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Views from the Choir Loft

“Ash Wednesday” • Banned by YouTube after 93,000 Views!

Jeff Ostrowski · March 3, 2021

OR EVERY RULE, there is an exception. Our blog is 100% dedicated to positive things: providing thousands of free scores, articles, instructional videos, Mp3 recordings, and so forth. On the the other hand, if you search hard enough you’ll find an occasional article which “shines a light” on something terrible in the Church needing correction: because sunshine is the best disinfectant. This was the case in 2019, when we posted a video from Germany with truly offensive “sacred music” for Ash Wednesday. Within 48 hours, it received approximately 40,000 views. Then YouTube illegally took it down, even though it shouldn’t have been removed according to the “fair use” doctrine. Two years later, I was notified that somebody has been going around banning the video from numerous platforms. It was posted on Facebook last week, and within 24 hours was approaching 35,000 views (screenshot) before Facebook illegally removed the video.

This video keeps
being removed illegally
although it falls under
the “fair use” category:

*  Direct Download • 22.4MB
—Download this video file directly from GloriaTV.
*  Direct Download • 22.4MB
—Download this video file directly from a Google Mirror.
*  Complete Mass • On YouTube
—Ash Wednesday Mass • Basilica of St. Cunibert (6 March 2019).
*  Watch Video • On GloriaTV
—Watch this video on GloriaTV.

Ash Wednesday’s True Music

Now, let us speak of the real music for Ash Wednesday; I don’t know any feast which makes greater use of tone painting. For instance, consider “Juxta Vestíbulum,” which is one of the antiphons sung during the distribution of ashes. The theme of “weeping before the Lord” is quite prominent on Ash Wednesday:

In another antiphon for the distribution of ashes—“Immutémur Hábitu”—we again find very mournful melodies:

Something happens Ash Wednesday which, as far as I know, is unique in the repertoire of Cantus Gregorianus, viz. a musical motif gets repeated in the different chants. Juxta Vestíbulum has it:

The Communion Antiphon also has it:

Another chant sung while the ashes are distributed—“Emendémus In Mélius,” famously set by composers like Pierre de Manchicourt (d. 1564) and Father Cristóbal de Morales (d. 1553)—has the melody three times:

70991-EMENDEMUS-2nd
70991-EMENDEMUS
70991-EMENDEMUS-3rd

The Ash Wednesday Entrance Antiphon (“Miseréris Ómnium Dómine”) has the motif twice:

70990-INTROIT
70990-INTROIT-2nd

Many more beautiful instances could be cited. For example, the way “Atténde Dómine” is set sounds like we are “calling out” to God.

Father Frederick Oakeley

Canon Frederick Oakeley (d. 1880) was a Catholic priest and disciple of Saint John Henry Newman. He was best known for the Christmas Carol: “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” Canon Oakeley published a book of hymns called Lyra Liturgica. I’m curious to know what readers think of this Ash Wednesday hymn:

*  PDF Download • ASH WEDNESDAY HYMN
—By Canon Frederick Oakeley (d. 1880), a Catholic priest.

Perhaps these verses seems a little “quaint” compared to the hymn texts chosen for professional liturgical collections, such as the Brébeuf hymnal. Yet, Canon Oakeley’s was inspired by his love for God, and that’s very important!

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

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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Ash Wednesday Germany, Novus Ordo Music Last Updated: March 3, 2021

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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

    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —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

Agnes De Mille: “When I see my work, I take for granted what other people value in it. I see only its ineptitude, inorganic flaws, and crudities. I am not pleased or satisfied.” — Martha Graham: “No artist is pleased.” ADM: “But then there is no satisfaction?” — MG: “No satisfaction whatever at any time,” she cried out passionately. “There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.”

— “Martha Graham on the Life-Force of Creativity”

Recent Posts

  • PDF Download • “2025 Booklet for Participants for the Sacred Music Symposium” — (155 pages)
  • Luis Martínez Must Go!
  • Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
  • PDF Download • “Gospel Acclamation” for 29 June (Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles)
  • “Hybrid” Chant Notation?

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