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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

What Can Be Done With Only Two Cantors?

Jeff Ostrowski · October 5, 2021

HE CHURCH where I serve as music director is incredibly busy. We have several choirs, and we provide music for multiple Sung Masses plus Solemn Vespers each Sunday. We often have Solemn High Masses during the week, not to mention holy days and high feasts. Needless to say—like any other parish—there are sometimes additional Masses for which music is needed. So what is our procedure for “special” Masses such as Quinceañera Masses, Funeral Masses, Birthday Masses, and Anniversary Masses?

Extra Masses: When “special” Masses are needed, the interested party must pay a stipend for two cantors. A wise choirmaster knows that he must guard against demanding too much from the choir. These people have lives, jobs, responsibilities, families, and struggles of their own. If you habitually demand too many “calls” from your members, you will slowly see them start to quit. For this reason, we don’t provide a full choir for extra Masses.

Kyrie II: We had a Quinceañera Mass recently, and two female cantors sang for it. Below is Kyrie II, sung by two female cantors. I think it came out nicely, especially starting at marker 2:07. Some may be tempted to criticize, but if you pull out a device and record yourself singing, your criticism just might vanish!

Two-Voice Hymns: Here’s one of the hymns they sang, and notice that they switch into parts (Soprano + Alto) at marker 0:38. The Brébeuf choral supplement makes singing in parts easy. The hymn is Number 143, but the words are also printed at Number 149, which makes multiple melodies possible:

Sanctus VIII: We never sing Missa de Angelis at my parish, but the cantors really wanted it so it was permitted this time. I must say it came out quite nice:

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

Filed Under: Articles 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

    “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

Let us ponder the incontrovertible fact that Eucharistic Adoration in the Ordinary Form (“Novus Ordo”) is always and everywhere celebrated “ad orientem.” Why, then, is there such opposition to Mass being celebrated in that way, which is actually stipulated by the 1970 Missal rubrics?

— A Benedictine Monk (2013)

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