Views from the Choir Loft

Cardinal Burke, Maestro Charles Cole, A Great Blog

Corpus Christi Watershed · March 27, 2013

UR READERS NEED to be aware of the personal Blog of conductor Charles Cole: charlescole.com. One of the leading choral conductors alive today (if not the most prominent), Mæstro Cole is also a gifted scholar, photographer, and renowned organist. He’s giving a concert 13 April 2013 at Notre Dame, Paris, and we are so pleased to see the Bach Eb Fugue (“St. Anne”) on the program. The picture you see on the right was taken in a private audience [url] his choir boys had with Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. Mæstro Cole’s choir was mentioned by name in one of Pope Benedict XVI’s final public appearances. Bravo!

Those who have followed Corpus Christi Watershed will know the special connection we have with Blessed Cardinal Newman and the oratories:

* * Cardinal Newman Link #1 [url]

* * Cardinal Newman Link #2 [url]

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

Can You Spare 33 Seconds?

Here’s an audio excerpt (33 seconds) of a setting for Kyrie VIII which was recorded live last Sunday at our parish in Los Angeles. The setting (“Missa de Angelis”) is by composer Richard Rice, and you can download the free PDF if you click here and scroll to the bottom. I think Richard’s composition is marvelous. I missed a few notes on the organ, but I’ll get them right next time.

—Jeff Ostrowski

5 April 2021 • When Girls Sing

Covid restrictions here in California are still extremely severe—switching “two weeks to flatten the curve” into “two years to flatten the curve.” Since 2020, we’ve had police breaking into our church to check if everyone is wearing a mask…even when only 5-6 people are present! But we were allowed to have a small percentage of our singers back on Easter Sunday, and here is their live recording of the ancient Catholic hymn for Eastertide: Ad Cenam Agni Providi. The girls were so very excited to sing again—you can hear it in their voices!

—Jeff Ostrowski

29 March 2021 • FEEDBACK

“E.S.” in North Dakota writes: “I just wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU for all the hard work you have put—and continue to put—into your wonderful website. In the past two years, my parish has moved from a little house basement into a brand new church and gone from a few families receiving Low Masses twice a month to several families (and many individuals) receiving Mass every Sunday, two Saturdays a month, and every Holy Day. Our priest has been incorporating more and more High Masses and various ceremonies into our lives, which has made my job as a huge newbie choir master very trying and complicated. CCWatershed has been an invaluable resource in helping me get on my feet and know what to do!!! Thank you more than I can express! May God bless you abundantly and assist you in your work and daily lives!”

—Jeff Ostrowski