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Views from the Choir Loft

The Official Chant Rhythm • “How Does It Sound?”

Jeff Ostrowski · June 1, 2022

HE DECREE of the Sacred Congregation of Rites dated 25 February 1911 declared: “The Vatican Edition of the Gregorian liturgical books, with its traditional notation and the rules printed in the front of the Roman Gradual, contains absolutely all [satis superque] that is needed for the exact rendition of the liturgical chant.” Abbat Pothier—the scholar appointed by Pope Saint Pius X to create the Editio Vaticana—in his famous “De Caetero” Letter (January 1906) warned against haphazardly applying rhythmic signs to the official edition, because the Editio Vaticana takes into consideration the entire Gregorian tradition rather than markings from a particular monastery, manuscript, country, or century.

Demonstration Please? But what does the official rhythm actually sound like? Below is a recording done according to the “pure” Editio Vaticana rhythm, which is (technically) the only interpretation allowed. I don’t claim it’s perfect—but it adheres strictly to the official rhythm:

*  PDF Download • Alleluia + Tract (Pentecost Vigil)
—This is identical to the Alleluia & Tract on Easter Eve.

Not Too Difficult: Some claim it’s too difficult to spot the “blank spaces” and apply the moræ vocis; but consider what was happening in 1905. Life was tough! Most did not have electric lights, plumbing, or cars. Airplanes, computers, Google maps, and air conditioning would not arrive for decades. Ordinary people (such as Richard Nixon’s father) often constructed their own homes! If they can do all that, surely we can spot a few blank spaces. By the way, notice how the “melismatic moræ vocis” were often marked by bars in Pothier’s 1883 edition (which was used as the basis for the Editio Vaticana):

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured Tagged With: melismatic morae vocis, Vigil of Pentecost Last Updated: June 1, 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

    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
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —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 Church has always kept, and wishes still to maintain everywhere, the language of her Liturgy; and, before the sad and violent changes of the 16th century, this eloquent and effective symbol of unity of faith and communion of the faithful was, as you know, cherished in England not less than elsewhere. But this has never been regarded by the Holy See as incompatible with the use of popular hymns in the language of each country.”

— Pope Leo XIII (1898)

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