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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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    Hymn by Cardinal Newman
    During the season of Septuagesima, we will be using this hymn by Cardinal Newman, which employs both Latin and English. (Readers probably know that Cardinal Newman was one of the world's experts when it comes to Lingua Latina.) The final verse contains a beautiful soprano descant. Father Louis Bouyer—famous theologian, close friend of Pope Paul VI, and architect of post-conciliar reforms—wrote thus vis-à-vis the elimination of Septuagesima: “I prefer to say nothing, or very little, about the new calendar, the handiwork of a trio of maniacs who suppressed (with no good reason) Septuagesima and the Octave of Pentecost and who scattered three quarters of the Saints higgledy-piddledy, all based on notions of their own devising!”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3). I'm not a fan of chant in octaves, but we had such limited time to rehearse, it seemed the best choice. After all, everyone should have an opportunity to learn “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium,” which summarizes Candlemas.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“In everything of any importance at all, Sarum (and all other mediæval rites) was simply Roman, the rite which we still use.”

— Fr. Adrian Fortescue (1912)

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