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Views from the Choir Loft

Victoria Alleluia • Extraordinary & Ordinary Form

Jeff Ostrowski · July 26, 2016

VEN THOUGH VATICAN II COUNCIL mandated that Latin be preserved—inserting specific language that was no mere “recommendation”—many priests have forbidden their choir directors from singing in Latin, which means 98% of the sacred treasury mentioned by Vatican II can’t be used. Cardinal Antonelli, the first secretary of the Consilium, has affirmed that Latin should have been preserved.

Inexplicably, these same priests usually do permit other foreign languages to be used at Mass, such as Greek (Kyrie Eleison) and Hebrew (Alleluia, Hosanna). Cardinal Antonelli’s successor, Archbishop Bugnini, tried to eliminate AMEN, which he described as a “meaningless sound.” However, in a very unusual move, the Sacred Congregation of Rites overruled the Consilium, and AMEN was retained in our liturgy. 1

To summarize, musicians need not worry about their priest getting angry when they sing ALLELUIA before the Gospel. Here’s a beautiful version based on the “Ave Maris Stella” plainsong:

* *  PDF Download • ALLELUIA by Fr. Tomás Luis de Victoria

EQUAL VOICES : YouTube   •   Mp3 Audio

SOPRANO : YouTube   •   Audio

ALTO : YouTube   •   Audio

TENOR : YouTube   •   Audio

BASS : YouTube   •   Audio

At our EF Mass, we always sing a polyphonic Alleluia, then our ladies sing the verse, then we repeat the polyphonic Alleluia. The same could be done in OF Masses, but some priests might insist upon having the congregation sing “Alleluia.” If that’s your situation, do it like this:

(1) Cantor intones the following (from the Graduale Simplex):

289 Graduale Simplex ALLELUIA
(2) Entire congregation repeats the Alleluia.

(3) Choir sings the verse, according to the mode in the polyphonic score (see above).

(4) Everyone repeats the Simplex Alleluia, but at the end, the choir sings the polyphonic “extension” where the blue arrow is.

 

 


NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   One of the letters sent in opposition said: “Furthermore, the proposal to change the AMEN is illogical, because those who wish to translate AMEN into the vernacular wish to maintain intact the word ALLELUIA.”

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Alleluia Polyphonic Extension Last Updated: March 23, 2022

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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

    14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

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

The representative Protestant collection, entitled “Hymns, Ancient and Modern”—in substance a compromise between the various sections of conflicting religious thought in the Establishment—is a typical instance. That collection is indebted to Catholic writers for a large fractional part of its contents. If the hymns be estimated which are taken from Catholic sources, directly or imitatively, the greater and more valuable part of its contents owes its origin to the Church.

— Orby Shipley (1884)

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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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