Views from the Choir Loft

Summer Sacred Music Workshop • This Weekend!

Andrew Leung · July 21, 2016

HE WORKSHOP is finally here. The Summer Sacred Music Workshop 2016 will be held at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Chattanooga this weekend, from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening. Information including the full schedule of this year’s workshop can be found on the official website of Southeastern Sacred Music. I am sad to inform everyone that I won’t be able to attend this workshop. I will stay in touch with the faculty members and post a report about the event later. I am also hoping to release here, on Views from the Choir Loft, the two plenary talks: “The Spiritual Fruits of Gregorian Chant” by Dr. Jennifer Donelson and “The Revolution of Obedience” by Fr. David Carter.

Everyone is invited to join the Solemn Vespers at the basilica at 7pm on Friday. Fr. Samuel Weber, OSB, has been commissioned to develop the program for this Sung Vespers. It will be premiered on the very first Feast of St. Mary Magdalene.

Following Vespers, there will be an organ recital featuring four talented organist: Joseph D’Amico, Bruce Ludwick Jr., Ericka McCarty and Andrea Tierney. This organ recital will showcase the basilica’s historic pipe organ as the King of Instruments of sacred music. A range of musical styles and levels of difficulty will be presented, as an inspiration for all parishes and aspiring organists. There is also an “Open Mic” opportunity for organists attending the workshop.

The Closing Mass at 4pm on Saturday is also open to the public. The Sung Mass will be offered in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite by Fr. David Carter, the rector of the basilica. The music, including the Propers, Gregorian Ordinaries and two motets, will be provided by the participants.

Don’t miss these events and the basilica’s holy door if you are in the area! Please keep all the attendees in your prayers, for safe travels and fruitful 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).

Dr. Mahrt explains the ‘Spoken’ Propers

In 1970, the Church promulgated a new version of the Roman Missal. It goes by various names: Ordinary Form, Novus Ordo, MISSALE RECENS, and so on. If you examine the very first page, you’ll notice that Pope Saint Paul VI explains the meaning of the ‘Spoken Propers’ (which are for Masses without singing). A quote by Dr. William P. Mahrt is also included in that file. The SPOKEN PROPERS—used at Masses without music—are sometimes called The Adalbert Propers, because they were created in 1969 by Father Adalbert Franquesa Garrós, one of Hannibal Bugnini’s closest friends (according to Yves Chiron).

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Music List” (1st Sunday of Advent)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 30 November 2025, which is the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is quite memorable, and the fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • Christ the King Sunday

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 23 November 2025, which is the 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. In the 1970 Missal, this Sunday is known as: Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Universorum Regis (“Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe”). As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the magnificent feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Translations Approved for Liturgical Use”

According to the newsletter for USSCB’s Committee on Divine Worship dated September 1996, there are three (3) translations of the Bible which can be used in the sacred liturgy in the United States. You can read this information with your own eyes. It seems the USCCB and also Rome fully approved the so-called NRSV (“New Revised Standard Version”) on 13 November 1991 and 6 April 1992 but this permission was then withdrawn in 1994.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

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

“Many other things most justly keep me in the bosom [of the Catholic Church]. The consent of peoples and nations keeps me in the Church; so does her authority, inaugurated by miracles, nourished by hope, enlarged by love, established by age. The succession of priests keeps me, beginning from the very seat of the Apostle Peter, to whom the Lord, after His resurrection, gave it in charge to feed His sheep, down to the present episcopate.”

— Saint Augustine (Epistle against Manichaeus)