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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

PDF Download • 2022 “Vespers Booklet” (99 Pages)

Jeff Ostrowski · May 17, 2022

MBITTERED. Faithful Catholics must never become embittered. I don’t need to describe what embittered Catholics are like: Zillions of them live on the internet. They criticize, they nitpick, they attack—but they never lift a finger in real life to provide solutions. Rather than curse the darkness, the faculty of Symposium 2022 has decided to light a candle. They will be in Orange County this June to work with a bunch of awesome Catholics coming here to pray, meet peers, have great conversations, and—most importantly of all—learn about Sacred music! According to the Second Vatican Council:

“It is fitting that the office, both in choir and in common, be sung. Pastors of souls should see to it that the chief hours, especially Vespers, are celebrated in common in church on Sundays and the more solemn feasts. And the laity, too, are encouraged to recite the divine office, either with the priests, or among themselves, or even individually” (SC §100).

Here’s our Divine Office booklet for this year:

*  PDF Download • SOLEMN VESPERS BOOKLET (99 pages)
—Each night at the Sacred Music Symposium, Vespers is sung.

Double Dipping? If you download that booklet, you might notice we sing an English translation of the Vespers hymn as a PROCESSIONAL HYMN, then we sing it again in Latin during Vespers itself. My parish often does this, and the Brébeuf hymnal makes it easy! For example, below is Ad Regias Agni Dapes translated into English. [Notice that some verses are sung SATB.]

Help Us! If you notice errors in the booklet, please email: Dom.Mocquereau@gmail.com

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured, PDF Download Tagged With: Vespers Last Updated: May 17, 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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President’s Corner

    Simplified Accompaniment (Easter Hymn)
    Number 36 in the Brébeuf Hymnal is “At the Lamb’s high feast we sing,” an English translation for Ad Cenam Agni Próvidi (which was called “Ad Régias Agni Dapes” starting 1631). As of this morning, you can download a simplified keyboard accompaniment for it. Simple click here and scroll to the bottom. Many organists are forced to serve simultaneously as both CANTOR and ACCOMPANIST. In spite of what some claim, this can be difficult—which explains why choirmasters appreciate these simplified keyboard accompaniments. Sadly, many readers will click that link but forget to scroll to the bottom where the simplified PDF file is located.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Quasi Modo Sunday”
    The Introit for “Quasi Modo Sunday” (12 April 2026) is particularly beautiful. The musical score can be downloaded as a PDF file, and so can the organ accompaniment. The official language of the Catholic Church is Latin (whereas Greek is our mother tongue). Vatican II said Gregorian Chant must be given “first place” under normal circumstances. As a result, some parishes will rightly sing the authentic version. On the other hand, because so many USA dioceses disobey the mandate of Vatican II, some musicians sing plainsong in the vernacular. I have attempted to simultaneously accompany myself on the pipe organ while singing the English version. Although very few take advantage of it, the complete Proprium Missae is posted at the flourishing feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    ‘German’ Introductions for Hymns
    German organ books have an enchanting habit of including introductions for each and every hymn. For example, consider this snazzy example found in a German hymnal published in 1902. In the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal, that melody is called “Laudes Mariae” and was married to Omni Die Dic Mariae, with a popular English translation (“Daily, daily, sing to Mary”) by Father Henry Bittleston, an Oratorian priest. Notice they also added a ‘tailpiece’ or ‘playout’ or postlude at the end—a very German thing to do!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    PDF • “Liturgical Law” (467 Pages)
    On Good Friday during the middle ages, the pope privately recited THE ENTIRE PSALTER. If you don’t believe me, see for yourself by reading this passage by Dom Charles Augustine Bachofen (d. 1943). His famous book—called “Liturgical Law: A Handbook Of The Roman Liturgy”—was published by the Benjamin Herder Book Company, which was the American arm (operating out of St. Louis, Missouri) of one of the world’s most significant Catholic publishers. Dom Charles Augustine Bachofen was born in Switzerland but spent his career between the Benedictine monasteries at Conception (Missouri) and Mount Angel (Oregon). His 1931 masterpiece, Liturgical Law can be downloaded as a PDF file … 467 pages!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Gregorian Chant Quiz” • 24 March 2026
    How well do you know your Gregorian hymns? Do you recognize the tune inserted into the bass line on this score? For many years, we sang the entire Mass in Gregorian chant—and I mean everything. As a result, it would be difficult to find a Gregorian hymn I don’t recognize instantly. Only decades later did I realize (with sadness) that this skill cannot be ‘monetized’… This particular melody is used for a very famous Gregorian hymn, printed in the LIBER USUALIS. Do you recognize it? Send me an email with the correct words, and I promise to tell everybody I meet about your prowess!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Ubi Caritas” (SATB)
    I remember singing “Ubi Cáritas” by Maurice Duruflé at the conservatory. I was deeply moved by it. However, some feel Duruflé’s version isn’t suitable for small choirs since it’s written for 6 voices and the bass tessitura is quite low. That’s why I was absolutely thrilled to discover this “Ubi cáritas” (SATB) for smaller choirs by Énemond Moreau, who studied with OSCAR DEPUYDT (d. 1925), an orphan who became a towering figure of Catholic music. Depuydt’s students include: Flor Peeters (d. 1986); Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel (d. 1953); Arthur Meulemans (d. 1966); Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989); and Gustaaf Nees (d. 1965). Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #19705. When I came across the astonishing English translation for “Ubi Cáritas” by Monsignor Ronald Knox—matching the Latin’s meter—I decided to add those lyrics as an option (for churches which have banned Latin). My wife and I made this recording to give you some idea how it sounds.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“We went to the early Mass to receive Communion because there was no distribution of Communion at the High Mass. After Mass was the breakfast, which was always of better quality than on ordinary days. Then after the breakfast we all returned to church for the Solemn Mass.”

— Dom Ermin Vitry, OSB

Recent Posts

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  • Simplified Accompaniment (Easter Hymn)
  • PDF Download • “Quasi Modo Sunday”
  • ‘German’ Introductions for Hymns
  • Fascinating Interpretation of the “Regina Caeli” (Solemn Tone)

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