Views from the Choir Loft

Sacred Music Colloquium XXV — Update I

Andrew Leung · June 29, 2015

T IS GREAT TO BE HERE. It is great to be in Pittsburgh for the twenty-fifth Sacred Music Colloquium organized by the Church Music Association of America. This meeting is not only an academic conference and spiritual retreat, but also a great time to hang out with old friends and meet new ones. In the coming few days, I will be posting a report at the end of each day for friends who are not able to participate the Colloquium this year.

ONIGHT, Dr. William Mahrt, President of the Church Music Association of America, delivered his welcoming speech at the dinner. He gave an introduction on what we will be doing at this Colloquium. He mentioned the three characteristics of Sacred Music from Pope St. Pius X’s Tra le Sollecitudini: Sacred, Beautiful and Universal. He told us that we are about to experience the sacredness and beauty of the Church’s music, especially Gregorian Chant and Classical Polyphony. The aim of the Colloquium is that the participants, who will experience the sacredness and beauty of Sacred Music, will go out to the world and make it universal.

In his speech, Dr. Mahrt also talked about the Liturgies that we will be participating this week. He mentioned about the Liturgy of the Hours, he said, “We must pray the Liturgy of the Hours as the Liturgy of the Hours”. Which means that we need to pray it throughout the day. Dr. Mahrt also said that we should reflect on the relationship between the Ordinary Form and the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Masses will be celebrated in both Forms this week: once in English Novus Ordo, twice in Latin Novus Ordo and twice in Vetus Ordo.

FTER THE OPENING DINNER, we had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Ann Labounsky’s special recital on the newly-installed pipe organ in the Duquesne Chapel. The recital featured mainly French pieces, which is what Dr. Labounsky is known for, and ended with a wonderful improvisation on two themes (King’s Weston tune or “At the Name of Jesus”, and the simple tone Salve Regina) submitted by Dr. Mahrt. We ended the night with the Compline sung by almost two hundreds participants. It was truly a powerful prayer and moving experience.

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

About Andrew Leung

Andrew Leung currently serves the music director of Vox Antiqua, conductor of the Cecilian Singers, and music director at Our Lady of China Church.—(Read full biography).

“Offertory” at Catholic Funerals

I have argued that the OFFERTORY—at least in its ancient form—is more of a responsory than an antiphon. The 1962 Missal specifically calls it “Antiphona ad Offertorium.” From now on, I plan to use this beautiful setting (PDF) at funerals, since it cleverly inserts themes from the absolution of the body. Tons more research needs to be done on the OFFERTORY, which often is a ‘patchwork’ stitching together various beginnings and endings of biblical verses. For instance, if you examine the ancient verses for Dómine, vivífica me (30th Sunday in Ordinary Time) you’ll discover this being done in a most perplexing way. Rebecca Maloy published a very expensive book on the OFFERTORY, but it was a disappointment. Indeed, I can’t think of a single valuable insight contained in her book. What a missed opportunity!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“In Paradisum” • Gregorian Chant

As a RECESSIONAL on All Souls’ Day (November 2nd), we will sing In Paradísum Dedúcant Te Ángeli (PDF). When it comes to Gregorian Chant, this is one of the most popular “songs.” Frankly, all the prayers and chants from the traditional REQUIEM MASS (Missa exsequialis or Missa pro defunctis) are incredibly powerful and never should’ve been scuttled. Click here to hear “In Paradisum” in a recording I made this afternoon. Professor Louis Bouyer spoke of the way Bugnini “scuttled the office of the dead” in this fascinating excerpt from his memoirs. In his book, La riforma litugica (1983), Bugnini bragged—in quite a shameful way—about eliminating the ancient funeral texts, and even admitted those venerable texts were “beloved” (his word) by Catholics.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • All Souls (2 November)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 2 November 2025, which is the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (“All Souls”). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the top-notch feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin. In my humble opinion, it’s weird to have the feast of All Saints on a Sunday. No wonder the close associate of Pope Saint Paul VI said the revised KALENDAR was “the handiwork of a trio of maniacs.” However, I can’t deny that sometimes the sacred liturgy consists of elements that are seemingly contradictory: e.g. the Mode 7 “De Profúndis” ALLELUIA, or the Mode 8 “Dulce lignum” ALLELUIA on the various ancient feasts of the Holy Cross (3 May, 14 September, and so on).

—Jeff Ostrowski

Gospel Options for 2 November (“All Souls”)

We’ve been told some bishops are suppressing the TLM because of “unity.” But is unity truly found in the MISSALE RECENS? For instance, on All Souls (2 November), any of these Gospel readings may be chosen, for any reason (or for no reason at all). The same is true of the Propria Missæ and other readings—there are countless options in the ORDINARY FORM. In other words, no matter which OF parish you attend on 2 November, you’ll almost certainly hear different propers and readings, to say nothing of different ‘styles’ of music. Where is the “unity” in all this? Indeed, the Second Vatican Council solemnly declared: “Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community.”

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Our Father” • Musical Setting?

Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?

—Jeff Ostrowski

New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”

My pastor requested that I write short 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 latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.

—Jeff Ostrowski