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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

Reader Feedback • Re: “Simplified” Music (Part 2)

Corpus Christi Watershed · January 30, 2025

The following came from Celeste M.
[We usually redact names for anonymity’s sake.]

EAR CCW TEAM: With regard to your recent article on simplified organ music I see you already printed a response. But I wanted to chime in anyway. I haven’t been doing parish music that long—only about 3 years at this point. But I do it a lot. Until very recently, I was accompanying at least two weekend Mass (or either piano or organ), plus directing a children’s choir, plus organizing and accompanying pretty much all the weddings and funerals. (I’m happy to report I usually only do one weekend Mass most weeks now, and someone else has assumed responsibility for the children’s choir.) Except for weddings and funerals, I am a volunteer. While I feel that I’m reasonably skilled, I do not consider myself to be a professional musician. I have played piano for about 40 years in all sorts of contexts, but never attended a university music program, nor completed my ARCT (I stopped piano studies just as I started RCM grade 10). I started the organ after a single, solitary organ lesson about 2.5 years ago (plus lots of instructional YouTube videos), and I’m still quite terrible with my feet. But that is, in large part, because I never learn anything adequately. I’m just doing glorified sight-reading most weeks unless it’s a piece that we do very frequently. This is mostly due to a combination of factors: the sheer number of Masses I have to prepare unique music for, the sheer number of my children (five, two of which are high-needs), a lack of organ at home (I only have a piano), and the steady rhythm of the Church Year!

I really appreciate simplified music, in part because I’m pretty much always doing things by the seat of my pants. I would much rather play a simple version well than try to stumble my way through something poorly, or even worse, at a dragging tempo! My task is to support singing, and I can’t do that if I can’t play what is being sung, or play it at a tempo that isn’t conducive to singing. I also would rather have simple music and “complicate” it myself.1 I find the task of simplifying to be much harder, especially on the fly, which is pretty much the entirety of my experience as a church musician! So starting simple and letting me adjust based on my skill and practice time results in a better end product, a happier choir director, and a more appreciative congregation.

Thank you for everything you do. You are a tremendous resource for those of us out here in the proverbial wild!

1 Can I add a few pedals? Yes, I can! Can I fill out these chords? You bet! Can I insert some passing notes or make this chord more colorful? That would be lovely!

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: CCWatershed Feedback, Reader Feedback Corpus Christi Watershed Last Updated: January 30, 2025

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    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
    “Reminder” — Month of October (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
    “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

Quick Thoughts

    “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 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

“Johann Baptist Singenberger (d. 1924) held in trust a letter from Pius X giving him permission to use men and women in his festival choirs. He neither published it nor used it, lest he embarrass the Holy Father.”

— Monsignor Francis P. Schmitt (August 1957)

Recent Posts

  • “Three Reasons To Shun Bad Hymns” • Daniel B. Marshall
  • “Puzzling Comment” • By A Respected FSSP Priest
  • New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
  • “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
  • “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)

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