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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

“British Polyphony” • The Best 55 Seconds In Music!

Jeff Ostrowski · September 7, 2022

ROADLY SPEAKING, the continental composers of the High Renaissance—such as Palestrina, Victoria, Nanino, Guerrero, and Lassus—followed the same rules and “spoke the same language” whether they hailed from Spain, Italy, Holland, or Germany. Not even the greatest scholar of Renaissance polyphony can distinguish between their counterpoint and harmonies, although each one certainly exhibited individual propensities. (For instance, Guerrero seemed to have loved canons more than his colleagues.) In graduate school, the professors called referred to this as a pan-European style. 1

England Was Unique • But England had a polyphonic style all its own. There was nothing remotely like it on the continent. In particular, English composers loved to ‘float’ voices high above all the others, creating effects that were truly haunting. For myself, I cannot think of any music greater than the following section—55 seconds long—of the Salve Regina by William Cornysh (d. 1523), a Roman Catholic English composer:

Sad Development • But then Anglicanism swept over England, wreaking havoc. The Anglicans murdered those who refused to forsake the Bride of Christ. Even the most illustrious citizens were killed: Saint Thomas More (†1535); Saint Philip Howard (†1595); Saint Robert Southwell (†1595); Saint Edmund Campion (†1581); Saint John Fisher (†1535). Without mercy, the Anglicans pillaged monasteries and convents, slaughtering monks and nuns in a bloodthirsty way.

What Might Have Been! • We can only dream about the fabulous composers England might have produced had it not been for the Protestant revolution. Musicologists usually consider England’s High Renaissance composers to be crowned by the Three T’s: Tallis, Taverner, and Tye. If memory serves, all three were tainted by Protestantism. Later on would come William Byrd (d. 1623), but his music is generally considered to be a ‘bridge’ between the High Renaissance and early Baroque, similar to Claudio Monteverdi (d. 1643). For myself, the Three T’s cannot compare to, for example, the masterpieces of Father Victoria (d. 1611) or Father Guerrero (d. 1599). I’m not trying to be pugnacious—I’m just giving my honest views. As Father Valentine would say: Take ’em or leave ’em.

The text for “Salve Regina” used by William Cornysh is not identical to the one we pray. For instance:

Virgo Mater Ecclésiæ,
ætérnæ porta glóriæ,
esto nobis refúgium
apud Patrem et Fílium.

O CLEMENS

Virgo clemens, Virgo pia,
Virgo dulcis, o María,
exáudi preces ómnium
ad te pie clamántium.

O PIA

Funde preces tuo Nato
crucifíxo, vulneráto
et pro nobis flagelláto,
spinis puncto, fel potáto.

O DULCIS MARIA SALVE

Translated into English:

O Virgin Mother of the Church,
gate of eternal glory,
be a refuge for us
with the Father and the Son.

O CLEMENT

Virgin clement, Virgin loving,
Virgin sweet, O Mary,
heed the prayers of all those
who cry lovingly to thee.

O LOVING

Pour forth prayers to thy Son,
for us crucified, wounded,
scourged, pierced by thorns
and given gall to drink.

O SWEET MARY HAIL

1 To explain this another way: No scholar could tell you whether a piece was composed by Guerrero or Palestrina simply by listening to it. (Here we are speaking of a piece they have never heard before.) But that only applies to the High Renaissance. For instance, a piece by Josquin could be discerned just by hearing it. The same is true of someone like Ockeghem.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Billy Cornyshe, pan-European style polyphony, Polyphony From England, William Cornish, William Cornysh Last Updated: September 7, 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

    “Equal Voices” Choir Pieces
    My colleague, CORRINNE MAY, has posted some delightful compositions for equal voices: that is, choirs consisting of all men or all women. Included there are settings of the “Ave Maria” and “Tantum Ergo.” They strike me as relatively simple and not excessively lengthy. (In other words, within reach of volunteer singers.) Even better, all the scores have been made available as instant PDF downloads, completely free of charge. Bravo!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Typo in the “Missale Romanum” (1962)
    The 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM was a transitional missal. It was on its way to becoming the 1970 version, but wasn’t there yet. It eliminated certain duplications, downplayed the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, expanded the role of laymen, minimized the Last Gospel, made many items optional, and so forth. Father Valentine Young spotted many typos in the 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM, especially incorrect accents. The Offertory Antiphon for this coming Sunday (OF kalendar) contains an error, citing the wrong verse from Psalm 118. It should be 118:107b, not 118:154. If you read verse 154, you’ll understand how that error crept in. [In this particular case, the error pre-dates the 1962 Missal, since the 1940s hand-missal by Father Lasance also gets it wrong.]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 30th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 26 October 2025, which is the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the top-notch feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Our Father” • Musical Setting?
    Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Last Fall, however, the bishop of Augsburg in West Germany, the Most Rev. Josef Stimpfle, ordered all parishes in his diocese to have a Latin High Mass at least once a month. This policy drew a letter of warm commendation from the apostolic nuncio to West Germany, Archbishop Guido del Mestri, who termed the decree “exemplary” and added, “The way chosen by you is one desired by the whole Church.”

— Latin Liturgy Association “Newsletter” (September 1980)

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  • Typo in the “Missale Romanum” (1962)

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