• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

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

  • Our Team
  • Pew Resources
    • Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal
    • Jogues Illuminated Missal
    • Campion Missal, 3rd Edition
  • MUSICAL WEBSITES
    • René Goupil Gregorian Chant
    • Noël Chabanel Psalms
    • Nova Organi Harmonia (2,279 pages)
    • Lalemant Polyphonic
    • Saint Antoine Daniel KYRIALE
  • Miscellaneous
    • Site Map
    • Emporium Kevin Allen
    • Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Saint Jean de Lalande Library
    • Sacred Music Symposium 2023
  • Donate
Views from the Choir Loft

Terrific Pentecost Hymn You’ve Not Heard Before!

Veronica Moreno · May 13, 2023

EFFREY OSTROWSKI, the rather idiosyncratic president of our association, often claims to be “grief-stricken” when readers fail to explore the rehearsal videos for each individual voice provided free of charge at the Brébeuf hymnal website. I suspect he’s being hyperbolic, but I would agree that these rehearsal videos are an invaluable tool. Sometimes, the voice you hear on the individual tracks belongs to yours truly! Yesterday everning, I was pleased to assist with the ALTO TRACK. My friend, Claire Coulombe, provided the SOPRANO TRACK. The hymn is found at #710 in the Brébeuf hymnal. It’s an ancient text for Pentecost called Qui procédis ab utróque. The English translation (using an astonishingly elaborate rhyme-scheme) was composed by MONSIGNOR RONALD KNOX, the famous polyglot theologian.

Here’s what we came up with:

To access this hymn’s media in the Brébeuf Portal, click here.

More About This Text • Most of the Brébeuf hymns are in English, but the original Latin is provided alongside a literal translation. Examining the text, we observe the meter of the translation by Knox is identical to the one in Latin. Therefore, it would be quite simple to interchange them, and I would urge Mr. Ostrowski to consider doing precisely that, for his “Brébeuf extension series.” I know my children would appreciate learning this tune! (Since our family is bilingual, they have no difficulty whatsoever with Latin.) According to the Brébeuf hymnal, both text and melody were written by Adam of Saint Victor (d. 1146AD) a prolific composer of hymns and sequences. There is a plain-chant version (PDF), with a more somber character than the Brébeuf melody.

Organ Accompaniment? • Our organization is by far the leader when it comes to obtaining, scanning, and uploading rare Catholic treasures of sacred music. As my daughter plays the keyboard, I wondered if there were a book of organ accompaniments that contained Qui Procédis Ab Utróque. Sure enough, our organization had provided that! It’s in a 99-page collection of accompaniments by Henri Potiron, who was a professor at the Gregorian Institute in Paris:

*  PDF • CANTUS SELECTI + CANTUS VARII, Potiron Accomp. (99 pages)
—Accompagnement du Chant Grégorien pour les Bénédictions du Très Saint Sacrement (1934).

Protestants Use This Tune • According to the Brébeuf hymnal, the metrical tune is called: Alles Ist An Gottes Segen. Research reveals that Protestant books use this melody for feasts other than Pentecost. For example, I see that a 1913 hymnal by GEORGE RATCLIFFE WOODWARD (d. 1934) uses that sprightly tune for a Passion-tide hymn. That doesn’t seem quite right to my ear:

Magnificent Capital “Q” • This ancient Sequence, used in some countries on Thursday during the Pentecost octave, can be seen in many ancient manuscripts. Here is one from the 13th century, which certainly has the most beautiful capital “Q” I have ever seen:

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured, PDF Download Tagged With: Henri Potiron, Holy Ghost Hymn, Monsignor Ronald Knox Traditional Mass, Splendid Pentecost Hymn Last Updated: May 13, 2023

Subscribe

It greatly helps us if you subscribe to our mailing list!

* indicates required

About Veronica Moreno

Veronica Moreno is married to a teacher and homeschools five children. She has been cantor at her local Catholic parish for over a decade.—(Read full biography).

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    PDF • “For the Season of Pentecost”
    During the season of Pentecost, you might consider using this 2-page Piece “for the season of Pentecost.” Rehearsal videos are available at #40691, but the lyrics are different. Therefore, make sure your choir members understand that one can rehearse songs that have different lyrics (“CONTRAFACT”).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Introit • (This Coming Sunday)
    Our volunteer choir appreciates training videos, so here's my attempt at recording “Exáudi Dómine Vocem Meam,” which is the INTROIT for this coming Sunday. This coming Sunday is Dominica Post Ascensionem (“Sunday after the feast of the Ascension”). It is sung according to the official rhythm of the Catholic Church.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Volunteer Choir Attempts “Kýrie Eléison”
    My volunteer choir attempted the polyphonic KYRIE that will be sung at this year's Sacred Music Symposium. If you're interested, you can listen to the live recording from last Sunday. The piece is based on the ancient plainchant hymn melody: Ave Maris Stella. Polyphony like this is truly intricate and wonderful. It reminds me of the quote by Artur Schnabel: “music that's greater than it can be performed.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“You should try to eat their food in the way they prepare it, although it may be dirty, half-cooked, and very tasteless. As to the other numerous things which may be unpleasant, they must be endured for the love of God, without saying anything or appearing to notice them.”

— Fr. Paul Le Jeune (1637)

Recent Posts

  • PDF • “For the Season of Pentecost”
  • The Choir Journal: A Choir Director’s Best Friend
  • “Are Church Musicians Paid Enough?” • 5 Solutions
  • Analysis • “Archaic and Quack Ideas on Chant”
  • “Singing Advice” • Frank Sinatra to Ronald Reagan

Subscribe

Subscribe

* indicates required

Copyright © 2023 Corpus Christi Watershed · Isaac Jogues on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

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.