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Views from the Choir Loft

A “Dirty” Word (For Musicians)

Jeff Ostrowski · April 30, 2022

IME PASSES and musical fashions change. Years ago, the great pianists played transcriptions on every single one of their programs. But around the year 1955, “transcription” became a dirty word. Pianists who played transcriptions were ridiculed. The new generation of pianists was unbearably pedantic, and their interpretations were boring and uninspired; in other words, transcriptions were but one casualty of the “urtext” age.

A Silly Argument: Serious musicians realize there’s nothing evil about a transcription, provided it was created by a skilled musician. The pedantic pianists (like Ruth Slenczynska)—who foolishly condemn all transcriptions—should examine Johann Sebastian Bach’s Violin Concerto in E Major (BWV 1042) and his Harpsichord Concerto in D Major (BWV 1054). The reason I mention those two will be obvious to anyone who listens to a few bars of each. Ferruccio Busoni pointed out the inconsistency of those who denigrate arrangements yet praise variations as “original” compositions:

Strangely enough, the variation-form is highly esteemed by the Worshippers of the Letter. That is singular; for the variation-form when built upon a borrowed theme produces a whole series of “arrangements” which, besides, are least respectful when most ingenious. So the arrangement is not good, because it varies the original; and the variation is good, although it “arranges” the original.

Swingle Singers: Busoni was certainly correct. Yet our current zeitgeist says transcriptions are “bad” while Theme-Variations (by Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Liszt, Paganini, Brahms, and so forth) are “good.” On the other hand, I would never assert that every transcription ever made is valid. One group that leaves me mystified is the Swingle Singers. Their singing technique is excellent, but several of their transcriptions strike me as rather odd and unsatisfactory. The beginning of this Partita is interesting, but then it goes crazy with “scat” singing:

If you Google “Bach Swingle Singers” you’ll find tons of transcriptions. You can make up your own mind if they work.

The Passage Of Time: Speaking of how music is often a result of the zeitgeist… In 1856, the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus was prescribed for the universal Church. Later on, Pope Pius XI gave it an octave and raised it to the same rank as the feasts of Christmas and Ascension. It was assigned a new Mass formula and Office by a decree of 29 January 1929. If one takes the time to examine the ALLELUIA VERSE “Tóllite Jugum,” one will see how the melismatic morae vocis are in perfect correspondence with the rhythmic markings of Dom Mocquereau. This should not surprise us, because in 1929 such plainsong adaptations were created by the Abbey of Solesmes. That is to say, the Vatican Commission ceased to exist (officially) in 1914, and from that point forward the work was given over to the Abbey of Solesmes. In other words, don’t expect to find these propers in a Graduale from 1908.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Mora Vocis, Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Ruth Slenczynska, Swingle Singers Bach Last Updated: May 2, 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

    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —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

“The unity of language in the liturgy is so great a treasure for the Church that no advantage could compensate for its demise.”

— Dom Anselmo Albareda (2 January 1953), Father Nicola Giampietro, page 249

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