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Corpus Christi Watershed

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Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • “Gloria III” Organ Accompaniment

Jeff Ostrowski · March 29, 2025

T IS SURELY one of music history’s great ironies. Dom André Mocquereau began his career utterly opposed to the mensuralist interpretation of Gregorian Chant, which was commonly used for singing from “corrupt” editions like the EDITIO MEDICAEA. But in the end, Dom Mocquereau ended up promoting a rhythmic interpretation sometimes called Neo-Mensuralism because it lengthens almost every other note. That interpretation had been explicitly condemned by Pope Pius X, and that legislation was reiterated by the Vatican for the next fifty years.1 But why did Dom Mocquereau do such a thing, after Pope Pius X fought so bravely for authentic sacred music? We can’t know for certain, but there are 3 basic theories: Three M’s. The first is Misunderstanding: Dom Mocquereau simply misinterpreted the ancient manuscripts. The second is Malice: Dom Mocquereau wanted to get even with Dom Pothier because he’d ardently wanted his 1903 edition adopted, but the pope chose Pothier’s edition instead. The third is Money: viz. the “financial imperatives” discovered in secret correspondence by Dr. Katharine Ellis of Cambridge University.

Jeff’s Attempt • So how does the “official rhythm” actually sound? Below, I demonstrate with one of the greatest versions of the Glória in excélsis—viz. GLORIA III.

*  PDF Download • ORGAN ACCOMPANIMENT
*  PDF Download • VOCALIST SCORE

Here’s the direct URL link.

We printed these congregational inserts and placed them inside the covers of the Saint Isaac Jogues Illuminated Missal, Gradual, and Lectionary.

Nothing Deficient • I have argued that we should sing the official melodies the way they were intended to be sung by the Vatican Commission on Gregorian Chant, which was responsible for creating the official edition. As far as I can tell, nobody has been able to demonstrate anything “deficient” or “lacking” or “undesirable” or “inadequate” about the official rhythm. A list of famous musicians who used the official rhythm would include: Flor Peeters; Father Xavier Mathias (who in 1913 founded the Saint Leo Institute for Sacred Music at Strasburg Cathedral); Professor Max Springer (student of Antonín Dvořák); Most Rev’d H. Laurent Janssens; Marcel Dupré; Monsignor Franz Nekes (called “The German Palestrina”); Alfons Desmet; Aloysius Desmet; Oscar De Puydt; Father Karl Weinmann; the Wiltberger brothers; Professor Amédée Gastoué; Abbat Urbanus Bomm; Charles-Marie Widor; Joseph Gogniat; Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel; Monsignor Jules Vyverman; Marinus de Jong; Gustaaf Nees; Henri Durieux; Edgard de Laet; Monsignor Johannes Overath; Monsignor Francis P. Schmitt; Dr. Karl Gustav Fellerer; and Dom Lucien David.

Seeking Feedback • I’d love to hear your thoughts on this matter. Surely I’m not the only one interested in the rhythm of plainsong! Feel free to tell me where I’ve gone astray—but if you do that please make sure to include specific examples.

1 I must admit that I’ve never understood why some priests and musicians—who are responsible for Mass according to the liturgical books of 1962—are so very careful about every last rubric pertaining to the ceremonies but totally ignore the musical legislation.

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

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: Abbat Joseph Pothier, Andre Mocquereau Theory of Rhythm, Dom Lucien David Saint Wandrille Abbey, Gregorian Organ Accompaniments, Gregorian Rhythm Wars, Gregorian Semiology, Sémiologie grégorienne Last Updated: May 5, 2025

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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

    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —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

“Vatican II did not say anything about the direction of the celebrant. […] I love both directions of celebrating Mass. Both are full of meaning for me. Both help me to encounter Christ—and that is, after all, the purpose of the liturgy.”

— Christoph Cardinal Schönborn (February 2007)

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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.

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