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Corpus Christi Watershed

“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

“Cannot” vs. “Will Not” in Sacred Music

Jeff Ostrowski · January 26, 2014

ONALD REAGAN was known as “The Great Communicator.” I will probably be remembered as “The Lousy Communicator.” For a long time, I’ve tried to explain that we’re unable to respond to all the emails we receive. If I were to adequately reply to each message, I’d have to stop everything else I’m doing and devote hours to email correspondence. Watershed would then cease to exist, because; (1) the monthly internet fees would not get paid; (2) folks would eventually stop donating because the president is not fulfilling his duties. Therefore, the choice is rather simple, as far as I’m concerned.

Sadly, certain people still believe that our failure to reply to every email is a “choice” we make. I just received a long email (including some very “crude” language) accusing me of all kinds of nasty things for not replying to an email. This person, like several others I’ve encountered, believes that I didn’t reply “because I didn’t want to.” I’ve obviously been unsuccessful in describing the difference 1 between “will not” and “cannot.” For the record, that person also called me “a hypocrite” and “morally bankrupt.”

THIS TOPIC IS ACTUALLY RELATED to Sacred music on a local level. I truly believe that many Catholics, especially priests, desire to have prayerful, dignified, excellent music during their liturgies. This is something they truly want. They’re even willing to pay for it. The problem is, they can’t seem to locate a really good director of music. In other words, it’s impossible for them in spite of their ardent desire.

This probably seems like a fairly “harsh” reality. Well, so be it. In many ways, music is difficult. It requires talent, years of careful listening, and (more often than not) expensive training. From time to time, I’ll notice one of my friends giving a workshop on liturgical music, and I secretly cringe when the advertising implies that a few days’ study will allow the participants to go home and successfully implement a musical program.

However, I have some good news. We’ve been working hard on something special … for about three (3) years! We’re getting very close to releasing information about this project. I’m not a patient person, and resisting the temptation to “let the cat out of the bag” has been extremely difficult. Please join our mailing list so you’ll be the first to hear about this project.

I believe this project will make a tremendous and immediate difference. Granted, this release will only mark the first stage of a large project we have planned. Still, I feel it will make a huge difference and we’re extremely excited!



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   Our parents did a good job teaching us what “can” means. When we were children, we’d say, “Mommy, can we go out and play?” She’d invariably reply, “Oh, I’m sure you’re capable of doing that.” Then we’d have to say, “Mommy, may we go out and play?”

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Resources for training in Church music Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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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

    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

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

“We know that originally the offertories of the repertoire included a series of verses, just like the introit and the communion, but generally more ornate. Many of these are musical compositions of great beauty. They quickly fell into disuse, and we find them only in the most ancient manuscripts. The only remaining trace of this older arrangement in our present-day liturgy is that of the offertory of the Requiem Mass.”

— Dom Joseph Gajard (1956)

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