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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 • “Salve Regina” [Simplex] • An Elegant English Translation (2022)

Jeff Ostrowski · December 7, 2022

EFORE I SHARE something special, I would like to remind you of a few things. In October of 2022, I posted this article, which contains four (4) different versions of the Simple Salve Regina in English. There you can find discussion about the “theory”—as Father Valentine Young would say—about setting plainsong to English (and some common pitfalls). In June of 2020, I uploaded 21 organ accompaniments for the Simple Salve Regina. That’s a URL link worth bookmarking, because you can freely download harmonizations by Father Carlo Rossini, Auguste Le Guennant, Joseph Renner, Nicola A. Montani, Dom Jean Hébert Desrocquettes, Patrick Russill, Dom Gregory Murray, Dr. Theodore Marier, Achille P. Bragers, Giulio Bas, Henri Potiron, Dr. Eugène Lapierre, Malton Boyce, and others. In August of 2022, I uploaded 32 versions of the Simple Salve Regina, and explored “Trochee Trouble” in depth.

New English Translation • I was sent a very fine English translation of the Simple Salve Regina by a member of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter. The incomparable Andrew Hinkley kindly set it to Gregorian Chant notation. You can download it free of charge:

*  PDF Download • SALVE REGINA (Simplex)
—2022 Translation by a priest of the Fraternity of Saint Peter.

Emotional Approach • We’ve spoken at length about Gregorian rhythm from a theoretical perspective. Now, let’s consider it from an ‘emotional’ perspective. Suppose you are Abbat Pothier. You spent your entire life restoring Cantus Gregorianus against incredible odds. You single handedly overturned the 30-year PPP (“Pustet Papal Privilege”). You single handedly spent years copying plainsong manuscripts, allowing you to restore the true (non-corrupted) rhythm, the full (non-truncated) melodies, and the true (modal) tonality. You single handedly invented an authentic (box notation) Gregorian font, which would last more than 120 years. You single handedly produced the Processionale, Liber Responsorialis, Liber Antiphonarius, Liber Gradualis, Toni Communes, and Ordinarium Missae. Your scores are clean and beautiful, such as this one:

Now imagine what it must have felt like to see your former student come along and place all kinds of (technically illicit) markings all over your scores:

I’m not at all certain I would be thrilled about people doing that!

Father Angelo De Santi • One of Dom Mocquereau’s biggest supporters was a Jesuit priest named Father De Santi. (You can read about him here.) According to Dom Pierre Combe, on 20 December 1903 Father De Santi “begged Dom Delatte (supplichiamo vivamente) to enjoin Dom Mocquereau to produce books in a larger format, like the format of the 1883 LIBER GRADUALIS, and without rhythmic markings…” In a letter (31 December 1903) addressed to Dom Mocquereau himself, Father de Santi repeated his pressing demand: “We implore the Fathers of Solesmes, and I have already written about this matter to the Abbot, to get to work immediately on typical editions of Gregorian chant, in the manner of the LIBER GRADUALIS, without dots and without rhythmic indications.” On 29 June 1904, the Vatican Commission on Gregorian Chant would decide that: “The Vatican Edition will not feature the rhythmic indications of the latest Benedictine editions, but will limit itself to the method already in use in the initial editions of Dom Pothier, retaining only those signs related to the groupings of notes and of members of phrases.”

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

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: French Vs German Trochee, Gregorian Rhythm Wars, plainchant notation, salve regina, Salve Regina Organ Accompaniment Last Updated: December 7, 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

    “Pope Leo XIV Has Announced…”
    My pastor asked me to write brief 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 most recent article speaks about the recent announcement by Pope Leo XIV, which does have an impact on church musicians. Scheduled for publication on 2025 08 10th, it’s called: “Pope Leo XIV Has Announced…”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Chants” • 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
    All the chants for 3 August 2025—which is the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)—have been added to the feasts website, as usual under a convenient “drop down” menu. The COMMUNION ANTIPHON (from the book of Wisdom) is stunning. That feast website has been called “the best kept secret of Church music.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Corn” From Heaven?
    The Westminster Version of the Sacred Scriptures was produced by Roman Catholics in England and bears a 15 March 1958 IMPRIMATUR from the Archbishop of Westminster. Its IMPRIMI POTEST was given by the director of the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. Sometimes words chosen by translators sound funny to American ears. For instance, one of our Responsorial Psalms has as its refrain: “The Lord gave them bread from heaven.” But the British version has “The Lord gave them corn from heaven.” Feel free to examine this with your own eyes. (It comes from Psalm 77.)
    —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

Oh, what sighs I uttered, what tears I shed, to mingle with the waters of the torrent, while I chanted to Thee, O my God, the psalms of Holy Church in the Office of the Dead!

— ‘Isaac Jogues, upon finding Goupil’s corpse (1642)’

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