What can medieval and renaissance music pedagogy offer to us now?
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PDF Download • SATB “Alleluia” by J.S. Bach
This short piece shimmers with beauty. The arrangement is by Monsignor René Moissenet.
“What Is Polyphony?” • With Audio Examples
A professor at our conservatory always told us: “An example is worth 1,000 words.”
Say “Hello” to the Villain Who Lied About You
Fulton J. Sheen told a story about a man who bumped into Abraham Lincoln yelling: “Get out of my way, you big ugly lummox!”
“North American Martyrs” • Stained Glass Window
Their feast is on Monday (in Canada and the EF)!
“Nobody Cares About This” • (Except Me!)
I’ve attempted to create a recording for this coming Sunday according to the official rhythm…
Saint Brigid’s School • New Choir School for the Cathedral of Saint Mary (San Francisco)
Thirty years ago most pastors would not have been open to inaugurating good sacred music programs in their parishes, but times have changed.
“My Reflections” • Re: 2022 Symposium Keynote
“I ended up spending hours, transcribing each and every word from Father Fryar’s Symposium lecture. Although it took many hours, I relished the process.” —Corrinne May
PDF Download • Brief Polyphonic “Asperges Me” for SATB by Father Guerrero (d. 1599)
Here’s my attempt at recording all the voices myself, to give you a rough idea how it sounds.
Official USCCB Synod Document: “The Limited Access to the 1962 Missal Was Lamented…”
In this official document, we find a remarkable statement!
“An Irish Hymnal?” • 126 Pages (English and Gaelic)
I find this hymn quite beautiful—and singers love it!
Adding More Spaces around Bar Lines in Gregorio
Some useful tips on adjusting the spacing in Gregorio scores.
“Did Bishop Burbidge Violate Canon 932 in Order to Punish His Flock?”
“Holy Trinity is where Josh came into the Church, went through RCIA, and was married…”
“Isolation Camps” for Summórum Catholics?
Today is the 15th anniversary of “Summorum Pontificum”—and some clerics are choosing coercion where persuasion has failed.
PDF Download • 2-Voice Eucharistic Hymn by Flor Peeters (45 pages) • Includes a Descant!
Lyrics in English, with an (optional) version in Latin.
Pre-Reformation Polyphony among the Recusants
What happened to all that polyphony once Catholicism became illegal?
PDF Download • “Choir Warm-Up Exercise”
Your singers might enjoy this vocal warm-up exercise I composed for a volunteer choir.
“Defending the English” • Brief Riposte from Uganda
“As for the subject of whether the music of Tallis, Taverner, and Tye was tainted by the reformation, I would agree with Mr. Ostrowski.” —Reader from Uganda
The Decaffeinated Choir Director: Yes, It’s Possible
Reflections on one year with no caffeine. Find out what to expect if you try it.
Feedback: “The Lack of Charity in Your Statement Stuns Me!” • Defending the English
“Was Mr. Ostrowski ever forced to see the choir stalls he sang in as a boy demolished by iconoclasts?” — Reader from Atlanta (9/8/2022)
“Pronouncing the Responses at Mass” • Phonetic Booklet for Altar Boys (Latin Mass)
This would make a splendid gift for boys attempting to memorize the Latin Mass responses.
“British Polyphony” • The Best 55 Seconds In Music!
The paradigmatic English sonority can only be described as “haunting.” There’s nothing else quite like it.
PDF Download • “Organ Interludes—including pedals—on Plainchant Melodies” (55 pages)
Father Ould and William Sewell (organist at the Birmingham Oratory of Saint Philip Neri) produced an impressive collection.
International Gregorian Chant Conference
An Online International Gregorian Chant Conference! Eight days of great talks plus time for questions and answers.
New Release! • “Four Eucharistic Motets” (34 Pages)
Composer Richard J. Clark has set four (4) well-loved Eucharistic texts for SATB choir.
PDF Downloads
PDF Download • Organ Accompaniment for Kyrie VIII (“Missa de Angelis”) by Jeff Ostrowski
I consider this my best organ accompaniment … I hope you like it!
PDF Download • Extremely Rare! — 1913 “Vesperale” by Schwann (954 pages)
Today’s release will go down in history!
PDF Download • Organ Interludes Based on Plainsong (Manuals Only) — 104 pages!
A terrific collection of organ interludes (manuals only) for free PDF download.
Pothier Teaches Us to Sing an Antiphon
A look at Dom Pothier’s performance instructions for a communion antiphon reveals a great deal of complexity in this pre-Mocquereau interpretive approach.
PDF Download • Professionally-Scanned “Graduale Romanum” (Schwann, 1908) • 1,129 pages!
This is the “pure” Vatican Edition—technically the only version of the rhythm allowed by Church documents!
PDF Download • “Sunday Vespers” (22 pages)
In spite of its imperfections, creating this (draft) booklet required much more effort than I had anticipated.