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Corpus Christi Watershed

We’re a 501(c)3 public charity established in 2006. We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and run no advertisements. We exist solely by the generosity of small donors.

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Views from the Choir Loft

Archives for March 2023

Jeff Ostrowski · March 17, 2023

“The German Palestrina”

Although it’s a hideous accompaniment, I’ve added the harmonization by Monsignor Franz Nekes to this collection of nineteen organ accompaniments for the Easter Sunday Sequence: Víctimæ Pascháli Laudes. Once upon a time, Monsignor Nekes was a very popular composer, known as “The German Palestrina.”

Jeff Ostrowski · March 16, 2023

“Lætáre Jerúsalem” • Introit (4th Sunday of Lent)

Sung according to the official rhythm of the Catholic Church.

Jeff Ostrowski · March 15, 2023

“Solesmes Ictus” • Can It Be Justified? (Examples)

“If you begin by telling a man that in a word like 𝐷𝑒𝑢𝑠 the first syllable corresponds to the weak beat, the second to the strong beat of a modern bar, the only thing accomplished will be to bewilder him thoroughly.” —Father Bewerunge

Patrick Williams · March 15, 2023

Ictus Fictus!

“Hardly any of this made-up system has its basis in medieval music theory or in the manuscripts themselves.”—Patrick Williams

Dr. Charles Weaver · March 13, 2023

Rhetoric, Number, Measure, and Historicism

The beginnings of a response to mensuralism from the classic Solesmes point of view.

Jeff Ostrowski · March 12, 2023

Vespers Booklet, 3rd Sunday of Lent

The organ accompaniment I created for the 3rd Sunday of Lent (“Extraordinary Form”) may now be downloaded, if anyone is interested in this.

Patrick Williams · March 12, 2023

Chant Glossary

Glossary of Chant Terms

Dr. Lucas Tappan · March 10, 2023

The Cathedral and Diocese of Leeds Expands Its Musical Outreach Yet Again

In my own diocese, “The Catholic Academy of Sacred Music” was incorporated for that very purpose last summer.

Patrick Williams · March 10, 2023

Gregorian Rhythm Wars • “Clap Your Hands!” (10 Mar 2023)

“With my questions unanswered by those objecting to rhythmic markings based on the oldest sources, it is difficult to take their arguments seriously.” —Patrick Williams

Jeff Ostrowski · March 9, 2023

PDF Download • Belgian “Ordinary of the Mass” (Organ Accompaniment) — 191 pages

This volume has been professionally scanned—and you’ll love the results!

Dr. Charles Weaver · March 7, 2023

Beauty Ever Ancient, Ever New

Every Gregorian melody is a precious gift, and every time we meet a melody again, we have a chance to consider some new aspect.

Jeff Ostrowski · March 7, 2023

Weeping For Joy! (We Hope!)

Listening to this Easter Alleluia—an SATB arrangement I made twenty years ago based on the work of Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel—one of our readers left this comment: “I get tears in my eyes each time I sing to this hymn.” I hope this person is weeping for joy!

Andrea Leal · March 7, 2023

PDF Download • “Spanish Missal for the Traditional Latin Mass” (Madrid, 1961) — 860 pages!

Let me explain why this 1961 Spanish Missal is so important.

Matthew Frederes · March 6, 2023

Grant Awarded for Digitizing Over 400,000 Pages of Ancient Solesmes Manuscripts

REPERTORIUM has been awarded a large grant to scan and digitize over 400,000 ancient manuscript images from the Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Solesmes archive.

Jeff Ostrowski · March 5, 2023

Pipe Organ During Lent?

To withdraw the pipe organ no longer has the impact it once did.

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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

“There are some so restless that when they are free from labour they labour all the more, because the more leisure they have for thought, the worse interior turmoil they have to bear.”

— Pope Gregory the Great

Recent Posts

  • Luis Martínez Must Go!
  • Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
  • PDF Download • “Gospel Acclamation” for 29 June (Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles)
  • “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
  • Available! • Free Rehearsal Videos for Agnus Dei “Mille Regretz” after Gombert (d. 1560)

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Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.

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