Views from the Choir Loft

Video Demonstration Of Polyphony

Jeff Ostrowski · June 26, 2013

LL MY MASS SETTINGS were composed under certain constraints. It was necessary for them to be (1) relatively simple; (2) able to be sung with or without organ accompaniment; and, (3) within a “congregational” vocal range. Some might quibble with the notion that my Masses are “polyphonic,” since polyphony usually has more rests and slightly more independent vocal lines. A fairly nice definition of “polyphony” says that each voice has its own melody. In any event, I would submit that my Masses are as polyphonic as possible, given the restrictions I’ve already mentioned.

Below, I will provide links to everything required — SATB scores, organ scores, practice videos, and so forth. But first, please listen to these extremely short video demonstrations of polyphony:

* * Short Video Demonstration (1)

* * Short Video Demonstration (2)

Hopefully those videos provided a “taste” of the richness that is (I hope!) contained in each phrase of my Mass settings. You probably noticed that each phrase is “layered” — so there is always plenty to “listen for” no matter how many times the Mass is sung.

AS I PROMISED, below are the files for the SATB “Glory to God” in honor of Saint Edmund Arrowsmith. If you would like to download all four (4) of my Mass settings for the New Translation of the Roman Missal, please click here.

St. Edmund Arrowsmith “Glory to God” • Roman Missal, 3rd Edition

Cantor & Organist: (VIDEO)

SATB choral version: (VIDEO)

SATB choral score: (PDF).

Congregational score: Melody-Only (PDF)

            SATB Training Video SOPRANO:  (VIDEO)   •   (Mp3 audio)
            SATB Training Video ALTO:  (VIDEO)   •   (Mp3 audio)
            SATB Training Video TENOR:  (VIDEO)   •   (Mp3 audio)
            SATB Training Video BASS:  (VIDEO)   •   (Mp3 audio)

Finally, as I mentioned above, you can also download complete PDF scores for this entire Mass.

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

About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Michigan. —(Read full biography).

‘Bogey’ of the Half-Educated: Paraphrase

Father Adrian Porter, using the cracher dans la soupe example, did a praiseworthy job explaining the difference between ‘dynamic’ and ‘formal’ translation. This is something Monsignor Ronald Knox explained time and again—yet even now certain parties feign ignorance. I suppose there will always be people who pretend the only ‘valid’ translation of Mitigásti omnem iram tuam; avertísti ab ira indignatiónis tuæ… would be “You mitigated all ire of you; you have averted from your indignation’s ire.” Those who would defend such a translation suffer from an unfortunate malady. One of my professors called it “cognate on the brain.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Father Cuthbert Lattey • “The Hebrew MSS”

Father Cuthbert Lattey (d. 1954) wrote: “In a large number of cases the ancient Christian versions and some other ancient sources seem to have been based upon a better Hebrew text than that adopted by the rabbis for official use and alone suffered to survive. Sometimes, too, the cognate languages suggest a suitable meaning for which there is little or no support in the comparatively small amount of ancient Hebrew that has survived. The evidence of the metre is also at times so clear as of itself to furnish a strong argument; often it is confirmed by some other considerations. […] The Jewish copyists and their directors, however, seem to have lost the tradition of the metre at an early date, and the meticulous care of the rabbis in preserving their own official and traditional text (the ‘massoretic’ text) came too late, when the mischief had already been done.” • Msgr. Knox adds: “It seems the safest principle to follow the Latin—after all, St. Jerome will sometimes have had a better text than the Massoretes—except on the rare occasions when there is no sense to be extracted from the Vulgate at all.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • 9 Nov. (Dedic. Lateran)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 9 November 2025, which is the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. 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 sensational feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reminder” — Month of November (2025)

On a daily basis, I speak to people who don’t realize we publish a free newsletter (although they’ve followed our blog for years). We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and refuse to run annoying ads. As a result, our mailing list is crucial to our survival. Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.

—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