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“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • “Hymn to Christ the King” (SATB)

Jeff Ostrowski · March 29, 2021

NTIL POPE PIUS XI instituted the feast of Christ the King (in 1925, the jubilee year), the KINGSHIP OF CHRIST was traditionally celebrated on the Epiphany and on Palm Sunday. Indeed, the 1961 Ordo Hebdomadae Sanctae says for Palm Sunday: Nihil impedit, quominus cantetur a fidelibus hymnus Christus vincit, vel alius cantus in honorem Christi Regis. Translated into English, that means: “The faithful may also sing the hymn CHRISTUS VINCIT or any other chant in honor of Christ the King.” Yesterday—which was Palm Sunday—we sang a Hymn to Christ the King called Te Saeculorum Principem. We used the harmonies from the Brébeuf hymnal, and the mood of this melody was just perfect for Palm Sunday. A literal English translation is included:

*  PDF Download • Te Sæculorum Principem (SATB)
—Using the Hymn Tune of “Notre Dame” with Brébeuf harmonies.

In this recording from yesterday, you can hear a baby crying:

The fifth verse of “Te Saeculorum Principem” is particularly beautiful:

For this art Thou concealed
on the altar by the form of
bread and wine, pouring forth
salvation upon Thy children
from Thy pierced heart.

Number 753 in the Brébeuf hymnal is “Te Saeculorum Principem,” with a wonderful English translation by Father Fitzpatrick.

Below you will find five (5) rare translations of “Te Saeculorum Principem”—and these can be sung to the “Notre Dame” tune above.

(1)  English Translation • Stanbrook Benedictines

(2)  English Translation • Monsignor Henry

(3)  English Translation • Alan McDougall

(4)  English Translation • Father Fitzpatrick

(5)  English Translation • Walter Shewring

The translation by Shewring is also #143 in the London Oratory Hymn Book.

Our recessional yesterday was “Vexilla Regis Prodeunt” (sung in English), which is Number 529 in the Brébeuf hymnal.

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

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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Palm Sunday Extraordinary Form, Te Saeculorum Principem Last Updated: October 5, 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

    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
    14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.
    —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

“This chapter hereby extends the prohibition of 13 June 1561 against loaning singers or instrumentalists on any account whatsoever to include even the humblest choirboy.” [From “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]

— Sevilla: Chapter Resolution (10 June 1562)

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