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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Archives for February 2013

Aristotle A. Esguerra · February 18, 2013

First Impressions of Bishop Sample’s Pastoral Letter on Sacred Music

A bishop issues diocesan-wide directives on the role of music in the liturgy. A look at some of the more noteworthy instructions.

Fr. David Friel · February 17, 2013

Humility

The Root Virtue

Jeff Ostrowski · February 17, 2013

A Word About Hymns . . . OK, A Few Words!

Tozer: “I have, on the other hand, retained several more or less traditional tunes, absolutely valueless and without merit from a musical point of view, but which seem to have become a necessity if a book is to appeal — as I hope this one will — to the varied needs of various churches.”

Jeff Ostrowski · February 16, 2013

Famous Conductor Fired Because He Refused To Sing Hymn

The following letter was printed in the “Sacred Music Journal” (Winter of 2002). I was shocked when I first read it. It concerns a conductor famous for his performances of the works of William Byrd.

Richard J. Clark · February 15, 2013

A Proposed Lenten Fast for Musicians

Christ’s love has gathered us into one. True, we may be united in the love of Christ—but not necessarily in other things. Our differences may be vast. This is where the bounds of love and Christian charity are truly tested.

Dr. Peter Kwasniewski · February 14, 2013

The Devil’s Parody

The pro-life mentality echoes and imitates the good angels who chose eternal life by the power of sanctifying grace . . .

Jeff Ostrowski · February 14, 2013

Astounding Talk Given By Pope

We will have more on this. This is remarkable.

Corpus Christi Watershed · February 14, 2013

News Items / 14 February 2013

Some recent items of note . . .

Andrew R. Motyka · February 13, 2013

Lord, Have Mercy?

In which I make Prince references to describe the Ash Wednesday Kyrie.

Fr. David Friel · February 13, 2013

Beautiful Savior

The Meaning of Ash Wednesday

Corpus Christi Watershed · February 11, 2013

The Pope Has Prayed About This Decision For A Long Time

We are now learning that our Holy Father had been contemplating and praying about his resignation for a very long time. In April of 2009, the Holy Father visited the tomb of an obscure Pope named St. Celestine V, remarkable for a certain reason . . .

Jeff Ostrowski · February 11, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI to Step Down Feb. 28

I believe that Pope Benedict XVI will go down in history as one of the greatest Popes.

Fr. David Friel · February 10, 2013

Lovely, If Unfamiliar

Duc in Altum

Jeff Ostrowski · February 9, 2013

Reflections on the Liturgy by Andrew Nash

When we shake hands, we do not feel the need to explain, “By this gesture I am establishing contact with you.”

Richard J. Clark · February 8, 2013

Mardi Gras and Burying the Alleluia

The “Alleluia” was literally buried in the cemetery, leaving the people with the hope and anticipation of its Easter Sunday resurrection.

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    PDF Download • Communion (4th Snd. Lent)
    The COMMUNION ANTIPHON for this coming Sunday, which is the Fourth Sunday of Lent (Year A), is particularly beautiful. There’s something irresistible about this tone; it’s neither happy nor sad. As always, I encourage readers to visit the flourishing feasts website, where the complete Propria Missae may be downloaded free of charge.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Good Friday Flowers
    Good Friday has a series of prayers for various parties: the pope, catechumens, pagans, heretics, schismatics, and so forth. In the old liturgical books, there was no official ‘name’ for these prayers. (This wasn’t unusual as ‘headers’ and ‘titles’ for each section is a rather modern idea.) The Missal simply instructed the priest to go to the Epistle side and begin. In the SHERBORNE MISSAL, each prayer begins with a different—utterly spectacular—flower. This PDF file shows the first few prayers. Has anyone counted the ‘initial’ drop-cap flowers in the SHERBORNE MISSAL? Surely there are more than 1,000.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Music List • (3rd Sunday of Lent)
    Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for this coming Sunday, which is the 3rd Sunday of Lent (8 March 2026). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. This feast has magnificent propers. Its stern INTROIT (“Óculi mei semper ad Dóminum”) is breathtaking, and the COMMUNION (“Qui bíberit aquam”) with its fauxbourdon verses is wonderful. I encourage all the readers to visit the feasts website, where the Propria Missae may be downloaded completely free of charge.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Dies Irae” • A Monstrous Translation
    It isn’t easy to determine what Alice King MacGilton hoped to accomplish with her very popular book—A Study of Latin Hymns (1918)—which continued to be reprinted in new editions for at least 34 years. This PDF file shows her attempt to translate the DIES IRAE “in the fewest words possible.” There’s a place for dynamic equivalency, but this is repugnant. In particular, look what she does to “Quærens me sedísti lassus.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”
    For vigil Masses on Saturday (a.k.a. “anticipated” Masses) we use this simpler setting of the “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989), a Belgian priest, organist, composer, and music educator who ultimately succeeded another ‘Jules’ (CANON JULES VAN NUFFEL) as director of the Lemmensinstituut in Belgium. Although I could be wrong, my understanding is that the LEMMENSINSTITUUT eventually merged with “Catholic University of Leuven” (originally founded in 1425). That’s the university Fulton J. Sheen attended.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Grotesque Pairing • “Passion Chorale”
    One of our rarest releases was undoubtably this PDF scan of the complete Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959) by Father Joseph Roff, a student of Healey Willan. One of the scarcest titles in existence, this book was provided to us by Mr. Peter Meggison. Back in 2018, we scanned each page and uploaded it to our website, making it freely available to everyone. Readers are probably sick of hearing me say this, but just because we upload something that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wonderful or worthy of imitation. We upload many publications precisely because they are ‘grotesque’, interesting, or revealing. Whereas the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal had an editorial board that was careful and sensitive vis-à-vis pairing texts with tunes, the Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959) seems to have been rather reckless in this regard. Please take a look at what they did with the PASSION CHORALE and see whether you agree.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“If he converses with the learned and judicious, he delights in their talent—if with the ignorant and foolish, he enjoys their stupidity. He is not even offended by professional jesters. With a wonderful dexterity he accommodates himself to every disposition. As a rule, in talking with women (even with his own wife) he is full of jokes and banter.”

— ‘Erasmus on St. Thomas More (England’s 1st lay Chancellor)’

Recent Posts

  • Consultor to the Vatican Council Enters the Fray • (Vis-à-vis Jeff’s Pipe Organ Assertion)
  • Palm Sunday • “Repertoire for Children’s Choir”
  • PDF Download • Communion (4th Snd. Lent)
  • Most “Congregational” Hymn • (In My Experience)
  • Music is the “Humble Handmaid” of the Mass

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