ALESTRINA COMPOSED a Mass setting based on a famous hymn tune often used as a contrafact. (If you don’t know what a “CONTRAFACT” is, please consider obtaining my seminar, because I emphasize it constantly.) Palestrina called his Mass: “Jam Christus Astra Ascenderat.” But I called it something different in the booklets, for a variety of reasons. For one thing, that year’s conference focused on strophic hymns, but the elision between astra and ascenderat distracted from that. More importantly, I was worried people might erroneously believe to be an Ascension hymn. It’s actually a hymn for the Pentecost octave. Translated into English, its first line says: “Christ had now ascended to heaven.”
Unfair Criticism • I bring this up to emphasize today’s theme: EXPERIENCE. Someone online was attacking me for failing to refer to the tune as Jam Christus Astra Ascenderat.1 I tried not to let it bother me. The fact is, there is no “correct” way to refer to that tune—because it’s a CONTRAFACT. Nevertheless, a few weeks later in a common reference book (used by thousands) I saw Palestrina’s Mass erroneously classified as “a Mass for the feast of the Ascension.” This shows that I was 100% correct. My years of experience had paid off.
M Continue reading today’s article,
M and you’ll see that it’s all about
M the importance of EXPERIENCE.
Gregorian Chant On Five Lines • On 12 March 1938, Joseph Gogniat wrote: “Some editors who understood how much more exact the Gregorian notation was—the neums, as we call them—printed these notes on five lines instead of four, and changed the traditional do and fa clefs to the modern treble clef.” Father Karl Weinmann did that; and all his publications can be downloaded for free at the Saint John Lalande Library. In 1920, René Paris also published a book with CARMEN GREGORIANUM printed on five lines—and that book (“Manuel des Processions et Bénédictions du Très Saint Sacrement”) can be freely downloaded at the Saint John Lalande Library. Abbat Pothier’s protégé, Dom Lucien David, published 1,638 pages of plainsong on five lines, notated according to the Church’s official rhythm.
Hymn For Lent • Owing to of real-life experience, the conscientious choirmaster realizes the great value of “five lines” whenever plain-chant alternates with modern notation. The following hymn demonstrates that. Speaking of experience, the conscientious choirmaster will avoid having volunteer choirs sing demanding SATB refrains one after the other without ceasing. That’s why the following has a MODE V psalm tone interspersed:
* PDF Download • JAM CHRISTE SOL JUSTITIAE
—Hymn for Lent with verses in a MODE V psalm tone.
—Literal translation of the Latin © SOPHIA INSTITUTE PRESS.
For the record, this Lenten Hymn—“JAM CHRISTE SOL JUSTITIAE”—has absolutely nothing to do with “Jam Christus Astra Ascenderat.” (But its first nine letters are the same.)
The Same In English • The Preface to the EDITIO VATICANA says: “Primo ígitur curándum est ut verba quæ cantántur plane perfectéque intelligántur (BENEDICTUS XIV). Cantus enim opórtet ut lítteræ sensum non evácuet sed fecúndet (S. BERNARDUS, Ep. 312).” Translated into English that means: “In the first place, the text being sung must be understood clearly and correctly (Benedict XIV). The melody must emphasise the meaning of the text, not hide it (St. Bernard, Letter 312).” Therefore, my choir frequently sings a version in Latin as well as a version in English. Here’s that same Lenten hymn as sung last Sunday by the females in our volunteer parish choir:
Experience Again! • The conscientious choirmaster knows the value of shared melodies (a.k.a. “Common Tunes”). The following video demonstrates our employment last Sunday of the “shared melodies” technique:
Believe it or not, that’s actually a Roman Catholic (!) translation written in 1670AD for “Crux Fidélis” (the sixth-century hymn sung on Good Friday).
