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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 • “Communion Antiphon” (with organ accompaniment)

Jeff Ostrowski · September 1, 2020

HOSE OF US LIVING in Los Angeles have basically been locked in our homes since March due to the government’s Covid-19 response. This has added even more isolation to our society, which was already “secluded by electronic devices.” Something missing from our society is the sharing of “life moments.” For example, I experienced tremendous joy about six months ago. Every year during the Sacred Music Symposium, I teach a course on multi-track recordings, but I was starting to question whether these classes were doing any good, and then…SURPRISE! Former students revealed the marvelous Brébeuf Virtual Choir, which they named after one of my favorite saints. 1 When I saw what those kids were doing with the Brébeuf Virtual Choir, my heart was moved. I felt like I was making a difference! And now, I have another “life moment” to share. A former student of mine—thrilled by our recent focus (01, 02, 03) on the Graduale Romanum—has revealed to me a project “in the works” for several years. Essentially, composers have come together to create simple settings of the Roman Gradual with harmonizations based upon Organum comitans ad Graduale sacrosanctae romanae ecclesiae, a production of the LEMMENSINSTITUUT (now part of the University of Leuven, where Fulton J. Sheen went to school). These settings strike me as especially fitting during what Dr. Tappan described as “Covidtide.”

Here’s a sample of their project, which can be shared freely:

*  PDF Download • “Seek first the kingdom of God”
—Simple settings from the Roman Gradual, posted with permission.

This text is the Communion Antiphon for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time; but it can also be used for any Sunday during Ordinary Time. The Roman Gradual says:

In omnibus Missis de Tempore eligi potest pro opportunitate, loco cuiusvis cantus diei proprii, alius ex eodem tempore. Translation: In all Masses of the Time it is permitted to replace the proper chant of the day with another belonging to the same season.

The PRAENOTANDA of the Graduale Romanum adds: “this is so that pastoral necessities may be more widely satisfied.”

Roman Gradual vs. Vulgata

The text of the Roman Gradual is based upon Matthew 6:33, yet it’s hardly identical:

Roman Gradual:
Primum quaérite regnum Dei,
et ómnia adiciéntur vobis,
dicit Dominus.

Translation:
“Seek first the kingdom of God,
and all things shall be added to you,
says the Lord.”

Saint Jerome’s Vulgate:
Quaerite ergo primum regnum Dei,
et iustitiam eius:
et haec omnia adicientur vobis.

Translation:
“Therefore seek first the kingdom of God,
and the justness thereof:
and all these things will be added to you.”

From what I can tell, this new project adheres to the Graduale Romanum, not the Vulgate (which came later).

In Need Of Assistance

The website (http://chaumonot.info/) for the Chaumonot Composers Group indicates they are currently searching for a webmaster and publisher. As a 501(c)3 public charity, Corpus Christi Watershed does not publish any books directly since 2013. The artists we promote—Peter Kwasniewski, John Naples, Kevin Allen, Aristotle Esguerra, Peter R. Johnson, and so forth—receive 100% of all profits. Corpus Christi Watershed does not take a “cut” of any sort. This new project is not something our organization can assist with, although we plan to promote it. For myself, I have been published by WLP, but that company was recently purchased by GIA Publications. The website also says they’re in need of someone who can convert their Roman Gradual scores from modern notation into GABC (“Gregorio”). If you can help them in this area, please follow that link!

 


NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   I would like to know who decided on such an awesome name! My guess is a particular young lady who is actually related (believe it or not) to one of the Jesuit martyrs. She recently went off to college in Texas, studying music.

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: Chaumonot Communions, Chaumonot Composers Group, Covid-19 Coronavirus, Graduale Romanum Roman Gradual Propers, Roman Missal Third Edition Last Updated: April 6, 2024

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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

    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
    “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 27th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 5 October 2025, which is the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). 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 spectacular feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin. Readers will want to check out the ENTRANCE CHANT posted there, which has a haunting melody (in the DEUTERUS MODE) and extremely powerful text.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “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
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?
    Choirs love to sing the famous & splendid tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1952, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. In other words, their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1952 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. I really like the groovy Germanic INTRODUCTION they added.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The Night Office—Nocturns or Matins—except for Holy Week, Easter Octave, and Christmas, has never appeared in the Vatican edition. The larger part of the mediaeval repertory for the Office thus remains still unpublished in the Vatican edition, and is likely to remain so, for the obvious reason that almost no cathedral chapters or monastic choirs sing the Night Office regularly today.”

— John Merle Boe (1968)

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