Views from the Choir Loft

How Dare We Complain?

Jeff Ostrowski · August 2, 2014

HY DO WE COMPLAIN about the sufferings of this world? Nobody has ever lived in such luxurious times as ours.

Can you imagine trying to provide lunch for your family in the year 1300AD? How about 600AD? How about 50BC?

Someone might say, “Oh, well, people in those days grew their own gardens.” But this is not true, because some were tax collectors, others were soldiers, others servants, and so on. Moreover, what if the soil wasn’t fertile? What if a drought came? What if bugs, animals, thieves, or enemy soldiers stole fruits from your garden? What if you didn’t know how to cultivate a garden, or what types of plants to grow? What if you were handicapped, or mentally challenged, or very sick? What if you had to raise (and butcher) an animal whenever you wanted a bit of meat? How can you maintain a balanced diet when you must rely on that which you scavenge? What did they do before refrigeration? What did they do before running water? What if you had both arms amputated, like so many after the Civil War? What did they do before modern medicine, electricity, alarm systems, telephones, cars, email, and all our modern technology?

This whole thing started because I was showing a friend of mine one of the ancient manuscripts found in the Jogues Missal. This particular one came from 1070AD:

My friend said the manuscript “looked OK“—whereas I think it’s marvelous, glorious, fantastic … especially considering the difficulties of ordinary life in those days!

Sometimes I think people have a hard time understanding history. They really don’t understand the difference between life in 1850AD, 1450AD, or 600AD. Perhaps I have an advantage. Ever since I was a child I’ve studied the lives of the great pianists (1+2), whose biographies are “bound up with history” (as Fulton Sheen would say).

Getting back to the main point: How blessed we are! How dare we complain? How dare we shirk the work God has given to us?

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come…”

About Jeff Ostrowski

A theorist, organist, and conductor, Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004), and did graduate work in Musicology. He serves as choirmaster for the new FSSP parish in Los Angeles, where he resides with his wife and children.

Too much music!

Choosing music for the Sacred Music Symposium requires careful consideration. We make sure (always) to have great variety. Because the schedule is so full, there’s never sufficient time to discuss the music fully—indeed, we could easily do a month-long seminar on each piece! For example, last year Dr. Calabrese conducted a setting of the Magnificat by Father Guerrero (d. 1599). It is one of the most magnificent (pardon the pun) pieces ever written, and I wish I had time to point out the brilliant way he syncopates the word “dispersit,” which means “He has scattered” or “He has dispersed.” Superb!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Sharing Is Caring”

I would like to share a message from a highly respected scholar. (His articles appear in distinguished journals such as Études grégoriennes and Oxford’s Early Music.) He wrote as follows:

The Brébeuf Hymnal is very tastefully done. Your team has exquisite literary and musical taste. I see from my copy of the hymnal that you also set Ex more docti to “Rockingham” (one of my favorite melodies for “When I survey the wondrous cross”). I especially appreciate the background information at the bottom of the page. When I played at the Lutheran church, I would always have a little note about the music, sometimes about a hymn, if the “Hymnal Companion” offered something of interest. The church we attend has battered Worship II hymnals (one per pew), but almost nobody seems to want to sing. I congratulate you on the staggering amount of work it took to produce the Brébeuf hymnal: excellent contents and production.

—Jeff Ostrowski

What Frightens Me

The world’s experts have been releasing contradictory statements Re: Covid-19. I am neither a doctor nor a scientist, so I won’t comment; but I have something to say about the spine-tingling predictions made by certain politicians. When I was growing up, they told us “within ten years” we would starve due to overpopulation. The next year, they said “within ten years” we would fry due to global warming. The next year, they told us “within ten years” the oceans would have no fish because of overfishing. The next year, they told us “within ten years” the deficit would become unsustainable and we’d all go bankrupt. The next year, they told us “within ten years” there would be no clean water due to pollution. None of these things happened.

I believe in taking every precaution. I urge our readers to take Covid-19 seriously. At the same time, we have an obligation to consider the effects of our “reaction”—yet few seem to be doing this. And that really scares me.

—Jeff Ostrowski

On 12 March 1908, Feast of St. Gregory the Great, the complete publication of the “Graduale” was issued by the Vatican Press. That very day, Dom Pothier solemnly presented the first copy to the Holy Father. Pius X wished to be the first to see the new book; he opened it at random, at page 128 of the supplement “pro aliquibus locis”—the Introit of the new Feast of Our lady of Lourdes. The Pope sang it with perfect taste to the last note.

— A witness of the papal audience writing circa 1915