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Views from the Choir Loft

Why I No Longer Compose

Jeff Ostrowski · August 28, 2014

914 Naive ROM TIME TO TIME, friends inquire why I no longer compose substantial vocal works. When I say “substantial,” I mean lengthy pieces for advanced choirs.

Once upon a time, I did write such pieces, and they were occasionally performed by serious ensembles (e.g. the Philadelphia Singers). There are actually a number of reasons I could give, but one is preëminent: I realized I cannot compete on the level of the true masters.

Yet, it’s always fun to discover early works. I recently came across an SATB version of the Veni Creator Spiritus, written for one of my composition classes. Some fellow students recorded it with me:

      * *  Veni Creator Spiritus — Jeff Ostrowski (early 2000s)

The piece certainly leaves a lot to be desired, but I have a confession to make. I actually enjoy the section midway through, starting at “Imple superna gratia.”

THE TRUE MASTERS OF THE PAST are known to all serious musicians: Morales, Victoria, Marenzio, Bach, and so on. With regard to the present, there are still true masters among us. Kevin Allen & Melanie Hadley Lina come immediately to mind.

Anton Rubinstein once said to the young Josef Hofmann: 1

            “Let those who wish to play on my level do so … if they can.”

To the masters living today, I say: “If you can survive in such an environment … do so.”   However, I don’t see myself joining that club anytime soon because—as I’ve already explained—there’s too much I lack.

I struggle mightily to comprehend the exceedingly transitory nature of our modern lives. “Here today, gone tomorrow” seems to describe perfectly the ephemeral world of 2014. When I observe our beautiful children, I realize that God is, indeed, the True Artist.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   Hofmann was possibly the world’s greatest child prodigy, up there with Felix Mendelssohn & Camille Saint-Saëns.   Speaking of Hofmann, I find this 2008 exam—from one of my high school students—extremely interesting!   Do you see why I say this?

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Josef Hofmann Pianist Extraordinaire 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

19 May 2022 • “Trochee Trouble”

I’m still trying to decide how to visually present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores, using what is (technically) the official rhythm of the Church. You can download my latest attempt, for this coming Sunday. Notice the “trochee trouble” as well as the old issue of neumes before the quilisma.

—Jeff Ostrowski
16 May 2022 • Harmonized Chant?

This year’s upcoming Sacred Music Symposium will demonstrate several ways to sing the CREDO at Mass. This is because—for many parishes—to sing a full-length polyphonic CREDO by Victoria or Palestrina is out of the question. Therefore, we show options that are halfway between plainsong and polyphony. You can hear my choir rehearsing a section that sounds like harmonized plainsong.

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • “Pure” Vatican Edition

As readers know, my choir has been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana. That is to say, the official rhythm which—technically—is the only rhythm allowed by the Church. I haven’t figured out how I want the scores to look, so in the meantime we’ve been using temporary scores that look like this. Stay tuned!

—Jeff Ostrowski

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“In accordance with the ancient tradition of the Church, institution to the ministries of reader and acolyte is reserved to men.”

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