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“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

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Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • “A Canon Choirs Love!”

Jeff Ostrowski · May 21, 2022

HE WORLD OF MUSIC is not the same as it was 100 years ago. For example, even the most poverty-stricken American owns a smart phone these days, and can instantly listen to millions of great recordings (completely free of charge). Anyone with internet access can turn on their phone and enjoy, for example, the magnificent performance of MOZART’S REQUIEM conducted by Sir Georg Solti in Saint Stephen’s Cathedral (Vienna) on 5 December 1991, on the 200th anniversary of Mozart’s death. Has this caused a greater appreciation by Americans of classical music? Someday, I would like to address that important question.

Quality Vs. Quantity: When I was a teenager, a man was boisterously bragging about how “spectacular” his musical program was. I remember he proudly rattled off all the composers performed at his Church: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Hermann Schroeder, Gabriel Fauré, and so forth. But when I visited his church, the music sounded awful—because it was very poorly performed. I began to understand that “quantity” does not equal “quality.”

Ugly Scores: I am willing to produce ugly-looking scores if they lead to a beautiful performance. An example of such a score can be found at #53683—which is Credo VII with added polyphonic snippets by Father Francisco Guerrero. In essence, the score teaches musicians it isn’t necessary to sing the entire Creed in polyphony. One can “mix” it with plainsong. Below is an example of a “polyphonic snippet” found in that ugly-looking score. You will notice Father Guerrero takes the chant melody (“Beata Mater”) and creates a perfect canon between Soprano and Alto. Choirs really enjoy singing canons.

M Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #53683.

Sadness: Most readers won’t click on the individual voice parts, and that makes me sad. And most readers won’t download the free PDF, either. When we post a “scandalous” liturgical video, we get 40,000 views. I wish we could get as many views for the rehearsal videos, because we must revive authentic sacred music!

Messing With Byrd: If one serves in a parish where only English is allowed, someone should (perhaps) create an English version of the Guerrero canon above. We have sung that canon as contrafactum with several other texts, which you can find at the Lalemant Polyphonic website. Many times, people at the university sing music they don’t realize is actually contrafactum; e.g. Byrd’s “I will not leave you comfortless” (which is an English contrafactum of Byrd’s “Non vos relínquam órphanos”).

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured, PDF Download Tagged With: Easy Canons for Singers, Father Francisco Guerrero, Francisco Guerrero Composer, Hermann Schroeder, Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Last Updated: May 23, 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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Quick Thoughts

Alabama Assessment!

We received this evaluation of Symposium 2022 from an Alabama participant:

“Oh, how the Symposium echoed the words of Cardinal Merry Del Val: …choosing only what is most conformed to Thy glory, which is my final aim. In one short and fast paced week, the faculty and attendees showed me the hand of God and our Lady working in our lives. The wide range of education—from Gregorian Chant, jazz modes in organ improvisation, to ‘staying sane’ while leading a choir—were certainly first-class knowledge from the best teachers of the art. However, the most powerful lesson was learning how to pray as a choir. The sacrifice of putting songs together, taking time to learn the sacred text, meditating on the church teaching through the chants, and gaining the virtues required to persevere in these duties were not only qualities of a choir but of a saint. The sanctification of the lives of the attendees was a beautiful outcome of this event … and that in itself is worth more than a beautifully-sung Solesmes style chant!”

—Jeff Ostrowski
PDF Download • Trinity Sunday (22 pages)

Feel free to download this Organ Accompaniment Booklet for Trinity Sunday (Second Vespers). Notice how the modes progress by number. Psalm 1 is mode 1; Psalm 2 is mode 2; Psalm 3 is mode 3; Psalm 4 is mode 4; Psalm 5 is mode 5. I am told by an expert that other feasts (such as Corpus Christi) are likewise organized by mode, and it’s called a “numerical office.”

—Jeff Ostrowski
10 June 2022 • “Official” rhythm of plainsong

I continue to search for the most beautiful way to present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores. (Technically, the “pure” rhythm of the official edition is what everyone is supposed to use.) You can download my latest attempt, which is the Introit for this coming Sunday: Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. Because this is not an ancient feast, the Introit had to be adapted (perhaps around 750AD). Prior Johner says the adaptation is “not an entirely happy one.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“So, as in delirium a man talks in a long-forgotten tongue, now—when her heart is rent—the Catholic Church drops twenty centuries without an effort, and speaks as she spoke underground in Rome, and in Paul’s hired house, and in Crete and Alexandria and Jerusalem.”

— A non-Catholic describing the “Hagios O Theos” of Good Friday in 1906

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