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Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • Several Useful Plainsong Books

Jeff Ostrowski · November 19, 2020

HEN WE SPOKE about Palestrina’s marvelous setting of Kyrie II (“fons bonitatis”), I mentioned a book published by Solesmes Abbey called “Cantus Varii.” In the past, I have also had occasion to mention another special book by Solesmes Abbey from 1928: Cantus Varii. These are books that essentially contain “random bits” of Gregorian chant. They’re marvelous books. The 1957 Cantus Selecti is particularly interesting because towards the end, information is provided vis-à-vis the provenance of these pieces.

I thought readers might appreciate these links:

*  PDF Download • “Variae Preces” (1892)
—Variæ preces ex liturgia tum hodierna tum antiqua collectae aut usu receptae.
—You can also download the 1889 edition.

*  PDF Download • “Cantus Varii” (1902)
—This book includes a supplement from 1895.

*  PDF Download • “Cantus Varii” (1928)
—Cantus Varii Ad Benedictionem SS. Sacramenti.

*  PDF Download • “Cantus Selecti” (1957)
—The final pages contain information about the provenance of these chants.

*  PDF Download • “Liber Cantualis” (1978)
—By the “Consociatio Internationalis Musicae Sacrae.”

These books contain hundreds of wonderful plainsong—much of it sublime. By the way, “Salve Turba”, number 181 from Cantus Selecti (1957), doesn’t have any ictus markings, and I am not really sure why that is.

What I find fascinating are the final pages of the “Variæ Preces” (1892) because they give an explanation in French, not Latin of the melismatic mora vocis:

We have been speaking of “random bits and pieces”—and now I offer you another somewhat random thought. Monsignor Schmitt wrote that Bach’s C Minor Passacaglia is based upon the Communion antiphon “Acceptabis sacrifícium.” His observation is quite clever:

…but surely this is a coincidence, no? As one of my professors used to say: “There are only seven notes.” (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti) His point was that tons of melodies sound like other melodies because there are only seven notes. Moreover, Bach would probably have seen a corrupted edition of plainsong, such as that of Guillaume-Gabriel Nivers—and I doubt the pitches are the same as the Editio Vaticana.

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

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Filed Under: Articles, Featured, PDF Download Tagged With: Cantus Selecti, Cantus Varii, Gregorian Chant, melismatic morae vocis Last Updated: October 16, 2022

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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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Don’t You Agree About These?
    If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Choral Vowels? Yes? No?
    Here's a live recording of one of the choral “warm-up” exercises my choir enjoys. It was taken during our rehearsal on 27 January 2023. It’s good to make sure each chord is perfectly in tune and balanced before moving to the next one. That only happens when each singer has the correct vowel. If you like, you can freely download that vocal exercise.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Some of our younger parish clergy read their sermons. This should not be done except for some very special reason. The priest who is not capable of preparing and delivering a brief, clear instruction on Catholic teaching to his people is not fit to be in parish work. The people as a rule do not want to listen to a sermon reader.”

— Archbishop of Baltimore (9 July 1929)

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