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“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

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Views from the Choir Loft

“Cannot” vs. “Will Not” in Sacred Music

Jeff Ostrowski · January 26, 2014

ONALD REAGAN was known as “The Great Communicator.” I will probably be remembered as “The Lousy Communicator.” For a long time, I’ve tried to explain that we’re unable to respond to all the emails we receive. If I were to adequately reply to each message, I’d have to stop everything else I’m doing and devote hours to email correspondence. Watershed would then cease to exist, because; (1) the monthly internet fees would not get paid; (2) folks would eventually stop donating because the president is not fulfilling his duties. Therefore, the choice is rather simple, as far as I’m concerned.

Sadly, certain people still believe that our failure to reply to every email is a “choice” we make. I just received a long email (including some very “crude” language) accusing me of all kinds of nasty things for not replying to an email. This person, like several others I’ve encountered, believes that I didn’t reply “because I didn’t want to.” I’ve obviously been unsuccessful in describing the difference 1 between “will not” and “cannot.” For the record, that person also called me “a hypocrite” and “morally bankrupt.”

THIS TOPIC IS ACTUALLY RELATED to Sacred music on a local level. I truly believe that many Catholics, especially priests, desire to have prayerful, dignified, excellent music during their liturgies. This is something they truly want. They’re even willing to pay for it. The problem is, they can’t seem to locate a really good director of music. In other words, it’s impossible for them in spite of their ardent desire.

This probably seems like a fairly “harsh” reality. Well, so be it. In many ways, music is difficult. It requires talent, years of careful listening, and (more often than not) expensive training. From time to time, I’ll notice one of my friends giving a workshop on liturgical music, and I secretly cringe when the advertising implies that a few days’ study will allow the participants to go home and successfully implement a musical program.

However, I have some good news. We’ve been working hard on something special … for about three (3) years! We’re getting very close to releasing information about this project. I’m not a patient person, and resisting the temptation to “let the cat out of the bag” has been extremely difficult. Please join our mailing list so you’ll be the first to hear about this project.

I believe this project will make a tremendous and immediate difference. Granted, this release will only mark the first stage of a large project we have planned. Still, I feel it will make a huge difference and we’re extremely excited!



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   Our parents did a good job teaching us what “can” means. When we were children, we’d say, “Mommy, can we go out and play?” She’d invariably reply, “Oh, I’m sure you’re capable of doing that.” Then we’d have to say, “Mommy, may we go out and play?”

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Resources for training in Church music Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

Alabama Assessment!

We received this evaluation of Symposium 2022 from an Alabama participant:

“Oh, how the Symposium echoed the words of Cardinal Merry Del Val: …choosing only what is most conformed to Thy glory, which is my final aim. In one short and fast paced week, the faculty and attendees showed me the hand of God and our Lady working in our lives. The wide range of education—from Gregorian Chant, jazz modes in organ improvisation, to ‘staying sane’ while leading a choir—were certainly first-class knowledge from the best teachers of the art. However, the most powerful lesson was learning how to pray as a choir. The sacrifice of putting songs together, taking time to learn the sacred text, meditating on the church teaching through the chants, and gaining the virtues required to persevere in these duties were not only qualities of a choir but of a saint. The sanctification of the lives of the attendees was a beautiful outcome of this event … and that in itself is worth more than a beautifully-sung Solesmes style chant!”

—Jeff Ostrowski
PDF Download • Trinity Sunday (22 pages)

Feel free to download this Organ Accompaniment Booklet for Trinity Sunday (Second Vespers). Notice how the modes progress by number. Psalm 1 is mode 1; Psalm 2 is mode 2; Psalm 3 is mode 3; Psalm 4 is mode 4; Psalm 5 is mode 5. I am told by an expert that other feasts (such as Corpus Christi) are likewise organized by mode, and it’s called a “numerical office.”

—Jeff Ostrowski
10 June 2022 • “Official” rhythm of plainsong

I continue to search for the most beautiful way to present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores. (Technically, the “pure” rhythm of the official edition is what everyone is supposed to use.) You can download my latest attempt, which is the Introit for this coming Sunday: Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. Because this is not an ancient feast, the Introit had to be adapted (perhaps around 750AD). Prior Johner says the adaptation is “not an entirely happy one.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Ordained a diocesan priest on 7 October 1827, Guéranger was quickly named a canon (a member of the cathedral chapter of Tours). Around 1830, he demonstrated his interest in the liturgy when he began to use the Roman Missal and texts for the Divine Office, unlike many of his colleagues, who still made use of the diocesan editions commonly in use in pre-Revolutionary France.”

— Source unknown

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