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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

PDF Download • “Alleluia Verse before Gospel” • (Mass in honor of Saint Noël Chabanel)

Jeff Ostrowski · August 29, 2023

ERHAPS READERS are familiar with a story about SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI. In those days, some priests (in spite of their vows) secretly kept concubines, with whom they committed grave sins. The disciples of Saint Francis brought to him one such priest, expecting him to castigate this heinous sinner. Instead, Saint Francis knelt down and kissed the priest’s hands. “Because it is only thanks to these hands we can receive the Blessed Sacrament.” What is the moral of this story? I suspect we’re meant to take several things away. First of all, a reverence for the SANCTISSIMUM. Secondly, a reminder that we’re all sinners—and for every one person who reflects on his own sins there are ninety-nine who focus on the sins of others. Needless to say, Saint Francis was not condoning the priest’s immorality. I suspect that readers could add several more lessons.

Scandal Sells! • Nothing captivates an audience as quickly as revealing a juicy scandal. For example, I posted recently about a shocking action by OREGON CATHOLIC PRESS (OCP) and within 24 hours it had garnered thousands (!) of downloads. Certain “Catholic” publications incessantly reveal—or perhaps I should say celebrate?—scandals. Doing so has become their raison d’être.1

Jeff’s Dilemma • Today, I release another movement of the Mass in Honor of Saint Noël Chabanel. Written for the Ordinary Form, this Mass involves your CONGREGATION, your CANTRIX, and your CHOIR. It consists of seven movements. (The other movements will be released soon. We’re putting finishing touches on the rehearsal videos.) My dilemma is deciding whether it’s worthwhile to release—each week—the transposed version of the GOSPEL ACCLAMATION. They’re already prepared, as you can see. While it wouldn’t be difficult to transpose each score and release them for free on our blog, would such an undertaking be valuable? Sometimes it’s discouraging that there’s so much interest in scandal but not that much interest in efforts to make things better. If you’d be interested in me transposing those scores, please send me an email using the address at the bottom of this page.

The Choral Extension comes at the end:

Free rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #39162.

To freely download the PDF score, locate #39162.

Our First Attempt • On 24 September 2023, our volunteer choir attempted to sing this ALLELUIA at the Extraordinary Form. However, as you can hear by this Mp3 file, we still have some refining to do to get it sounding the way it needs to sound!

Most Will Not • Most readers won’t download the PDF if it’s placed on another page. One must click that link and scroll down to number “39162.” That’s also where the rehearsal videos for each individual part reside. [Creating each rehearsal video requires enormous effort. If you want to make me feel good, please replay them over and over again to raise the view count!] For the record, only one person has been able to guess the composer of the polyphonic sections. I can’t reveal the name of the person who guessed correctly. However, I can disclose that he’s a full professor at Juilliard, he contributes to this blog, and he’s extremely intelligent. But I can’t reveal his name.

Stepwise Bass Line • Those who download the PDF file might notice the careful use of “stepwise bass lines.” I mention that technique so much during each annual Sacred Music Symposium, some readers might be sick of it! But below you’ll find a few more examples.

First Example • A beautiful composition by Dom Gregory Murray:

Second Example • A somewhat bizarre (yet captivating) harmonization of the DIES IRAE by Monsignor Leo P. Manzetti (1867-1942):

Third Example • A tune called “Mit Freuden Zart,” taken from #842 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal:

Addendum • Some believe the MASS ORDINARY now includes the Alleluia before the Gospel as well as the Our Father, since those have been sung (often) at Mass for the last 60 years … whereas I have yet to attend an OF Mass which sings the Creed. Traditionally, the MASS ORDINARY was the Kyrie, Gloria, (Credo), Sanctus, and Agnus Dei. I no longer have the strength to argue about such issues. I would simply point out that some composers—in former centuries—had a different conception of what was included in the MASS ORDINARY. If memory serves, Father Guillaume de Machaut (d. 1377) and Phillipe Verdelot (d. 1535) set to polyphony the “Ite Missa Est” response.

1 Several of these publications seem blissfully ignorant of the fact that one is never supposed to “punch down.” For instance, much has been made recently about an attack on Dr. Scott Hahn, even though the attack came from a man known to be severely mentally ill.

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured, PDF Download Tagged With: Dom Gregory Murray, Dr Scott Hahn, MASS IN HONOR OF NOEL CHABANEL, Oregon Catholic Press Last Updated: September 26, 2023

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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

    (Part 2) • Did they simplify this hymn?
    Choirs love to sing the resplendent tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1929, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. Their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Father Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1929 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. As always, the Germans added an organ INTRODUCTION. For the record, I posted a different harmonization a few months ago which was downloaded more than 2,000 times.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF • “Lectionary Comparison Chart”
    Various shell corporations (in an effort to make money selling Sacred Scripture) have tinkered with the LECTIONARY texts in a way that’s shameful. It’s no wonder Catholics in the pews know so few Bible passages by heart. Without authorization, these shell corporations pervert the official texts. Consider the Responsorial Psalm for the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A). If you download this PDF comparison chart you’ll notice each country randomly omits certain sections. Such tinkering has gone on for 60+ years—and it’s reprehensible.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Monsignor Klaus Gamber Speaks!
    An interesting quotation from the eminent liturgist, Monsignor Klaus Gamber (d. 1989): “According to canon law, a person’s affiliation with a particular liturgical rite is determined by that person’s rite of baptism. Given that the liturgical reforms of Pope Paul VI created a de facto new rite, one could assert that those among the faithful who were baptized according to the traditional Roman rite have the right to continue following that rite; just as priests who were ordained according to the traditional Ordo have the right to exercise the very rite that they were ordained to celebrate.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    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
    “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 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

Random Quote

“Always remember: God opposes the proud.” (leaning into the microphone) “…even when they’re right!”

— ‘Scott Hahn, speaking in Plano, TX’

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