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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

Gregorian Chant • “Its True & Authentic Rhythm”

Jeff Ostrowski · April 1, 2022

HE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS for this year’s Sacred Music Symposium has not yet been released. It’s still being “adjusted” based upon the participants’ desires. This year, I’m considering giving a talk about the rhythm of plainsong. If I decide to give such a talk, the following questions will be addressed: (1) Can we know with certainty that our current plainsong performances correspond—generally speaking—to the way plainsong has always been sung? (2) Is it verifiably true that singing from adiastematic notation is “better” than diastematic notation? (3) What can we know with certainty about adiastematic rhythm? (4) Does following the official rhythm of the Church lead to the most beautiful performance of plainsong? (5) When it comes to plainsong rhythm, should we seek advice from those who have never stood in front of a choir in real life? (6) With regard to plainsong, should we seek advice from “scholars” whose recordings don’t sound beautiful?

Embracing The Official Rhythm: For more than two decades, I have been studying ancient manuscripts. Over the last two years I have examined the ancient MSS with greater attention than ever before (on account of a project I was involved with). As a result, I have decided to abandon the rhythmic markings of Dom Mocquereau—which often distort the melody—even though I have sung from these markings since the 1990s. My decision is based partially upon study of the ancient MSS, but it’s also based upon directing choirs for a long time. I have decided to embrace the official rhythm of plainsong: viz. “pure” Editio Vaticana. Technically, this is the only system allowed by the Church documents. Any doubt about this was swept away by the “Martinelli Letter” (02/18/1910). Abbat Pothier’s “De Caetero” letter (1906) also makes this clear. (It will be remembered that Abbat Pothier was chosen by Pope Pius X to create the Editio Vaticana.) Five decades later, a document by Pope Pius XII, De musica sacra et sacra liturgia (1958), in paragraph §59b stubbornly upheld the earlier decrees with regard to editions which modify 1 the official rhythm of the Editio Vaticana. We are starting each week with the Introit, and here’s how the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores look:

*  PDF Download • INTROIT (Passion Sunday)
—Introit with “pure” Vaticana rhythm (official edition).

Here’s how the very somber “Passion Sunday” Introit sounds when sung according to the official rhythm:

Melismatic Mora Vocis: In the Introit for this coming Sunday (Passion Sunday), there’s only one melismatic mora vocis (“MMV”) singers must be aware of. In the score I placed a little arrow above it. The official edition, printed by the Vatican Press, doesn’t provide any help; the singers must watch carefully for a “white note” or “blank space equal to a notehead”—and that’s where the MMV goes:

Numerous Editions: The Editio Vaticana was reproduced by many publishers exactly identical to the Vatican Press version. I’m talking about editions published by Pustet, Mechlin, Schwann, Weinmann, and so forth. But in 1954, the editors of the Schwann (Abbat Bomm, K.G. Fellerer, and Msgr. Overath) thought the singers needed a little help. Therefore, they placed a little line underneath, to help the singer. The blue arrow shows the “melismatic mora” and the red arrow shows an editorial mark by the Schwann editors reminding you to elongate the note:

Schwann’s modern notation version also indicates the MMV:

Flor Peeter’s Edition: The edition by Flor Peeters, which follows the “pure” Editio Vaticana, indicates the MMV as we would expect:

Max Springer’s Edition: The edition by Max Springer of Beuron Abbey, produced circa 1910, observes the MMV just as one would expect:

Saint Leo Edition: Father Franz Xaver Mathias (an Alsatian priest and organist) founded the SAINT LEO INSTITUTE FOR SACRED MUSIC in 1913. His edition follows the “pure” Editio Vaticana and indicates the MMV as we would expect. However, Father Mathias indicates some additional elongations, which I don’t understand—and I marked these with blue arrows. It’s possible he couldn’t get the 1883 edition out of his head (on this, see below).

The organ accompaniment by Father Mathias matches, just as one would expect:

Dom Mocquereau’s Edition: The 1903 Liber Usualis was the crowning achievement of Dom Mocquereau, who desperately wanted it to be adopted by Pope Pius X. However, because of Dom Mocquereau’s “intransigence,” the pope chose Abbat Pothier’s edition instead. For this, Mocquereau never forgave Pothier. In any event, the edition by Dom Mocquereau has an elogation there:

14th Century: A manuscript from approximately 1385AD does not indicate an MMV—but that doesn’t necessarily come as a surprise:

Precursor To The Vatican Edition: The 1883 edition by Pothier does not correspond to the 1908 Editio Vaticana. That means Abbat Pothier must have changed his mind in 1908:

For the record, it seems that Abbat Pothier changed his mind about a lot of things in 1908, as this chart shows:

*  PDF Download • COMPARISON CHART
—1876 (Hermesdorff); 1883 (Pothier); 1903 (Mocquereau); 1908 (Vaticana).

 


NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   On 14 August 1905, the Vatican under Pope Pius X declared: “The Sacred Congregation of Rites declares and decrees that this same edition [Abbot Pothier’s Editio Vaticana] be considered by all as typical, in such wise that henceforth the Gregorian melodies contained in future editions of these books be perfectly conformed, without any addition, subtraction, or change whatsoever [nihil prorsus addito, dempto vel mutato] to the aforesaid typical edition, even in the case of extracts made from these books.”

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured Tagged With: Abbat Urbanus Johann Bomm, Dom Josef Pothier, Dom Mocquereau, Editio Vaticana, Karl Gustav Fellerer, melismatic morae vocis, Monsignor Johannes Overath Last Updated: April 4, 2022

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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 List” • 29th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 19 October 2025, which is the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the sensational feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Liturgical Round (“Canon”) in C-Major
    Those who direct children’s choirs are always on the lookout for repertoire that’s dignified, inspired, and pleasing—yet still within reach of young choristers. Such directors will want to investigate this haunting liturgical round (PDF download) which has been married to the KYRIE from Mass VI (EDITIO VATICANA). I have provided an accompaniment, but it’s only for use during rehearsal; i.e. when teaching this round to your choristers. I also provided an organ accompaniment for the KYRIE—which some know by its trope (Kyrie Rex Genitor)—so that your congregation can take part when this round is used as a choral extension during Mass.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Latin Liturgy Association
    We note with pleasure that Mrs. Regina Morris, president of the Latin Liturgy Association, has featured—on page 4 of Volume CXXIX of their official newsletter—the three (3) terrific versions of the Stations of the Cross found in the Brébeuf Hymnal. One of the main authors for the blog of the Church Music Association of America said (6/10/2019) about this pew book: “It is such a fantastic hymnal that it deserves to be in the pews of every Catholic church.”
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    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
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The sun’s disc did not remain immobile. This was not the sparkling of a heavenly body, for it spun round on itself in a mad whirl, when suddenly a clamor was heard from all the people. The sun, whirling, seemed to loosen itself from the firmament and advance threateningly upon the earth as if to crush us with its huge fiery weight. The sensation during those moments was terrible.”

— ‘Dr. Almeida Garrett, professor of natural sciences at the University of Coimbra (1917)’

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