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Views from the Choir Loft

Brave Schola Director Posts “Live” Recording

Jeff Ostrowski · February 17, 2015

267 Father Fryar T IS ALWAYS difficult to post “live” recordings from Mass. In today’s age, we’re accustomed to flawless recordings by professional singers, captured and mastered with great precision. I used to be afraid of showing others how our choir sounds—because criticism on the internet can be very harsh—but I’ve come to realize that people who criticize the loudest usually have never directed a choir in real life.

The FSSP has begun a parish here in Los Angeles. Our choir began singing in Advent, and I’m so proud of the progress we’ve made. Last Sunday, I stuck a recording device in my pocket, and below you can hear two excerpts. This was the first time we’ve sung the Palestrina polyphony. I’m convinced it will sound better and better as time goes on. Fr. Valentine used to say, “You can play a hundred notes correctly, but if you hit one wrong note, people will focus on that.” So, please be forgiving as you listen to these “live” excerpts:

      * *  Palestrina Vexilla Regis • Chant followed by Polyphony

      * *  Kyrie XVII • Gregorian Chant

When I was young, I asked Fr. Peter Gee, FSSP, whether we could play an audio CD during Mass. He replied, “No, because the Mass is something living.” Those recordings—though imperfect—are living prayer.

BY THE WAY, one of our parishioners sent me an recent article in Regina Magazine which talks about the new FSSP parish in Los Angeles:

271 A 271 B 271 C 271 D 271 E 271 F 271 G


Images courtesy of Regina Magazine.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: FSSP Los Angeles New Parish 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

    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Don’t You Agree About These?
    If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Choral Vowels? Yes? No?
    Here's a live recording of one of the choral “warm-up” exercises my choir enjoys. It was taken during our rehearsal on 27 January 2023. It’s good to make sure each chord is perfectly in tune and balanced before moving to the next one. That only happens when each singer has the correct vowel. If you like, you can freely download that vocal exercise.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Liberalism in religion is the doctrine that there is no positive truth in religion, but that one creed is as good as another… It teaches that all are to be tolerated, for all are matters of opinion. Revealed religion is not a truth, but a sentiment and a taste; not an objective fact, not miraculous; and it is the right of each individual to make it say just what strikes his fancy. […] Men may go to Protestant Churches and to Catholic, may get good from both and belong to neither.”

— Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman (May of 1879)

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