Six Thoughts On Reform:
Experience (1 of 6) • Many of the post-conciliar liturgical reforms were enacted rather haphazardly and with reprehensible haste. In the words of CARDINAL ANTONELLI (appointed by Pope Saint Paul VI as “Secretary of the Conciliar Commission on the Liturgy” on 4 October 1962): “Bugnini has only one interest: press ahead and finish.” Indeed, Professor Bouyer (a close friend of Paul VI) admitted in his memoirs that his team of liturgical reformers were doomed from the start, since their goal had been “recasting from top to bottom—and in a few months!—an entire liturgy which had required twenty centuries to develop.”
Experience (2 of 6) • Because of this reality, I believe someday the post-conciliar liturgical reforms will be re-examined by a new generation of priests and scholars. When precisely will this happen? Of course I can’t answer that. However, I do believe two (2) things must happen before this “reëvaluation” can take place. First of all, I believe a Missale Project must be undertaken. I spoke about that in a recent article. Corpus Christi Watershed—along with others—has been making source material available over the years. If God wills, this will continue. An example would be the fabulous discovery by Andrea Leal.
Experience (3 of 6) • The second undertaking that must happen—in my humble opinion—is a careful “examination” or “study project” or “autopsy” on the events which followed SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM. Most people don’t realize, for example, the “Novus Ordo Missæ” was previewed at the October 1967 Synod in Rome—and it was rejected by the majority of bishops. Most people don’t realize the significance of that! In those days, it was quite unusual for the bishops to oppose the pope. Even Msgr. Bugnini admitted: “It must be said flatly that the experiment was not a success.” Because this prototype was rejected, CARDINAL LERCARO (who had been in charge of the Consilium) resigned on 9 January 1968 at the request of the Pope.
Experience (4 of 6) • After Cardinal Lercaro’s resignation—at the most critical and precarious time imaginable for the reform!—Pope Saint Paul VI literally “gutted” the Consilium. By that I mean, having dispensed with Lercaro (head of the Consilium) as well as Cardinal Larraona (head of the Sacred Congregation of Rites) he put both of them under the control of BENNO CARDINAL GUT (d. 1970).
Experience (5 of 6) • Very few people seem to know anything about Benno Cardinal Gut. This is astounding when we consider he was—at least nominally—in charge of the entire liturgical reform beginning in 1968. I studiously avoid making predictions on this blog, but I’ll out on a limb today. I believe that as the years roll on, much more will be revealed about BENNO CARDINAL GUT and the “gutting” of both (!) the Consilium and the Sacred Congregation of Rites.
Experience (6 of 6) • I promised today’s blog article would be about EXPERIENCE. And I wasn’t kidding. It seems that one of the major failings by Pope Saint Paul VI was how he tried to ‘ram through’ the revised-revised “Novus Ordo Missæ” in 1968 (after the prototype had been rejected by the bishops in 1967). According to the brilliant scholar, Yves Chiron:
Anyone with experience working for the church can see that was a terrible idea. First of all, the celebrants should not have been (quite literally) the closest associates of Msgr. Bugnini. More importantly, why did they choose members of the Curia and just six (6) non-clerics to attend these experimental Masses? [That is: two sisters and four regular lay persons.] Are you kidding me? The ancient liturgy is going to be completely revamped, and will be given a trial run with just six non-clerics? At a minimum, there should have been hundreds of ‘experimental’ Masses attended by thousands of Catholics from all over the world: South America, Africa, United States, Europe, and so forth. It’s almost impossible to believe they thought that three (3) experimental Masses in the presence of six non-clerics was sufficient.
Conclusion • Almighty God, by snapping His fingers, could create 1,000 planets more splendid than earth. God doesn’t need me to accomplish His ends. That being said, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that Corpus Christi Watershed might have a roll to play in the “re-examination” I’ve been speaking about. The most important thing is to give proper sourcing (“footnotes”) for all statements. It’s also crucial to provide information in a professional way, not a “hysterical” way.
1 For the record, this particular person had no experience directing a choir. To this day, he’s never stood in front of a real choir. That’s often the case when it comes to “cyber critics.”
