Views from the Choir Loft

A Fond Farewell

Dr. Peter Kwasniewski · December 18, 2014

BLESSED CHRISTMAS to each and every one of you! It is hard to believe how time flies (cliché alert). My first blog entry at Views from the Choir Loft was posted a little over two years ago, on December 22, 2012. Since that time, I have contributed 100 Thursday columns. It has been tremendous fun and a lot of work, as we have explored all kinds of liturgical topics, reform and renewal, Vatican II, tradition, liberalism, music and fine art, culture and inculturation, silence, spiritual classics, social teaching, and more.

Due to some developments in my career—principally my role on a team of scholars undertaking a massive Aquinas translation funded by the NEH, and my upcoming sabbatical work on academic projects—I have had to make the difficult decision to step down from the band of regular contributors to Views from the Choir Loft. I have enjoyed contributing to the amazing “sacred music empire” that is Corpus Christi Watershed. I am particularly grateful to my fellow bloggers for their excellent posts, which gave me lots of good advice, ideas, and resources, and I am no less grateful to you, dear readers from across the world, for your steady support, encouragement, and enthusiasm for all things Catholic.

I have always been and continue to be an ardent supporter of Corpus Christi Watershed, which will remain the permanent host site for my Sacred Choral Works. I will continue as a staff writer at New Liturgical Movement as well as an anonymous blog, although my contributions may thin out as the grant and sabbatical projects loom larger.

Friends, musicians, countrymen, Catholics—thank you and please say a prayer for me. May our Lord Jesus Christ, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, pour out His mercies upon you.

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

About Dr. Peter Kwasniewski

A graduate of Thomas Aquinas College (B.A. in Liberal Arts) and The Catholic University of America (M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy), Dr. Peter Kwasniewski is currently Professor at Wyoming Catholic College. He is also a published and performed composer, especially of sacred music.

Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published

Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.

—Jeff Ostrowski

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

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