Views from the Choir Loft

Live Recording — Small Choir of Ninth Grade Singers (October, 2006)

Jeff Ostrowski · April 15, 2014

Y WIFE AND I recently celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary. Naturally, on that day, our air conditioning system and electric power malfunctioned … but it was still great.

Looking back over seven wonderful years, my thoughts went to when we first got married, when I was still teaching at a (brand new) Catholic high school. Specifically, I recalled how insane I used to be!

I would force my ninth grade students to listen to Bach’s Art of the Fugue (as well as the students in detention), and they were graded on being able to point out where the various fugue subjects entered: in augmentation, diminution, inverted, and so forth.

Non-musicians might have a hard time understanding what a quodlibet, canon, or fugue is … and who can blame them? Perhaps it would help if they listened to an ingenious combination of two patriotic songs. Credit for the idea of mixing them goes to Glenn Gould. You can download the complete score for piano & mixed chorus:

* * PDF Download: Glenn Gould Patriotic Quodlibet

… or you can listen to the following recorded excerpt (the part wherein two patriotic tunes are combined):

* * Gould/Ostrowski Quodlibet — A small choir of 9th grade singers (October (2006)

Did you hear the two melodies mixed together? If you did, you get a cookie!

WHAT CAN ONE SAY about Bach’s Art of the Fugue? Marvelous. Simply marvelous. Here’s a splendid example played by Gould on the piano:

Here’s the same piece played by Gould on the organ. For the record, critics with no imagination and inferior musical sensibilities tend not to enjoy Gould’s organ playing, but I love it. I think I read somewhere that Gould was originally an organist.

I should be careful when it comes to reminiscences of the past. I have a video of myself conducting 10 years ago and it’s pretty horrible! I may post it one of these days in a moment of weakness … stay tuned!

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).

PDF • “Music List” (Xmas Midnight Mass)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for Christmas Midnight Mass (“Ad Missam In Nocte”). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is simple, but quite beautiful. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Music List” (4th Sunday of Advent)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 21 December 2025, which is the 4th Sunday of Advent (Year A). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is the famous “Roráte Coeli” and the fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • Our Lady of Guadalupe (12 Dec.)

The Responsorial Psalm may be downloaded as a PDF file (organist & vocalist) for 12 December, which is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. When it comes to the formulary for this Mass, it’s astounding how infrequently it’s included in official books. Prior to Vatican II, one had to search through “supplemental material” printed in the back of hand-missals and graduals. But since 1970, the feast is virtually nonexistent. According to the UNIVERSAL KALENDAR, 12 December is the “Feast of Saint Jane Frances De Chantal, Religious” (Die 12 decembris: S. Ioannæ Franciscæ de Chantal, religiosæ). Why should that feast overpower Our Lady of Guadalupe? In the United States, OLG is celebrated—and I’d assume in Mexico, Central America, South America, and Canada—but, as I said, the Propria Missae are virtually impossible to locate. I possess only three books which mention this feast.

—Jeff Ostrowski

What does this mean? “Pre-Urbanite”

One of the things informed critics have frequently praised vis-à-vis the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal has to do with its careful treatment of the ancient hymns vs. the “Urbanite” hymns. This topic I had believed to be fairly well understood—but I was wrong. The reason I thought people knew about it is simple; in the EDITIO VATICANA 1908 Graduale Romanum (as well as the 1913 Liber Antiphonarius) both versions are provided, right next to each other. You can see what I mean by examining this PDF file from the Roman Gradual of 1908. Most people still don’t understand that the Urbanite versions were never adopted by any priests or monks who sang the Divine Office each day. Switching would have required a massive amount of effort and money, because all the books would need to be changed.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Santo Santo Santo”

Those searching for a dignified, brief, simple, bright setting of SANCTUS in Spanish (“Santo Santo Santo”) are invited to download this Setting in honor of Saint John Brébeuf (organist & vocalist). I wonder if there would be any interest in me recording a rehearsal video for this piece.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Pope Leo XIV on Sacred Music

On 5 December 2025, Pope Leo XIV made this declaration with regard to liturgical music.

—Corpus Christi Watershed