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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

“Benedictus” (Missa Iste Sanctus) • All voices recorded by Corrinne May

Jeff Ostrowski · December 21, 2021

OT LONG AGO, we spoke of the inscrutable decree by Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone, who declared that “the beauty of the Gregorian Chant” and a “sense of reverence” during the Holy Mass are “not consistent” with Vatican II. How can anyone believe such a claim? Vatican II said: “The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art” (SC §112). Vatican II said: “Choirs must be diligently promoted” (SC §114). Vatican II said: “the pipe organ is to be held in high esteem” (SC §120). Vatican II said: “The treasury of sacred music is to be preserved and fostered with great care” (SC §114).

Not Just Plainchant: Vatican II said Gregorian Chant must be given “first place” (SC §116) under ordinary circumstances, but also explicitly praised polyphony at Mass. Polyphony is the highest form of music, because each voice has its own melody. At the same time, thanks to the rules of counterpoint—which took hundreds of years to figure out—the independent melodies create harmony. In Masses by the great composers (such as Palestrina, Victoria, Morales, and Guerrero), the melodies themselves are based on Gregorian Chant, but sometimes the melodies are flipped upside down (inversion) or stretched out (augmentation).

They Could Not Kill This: The 20th century saw the decline of the arts, thanks to “sophisticated” avant-garde music.1 But polyphony survived, because sensible musicians realized it was the greatest music of all. Polyphony continued to be taught at secular universities, even by professors who (sometimes) were atheists! Regarding “contemporary” Catholic liturgical music—originally classified as The Hootenanny Mass—composer James MacMillan summarizes: “A lot of the favored new settings are musically illiterate, almost is if they were written by semi-trained teenagers, getting to grips with musical rudiments.” No serious conservatory would ever teach music by composers like David Haas, Rory Cooney, Marty Haugen, Michael Joncas, and Dan Schutte.

Another Reason: Polyphony also survived the “dark days” of the 1970s and 1980s because it’s an absolute delight to sing. The gorgeous lines by Father Francisco Guerrero practically sing themselves! And what a joy it is to work with fine singers! One of the greatest singers I know is my colleague, Corrinne May. She recently recorded all the voices for “Benedíctus Qui Venit” (Missa Iste Sanctus) by Father Guerrero. My singers really appreciate these rehearsal videos:

REHEARSAL VIDEOS for each individual voice and the (free) PDF score await you at #5305.

This “Benedictus” goes along with the SANCTUS and HOSANNA, which is #5454.

Rehearsal videos for the KYRIE (Missa Iste Sanctus) can be found at #5294

Rehearsal videos for the GLORIA (Missa Iste Sanctus) can be found at #5612

Rehearsal videos for the 5-voice AGNUS DEI (Missa Iste Sanctus) can be found at #5512


NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   I can’t tell you about “avant-garde” music, because you won’t believe me. If I tell you composers wrote “music” which requires the pianist to fire a nuclear weapon into the audience, you won’t believe me. If I tell you composers wrote “music” which requires placing radios on the stage of Carnegie Hall and listening to static, you won’t believe me. If I tell you composers wrote “music” which requires the pianist to beat the piano strings with a dead fish, you won’t believe me. If I tell you composers wrote “music” which requires the audience to be placed on buses and taken around the city, you won’t believe me. But all those are examples of avant-garde music. There’s even a piece where the pianist just sits in front of the keyboard for 4 minutes and 33 seconds; and that is supposed to be “Classical Music.”

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured Tagged With: Francisco Guerrero Composer, MISSA ISTE SANCTUS, Robert E Guglielmone Last Updated: December 26, 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

    2-Voice Arr. • “Creator of the Starry Height”
    Do you direct a choir consisting of women or children only? (Some call this a “treble” choir.) Download a two-voice arrangement of Creator of the Starry Height set to the tune of IOANNES by clicking here and then scrolling to the bottom. In our times, this hymn is normally used during ADVENT, and the Latin title is: Cónditor alme síderum. It’s important to say “cónditor”—placing the accent on the antepenult—because ‘condítor’ in Latin means “one who embalms the dead.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Equal Voices” Choir Pieces
    My colleague, CORRINNE MAY, has posted some delightful compositions for equal voices: that is, choirs consisting of all men or all women. Included there are settings of the “Ave Maria” and “Tantum Ergo.” They strike me as relatively simple and not excessively lengthy. (In other words, within reach of volunteer singers.) Even better, all the scores have been made available as instant PDF downloads, completely free of charge. Bravo!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Typo in the “Missale Romanum” (1962)
    The 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM was a transitional missal. It was on its way to becoming the 1970 version, but wasn’t there yet. It eliminated certain duplications, downplayed the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, expanded the role of laymen, minimized the Last Gospel, made many items optional, and so forth. Father Valentine Young spotted many typos in the 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM, especially incorrect accents. The Offertory Antiphon for this coming Sunday (OF kalendar) contains an error, citing the wrong verse from Psalm 118. It should be 118:107b, not 118:154. If you read verse 154, you’ll understand how that error crept in. [In this particular case, the error pre-dates the 1962 Missal, since the 1940s hand-missal by Father Lasance also gets it wrong.]
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Our Father” • Musical Setting?
    Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“What really matters in life is that we are loved by Christ and that we love Him in return. In comparison to the love of Jesus, everything else is secondary. And, without the love of Jesus, everything is useless.”

— Pope John Paul II (1979)

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