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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

Revealed! • Kevin Allen’s Setting of the “Confíteor Deo Omnipoténti” (SATB) for Compline

Andrea Leal · May 16, 2023

EVIN ALLEN. So many musicians would not be able to run their choral programs without his compositions. During last year’s Sacred Music Symposium, our organization was chosen to premiere his new collection for three voices: Stowe Missal Eucharistic Motets. Many consider his Motecta Trium Vocum to be peerless in the genre of equal voice choral music (“AD AEQUALES”). His Matri Divinæ Gratiæ—a collection for Soprano, Alto, and Bass—is essential for any choirmaster who directs volunteers. At Symposium 2023, we will be singing from Maestro Allen’s Cantiones Sacrae Simplices, a collection often selected by the Sistine Chapel Choir (Vatican City).

“Confíteor Déo Omnipoténti” • At this year’s Symposium, we will sing COMPLINE each night. That’s a change. At all previous symposia, we have sung VESPERS. Normally at Compline, the Confíteor is sung on a single note. Frankly, that method usually sounds poor. Our organization, therefore, commissioned from Kevin Allen a special setting of the Confíteor which will be sung each night during COMPLINE. I find this melody hauntingly gorgeous. See if you agree:

 Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #40505.

Clarification • Readers of our blog recently took part in a survey. We received many excellent answers, for which we are grateful. However, I have been asked to make a clarification. The people who took the survey were supposed to search the Brébeuf Portal for the hymn tune “MELCOMBE.” Then they were asked to comment about the strategy of shared melodies. Several people gave answers we did not expect. They said: “Using all the shared melodies each week will lead to boredom on the part of the congregation.” However, that answer misses the point completely. Nobody is saying that 100% of the “shared melody” hymns must be used. The idea is, they are available when you need them! For instance, the feast of the ASCENSION is coming up in a few days. If your choir already knows a “shared melody” in SATB, the Brébeuf hymnal gives you options! Or, consider the choirmaster who plays more than five Masses each weekend. Not all the Masses will have a choir, so these “shared melodies” will be invaluable for some (not all) of the Masses.

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured, PDF Download Tagged With: Composer Kevin Allen, Confiteor Deo Omnipotenti, Musical Setting CONFITEOR Last Updated: May 16, 2023

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About Andrea Leal

Andrea Leal is a wife and homeschooling mother of 6 children. She serves as choir director for the Traditional Latin Mass in Las Vegas.—(Read full biography).

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President’s Corner

    “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
    “Music List” • 27th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 5 October 2025, which is the 27th 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 spectacular feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin. Readers will want to check out the ENTRANCE CHANT posted there, which has a haunting melody (in the DEUTERUS MODE) and extremely powerful text.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Kids’ Choir Sings Thomas Aquinas
    Last Sunday, a children’s choir I’m teaching sang with us for the very first time at Sunday Mass. Females from our main choir sang along with them. If you’re curious to hear how they sounded, you can listen to a ‘live’ recording. That’s an English version of TANTUM ERGO by Saint Thomas Aquinas. That haunting melody is called GAUFESTRE and was employed for this 2-Voice Arrangement of a special hymn for 9 November (“Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome”) which replaces a Sunday this year.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Reminder” — Month of September (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?
    Choirs love to sing the famous & splendid tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1952, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. In other words, their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1952 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. I really like the groovy Germanic INTRODUCTION they added.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The Church, which so long had preserved Latin consciously as a bond of unity, had quite suddenly decided to discard it as a useless encumbrance. With this rejection, and as an almost inevitable consequence, went out the window also the whole magnificent musical heritage of the Church. For when you change your language you also change your song. The Jewish exiles hanging their harps beside the waters of Babylon, so long ago, made that discovery.”

— Most Rev’d Robert J. Dwyer, Archbishop of Portland (26 October 1973)

Recent Posts

  • “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
  • Involving Women in the Communion?
  • “Toward a More Sacred Style With Pastoral Charity” • Guest Article by Dr. Myrna Keough
  • “Music List” • 27th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • Kids’ Choir Sings Thomas Aquinas

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