Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • “Puer Natus In Bethlehem” — Simple Christmas Hymn (2 Pages)

Jeff Ostrowski · January 3, 2021

E HAVE HAD MUCH TO SAY regarding accompaniment for plainsong. When it’s done well, it enhances the beauty of the chant—but only for certain modes (Mode 8, Mode 7, Mode 1, and so on). But for certain modes, I feel accompaniment is deleterious (e.g. Mode 5). Below is one of my favorite Gregorian chant hymns for Christmas: “Puer Natus In Bethlehem, Alleluia.” I see that Achille P. Bragers has written an accompaniment for it, but I strongly endorse singing it a cappella—I can’t really explain why.

* PDF Download • MUSICAL SCORE
—Taken from “Mass & Vespers” (Abbey of Solesmes, 1957).

* Mp3 Download • Recording By Monks
—Dom Gajard worked with these monks, and the “sound” reflects his influence.

My choir sings the men in unison (starting on D-Natural) and adds the women (singing in their low register)—on odd verses—a perfect fifth above—and it sounds incredible.

It’s a medieval Latin Christmas hymn whose text and melody seems to date from around 1350AD.

By the way, “Mass and Vespers” (Solesmes Abbey, 1957) was created by French-speakers, and sometimes it shows. Look how they hyphenate the word “house” in stanza #8.

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

Follow the Discussion on Facebook

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).

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

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