glorious star of the sea,
save us from the plague.

Audi nos, Dómina, nam Fílius tuus
nihil negans te honórat.
Hear us, O Lady, for thy Son,
denying nothing, honors thee.

Salva nos, Jesu, pro quibus
Virgo Mater te orat!
Save us, Jesus! For us,
the Virgin Mother entreats Thee.

Further Information • “Stella Coeli Extirpavit”

*  ARTICLE ON STELLA CAELI • Canticum Salomonis
—Contains interesting historical versions of “Stélla Cœ́li Extirpávit.”

*  ARTICLE ON STELLA CAELI • Christopher Macklin
—This is a PDF download from Cambridge University Press.

*  ARTICLE ON STELLA CAELI • Dr. Eleanor Parker
—Published on “A Clerk of Oxford,” which is an interesting blog.

*  ARTICLE ON STELLA CAELI • Dr. Aaron James
—Dr. James also reviewed the Brébeuf hymnal for the Antiphon Journal.

*  ARTICLE ON STELLA CAELI • Veronica Brandt
—Containing several versions of a “clean” score (Gregorio).

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: Brébeuf Virtual Choir Last Updated: July 31, 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

They were not ashamed to lay their hands on Sedulius, on Prudentius, on St. Ambrose himself. Only in one or two cases does some sense of shame seem to have stopped their nefarious work. They left “Ave maris stella,” “Jam lucis orto sidere,” and St. Thomas Aquinas’s hymns alone (they would have made pretty work of “Sacris solemniis”). In 1629 their mangled remnants were published.

— Rev’d Adrian Knottesford Fortescue (25 March 1916)

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