Views from the Choir Loft

Free PDF Download: Complete Gospel Acclamations (172 pages) • Le Moyne & Le Jeune

Corpus Christi Watershed · July 9, 2014

ANY CATHOLIC MUSICIANS have been downloading Gospel Acclamations each week from this website, which contains free musical settings by Jeff Ostrowski, Jon Naples, Royce Nickel, Aristotle Esguerra, Aurelio Porfiri, and many others.

The print-on-demand company Lulu is now making these scores available in book format. This is the first book, and the second book is also available.

Hard copies are here:

* * Organist Book (172 pages) — $22.95

* * Vocalist Book (172 pages) — $15.95

The PDF Download is here:

* * PDF Download — Complete Gospel Acclamations (172-pages)

Save money with this Lulu Coupon—but notice the expiration date.

For your congregational “Order of Worship,” this might help :

Gregorian Notation (Image) • Modern Notation (Image)

These correspond perfectly with an exciting new publication for Catholics in the pews.

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

Requesting Our Advent Eucharistic Hymn

A young lady named Agnes wrote to us: “Dear Mr. Ostrowski, do you have the PDF score for Ave Corpus Domini set to the ADVENT melody? Last year, we sang the hymn tune “Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland” quite a bit using your contrafactum technique. My choir appreciates the Latin hymns and practice videos, especially in the ADVENT and CHRISTMAS seasons. Your recent article on Gregorian Psalm Tones is a great help to my organist brother, and reminds us of attending VESPERS years ago when we lived in California. Thank you so much for all the effort put into providing these wonderful resources!” Agnes, if you are listening! Yes, the PDF file you desire can be downloaded for free at the Brébeuf Portal via this URL link. Thanks for writing to us!

—Jeff Ostrowski

Message from the Vice-President!

The Vice-President of the Church Music Association of America, Dr. Horst Buchholz (who also serves as Director of Sacred Music for the Archdiocese of Detroit) sent us an email yesterday regarding the harmonizations (PDF) I composed for the Gregorian Chant psalm tones. Dr. Buchholz says: “Those settings are absolutely exquisite, as I'm used to when it comes from you. Bravo! Well done! Now, as a sequel, if you could write something for accompanying psalms in English that would be awesome.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Seven (7) Hymn Verses for November!

In the month of November, we remember in a special way the souls in purgatory. The BRÉBEUF HYMNAL often includes text alone versions for its hymns; why is that? The short answer is: flexibility. The “text only” version allows each choirmaster to employ a myriad of melodies. For example, I recently set the English translation of “De Profúndis” with the DAVOST MELODY (PDF). We are singing this before November ends. Indeed, you can hear our volunteer singing this (in real life) if you click here.

—Jeff Ostrowski