• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

  • Our Team
  • Catholic Hymnal
  • Jogues Missal
  • Site Map
  • Donate
Views from the Choir Loft

Lesson 4: A Practical Example

How does this method work in practice? Let us take an example of the Lux Aeterna chant from the Requiem Mass. As was mentioned already, the Do Clef tells us where Do is. Then we count down like this:

Now that we know where Do is, it is easy to mark the rest of the solfege:

The following video shows how you can sing the chant in solfege. Then, it goes through it in the “French” system of numbers (see above). Finally, it goes through it with the Latin words:

As you can see by these two examples (PDF), it is possible to notate entire Gregorian pieces using nothing but Solfege or the French number system. If you think this is fun, here are hundreds more (PDF), compiled by Justine Ward.

This may seem very difficult, but the really good news is that after you figure out the first 2-3 notes, the entire piece seems to “fall into place” easily. However, if you miss the first interval or so, you are in for a rocky ride!

When there are large skips in a piece, they need to be “filled in.” Filling in the intervals is something that must be practiced constantly. Even the professionals sometimes need to “fill in” an interval to make sure they are singing it correctly.

Here’s how it works. When the singer is presented with a large skip, how can he know how it should sound?

It could sound like any of these:

So, how can we know which is the correct skip? The only way to know for sure is to “fill in” the difficult interval, like so:

GO BACK

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

5 March 2021 • “A policeman” — really?

According to Monsignor Frederick R. McManus, there were “policemen” serving the Sanhedrin in the time of Our Blessed Lord. Look at this awful translation in the 1966 “Saint Andrew Bible Missal” from 1966. Yuck!

—Jeff Ostrowski
4 March 2021 • Can you spare 15 seconds?

Due to Covid-19, California has basically been under “lock down” for 11 months, and these restrictions have had quite a detrimental effect on our choral programs. We are frequently limited to just 2-3 singers, on account of regulations by the government and our Archdiocese. However, although the number of singers is quite small, I was struck by the beauty of the singing last Sunday. Listen to this 15-second live excerpt and see if you agree?

—Jeff Ostrowski
Surprising Popularity!

One of our most popular downloads has proven to be the organ accompaniment to “The Monastery Hymnal” (131 pages). This book was compiled, arranged, and edited by Achille P. Bragers, who studied at the Lemmensinstituut (Belgium) about thirty years before that school produced the NOH. Bragers might be considered an example of Belgium “Stile Antico” whereas Flor Peeters and Jules Van Nuffel represented Belgium “Prima Pratica.” You can download the hymnal by Bragers at this link.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Some of our younger parish clergy read their sermons. This should not be done except for some very special reason. The priest who is not capable of preparing and delivering a brief, clear instruction on Catholic teaching to his people is not fit to be in parish work. The people as a rule do not want to listen to a sermon reader.”

— Archbishop of Baltimore (9 July 1929)

Recent Posts

  • 5 March 2021 • “A policeman” — really?
  • 4 March 2021 • Can you spare 15 seconds?
  • Now Online! • “Missale Romanum” (1615 edition)
  • “Ash Wednesday” • Banned by YouTube after 93,000 Views!
  • Three Ways to Improvise at the Organ

Subscribe to the CCW Mailing List

Copyright © 2021 Corpus Christi Watershed · Charles Garnier on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

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.