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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Drafts • Ten (10) Gregorian Chant Litanies

Jeff Ostrowski · June 6, 2021

HE FOLLOWING DRAFT COPIES are somewehat “ugly,” and I feel embarrassed releasing them—but they’re all I have access to at the moment. As time goes on, I’d like to make very nice copies, similar to what my colleague, Veronica Brandt, did with the Litany of Saint Joseph. I believe the Latin title (“litaniæ”) is plural, but in English we usually say (singular) “litany.” 1 By the way, polyphonic composers—such as Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina—composed litanies, as I once stole an invertible Kyrie from one! We will use a litany for our Corpus Christi procession this coming Sunday (since the “external solemnity” requires a procession) but I suspect Palestrina’s litanies would have been sung inside an oratory. It was surprisingly difficult to find litanies notated with Gregorian Chant. Several texts are in the Rituale Romanum, and numerous organ accompaniments for the litanies have been uploaded here.

*  PDF Download • Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
—Print this out on a double-sided sheet of paper.

Litanies I Currently Possess:

Perhaps readers can help re-typeset these? The best would be if each invocation could be written out, or at least made more clear:

*  PDF Litany • “Litany of the Saints” (1957)
—“Litaniæ Sanctorum”

*  PDF Download • “Litany of the Saints” (1928)
—“Litaniæ Sanctorum”

*  PDF Download • Litany of Saint Joseph (1949)
—“Litaniæ Sancti Joseph, Sponsi Beatæ Mariæ Virginis”.

*  PDF Download • Litany of Saint Joseph (1957)
—“Litaniæ Sancti Joseph, Sponsi Beatæ Mariæ Virginis”.

*  PDF Download • Sacré Cœur (1924)
—“Litaniæ Sacratissimi Cordis Jesu”—see note below.

* That file from 1924 actually has two (2) versions of the Litany of the Sacred Heart — click here to have just the first one formatted for easy printing on front/back pages.

*  PDF Download • Sacré Cœur (1957)
—“Litaniæ Sacratissimi Cordis Jesu”.

*  PDF Download • Sacré Cœur, Version B (1902)
—“Litaniæ Sacratissimi Cordis Jesu”.

*  PDF Download • Sacré Cœur, Version C (1902)
—“Litaniæ Sacratissimi Cordis Jesu”.

*  PDF Download • MOST HOLY NAME (1928)
—“Litaniæ Sanctissimi Nominis Jesu”.

*  PDF Download • Blessed Virgin Mary (1891)
—Six different Gregorian Chant versions of the “Litany of Loreto.”

Someone in a foreign country seems to have composed a Litany of the Most Precious Blood and here is the source of that file.

KEYWORD SEARCHES:

“Litaniae In Expositione”
“Litania Preces Et Orationes”
“Cantu Litaniarum Ad Omnes Sanctos”
“Dicuntur Cum Cantu Litaniae Sanctorum”
“Cum Litaniis Sanctorum”
“In Litaniis Majoribus”
“Litaniæ Sanctissimi Nominis Jesu”
“Litaniæ De Sacro Corde Jesu”
“Litaniæ Lauretanæ B. Mariæ Virg.”
“Litaniæ De S. Joseph”
“Index Litaniarum”
“Litanias Ordinarias”


NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   It’s kind of like the Latin word “vexilla” which in English means “flag” or “standard”—but Father Fortescue translated it plural as “banners” in his translation of the VEXILLA REGIS.

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

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Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: Gregorian Chant Litanies, Litany of Saint Joseph, Litany of the BVM, Litany of the Sacred Heart Last Updated: August 17, 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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President’s Corner

    PDF Download • “Sprinkling Rite”
    Liturgical reformers who gained power after Vatican II frequently caused great suffering to musicians. With the stroke of a pen, they sometimes make changes that would require thousands—or even millions—of man hours (work undertaken by composers and editors). The Sprinkling Rite during Eastertide is but one tiny example. The version given in that PDF document was the original melody for Roman Missal, Third Edition. Some still prefer that version. However, at the last moment, an “unknown hand” tinkered with a few notes in the antiphon. Those who examine the current edition can verify this with their own eyes.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    ‘Sarum’ Good Friday?
    Plainsong of the Roman Rite has many variants—i.e. slight ‘variations’ or ‘alterations’ made to the ancient melodies. Variants often thrive in particular religious orders. Likewise, before Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church, Gregorian Chant variants were frequently associated with individual cathedrals in England: Hereford, Lincoln, Salisbury, and so forth. In the early 20th century, the (Anglican) organist at Westminster Abbey married “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” to this beautiful variant melody from England. Those who sing Gregorian Chant on Good Friday will recognize the melody. What do you think of this pairing?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Eb Organ Postlude”
    Gustav Adolf Merkel (d. 1885) was a German organist, teacher, and composer. Although a Lutheran himself, he held the appointment at the (Roman Catholic) Cathedral of Dresden from 1864 until his death. You can download his Organ Postlude in E-Flat, which I like very much. He has an interesting way of marking the pedal notes. What do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Gregorian Chant Quiz” • 24 March 2026
    How well do you know your Gregorian hymns? Do you recognize the tune inserted into the bass line on this score? For many years, we sang the entire Mass in Gregorian chant—and I mean everything. As a result, it would be difficult to find a Gregorian hymn I don’t recognize instantly. Only decades later did I realize (with sadness) that this skill cannot be ‘monetized’… This particular melody is used for a very famous Gregorian hymn, printed in the LIBER USUALIS. Do you recognize it? Send me an email with the correct words, and I promise to tell everybody I meet about your prowess!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Ubi Caritas” (SATB)
    I remember singing “Ubi Cáritas” by Maurice Duruflé at the conservatory. I was deeply moved by it. However, some feel Duruflé’s version isn’t suitable for small choirs since it’s written for 6 voices and the bass tessitura is quite low. That’s why I was absolutely thrilled to discover this “Ubi cáritas” (SATB) for smaller choirs by Énemond Moreau, who studied with OSCAR DEPUYDT (d. 1925), an orphan who became a towering figure of Catholic music. Depuydt’s students include: Flor Peeters (d. 1986); Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel (d. 1953); Arthur Meulemans (d. 1966); Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989); and Gustaaf Nees (d. 1965). Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #19705. When I came across the astonishing English translation for “Ubi Cáritas” by Monsignor Ronald Knox—matching the Latin’s meter—I decided to add those lyrics as an option (for churches which have banned Latin). My wife and I made this recording to give you some idea how it sounds.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”
    For vigil Masses on Saturday (a.k.a. “anticipated” Masses) we use this simpler setting of the “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989), a Belgian priest, organist, composer, and music educator who ultimately succeeded another ‘Jules’ (CANON JULES VAN NUFFEL) as director of the Lemmensinstituut in Belgium. Although I could be wrong, my understanding is that the LEMMENSINSTITUUT eventually merged with “Catholic University of Leuven” (originally founded in 1425). That’s the university Fulton J. Sheen attended.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“I prefer to preach,” said one priest “even without immediate preparation, for I can always draw—from the various studies stored away during the seminary years—enough material to interest our good Catholic people. But when I have to go to the altar and sing High Mass or a Requiem, and I know that I cannot read a note of the Preface and the ‘Pater Noster’, I feel like going to martyrdom. Yet the notes are right there before my eyes, but they seem to mock my ignorance.”

— From a 1920 article by Very Rev. Leo P. Manzetti

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  • PDF Download • “Eb Organ Postlude”
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