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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

Do You Know This Easter Hymn?

Jeff Ostrowski · April 20, 2021

E UNDERSTAND liturgical concepts best when we’ve personally witnessed them or grown up with them. Reading about them in a book isn’t the same. That is why it’s difficult for Catholics in 2021 to comprehend how brief the Communion Rite used to be. Enemies of the Extraordinary Form often refer to the “25-minute Low Mass” in the “bad old days” of Catholicism. They fail to realize that Holy Mass is much shorter when the people don’t receive Holy Communion. 1 We spoke about vernacular hymns at the Extraordinary Form High Mass already. (Be sure not to skip the comment by Father Fortescue in 1917, where he said that—technically speaking—nothing prevents the distribution of Holy Communion at any Mass.)

When Surprises Occur :

We have six Masses each Sunday, and one of our priests had to be out of town last Sunday. That left only one priest to distribute Holy Communion (since one of our Masses is in Ventura). Holy Communion took about 30 minutes! We were scrambling to find hymns. For at least two of the Masses, we must have sung about 50 verses from seven different hymns—at least it felt that way! I can’t wait until we can have rehearsals again, so we can learn more Latin motets.

In the past, we have used this very common version of an Easter hymn. You probably know that one. That one takes the text of “Regina Caeli” (which was originally a Christmas song, believe it or not) and matches it to “Regina Caeli Jubila.” But yesterday, we did the other version found in the Brébeuf hymnal—which is a direct translation of the original Latin. Do you know it?

We also sang #39 from the Brébeuf hymnal, a superb translation of “Ad Cœnam Agni Providi” by Robert Campbell of Skerrington. Mr. Campbell was an Anglican who later converted to the True Faith. I think he’d be pleased with this setting:

*  Mp3 Download • HARMONIZED PLAINSONG
—Ad Cenam Agni Providi sung to ORIENTIS PARTIBUS.

You will notice that setting is basically harmonized plainsong, which I hope to discuss more in a future post. In the past, we have touched upon that subject a little bit.

The choir was sight-reading in that recording, and (needless to say) there are things that could be improved—but that’s okay! When we are allowed to have rehearsals again, we’ll have items we can work on! The important thing is that we are teaching and training singers who will eventually “take the reins” and continue the tradition. All for the glory of God!


NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   I experienced such Masses—where the priest alone receives Holy Communion—when the Archbishop of Los Angeles prohibited lay people from receiving Holy Communion last year, due to Covid-19. If you doubt what I am saying about Catholics receiving Holy Communion outside of Mass, click here and scroll down.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Ad Coenam Agni Providi, Harmonized Gregorian Chant, High Mass with Vernacular, Regina Caeli Jubila, Regina Caeli Laetare Last Updated: April 22, 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

    “What Martin Luther Said…”
    My pastor asked me to write little columns for the bulletin each week. The article for 20 July 2025 has been posted, and it’s called: “What Luther Said…” Martin Luther (an ex-priest and apostate) was an infamous heretic whose ignorance of JESUS CHRIST was only exceeded by his filthy and disgusting vulgarity.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

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

“In the Latin Church the pipe organ is to be held in high esteem, for it is the traditional musical instrument which adds a wonderful splendor to the Church’s ceremonies and powerfully lifts up man’s mind to God and to higher things.”

— Vatican II Council

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