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“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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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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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
    Our readers will be interested in this job offering for Music Director at Saint Adalbert’s Basilica, located 40 minutes from where I live. My pastor was recently elevated to this basilica. He is offering $80,000 per year, plus benefits. I’m told Saint Adalbert’s Basilica is utterly gorgeous and contains one of America’s most magnificent pipe organs. It would be fantastic to have a colleague nearby!
    —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

“Ordained a diocesan priest on 7 October 1827, Guéranger was quickly named a canon (a member of the cathedral chapter of Tours). Around 1830, he demonstrated his interest in the liturgy when he began to use the Roman Missal and texts for the Divine Office, unlike many of his colleagues, who still made use of the diocesan editions commonly in use in pre-Revolutionary France.”

— Source unknown

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