Views from the Choir Loft

Archives for October 2015

Corpus Christi Watershed · October 19, 2015

VIDEO • “Were The Dark Ages Really Dark?”

An interesting video by Anthony Esolen.

Cynthia Ostrowski · October 19, 2015

Catholic Bulletin Art • Installment #70

The feast of Christ the King approaches!

Jeff Ostrowski · October 19, 2015

Beautiful Photo Of Blessed Pope Paul VI

The entrance procession from his coronation.

Fr. David Friel · October 18, 2015

World Meeting of Families 2015 & the Papal Visit to Philadelphia — Part 2 of 2

Monsignor Marini’s Final Encouragement to Papal Mass Servers

Jeff Ostrowski · October 17, 2015

Yikes! Even The Monastery Of Solesmes

Did you notice how they carefully deleted all the beautiful artwork?

Corpus Christi Watershed · October 17, 2015

“Regina Caeli” Sung By Young Children

They miss an ictus or two, but it still sounds glorious!

Jeff Ostrowski · October 17, 2015

Musical Resources • 21st Sunday after Pentecost (Extraordinary Form)

“…in Thine infinite mercy, O Lord, restore our souls to health…”

Jeff Ostrowski · October 16, 2015

Watershed Needs Your Help To Continue!

“Watershed has been extremely helpful and has brought so much solace and support…”

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · October 15, 2015

The Church Must Be Countercultural

What music is appropriate for a wedding?

Andrew Leung · October 15, 2015

My New Assignment—Part 2

An update on my new assignment.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 15, 2015

What? Sundays after Pentecost?

Be careful this year.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 14, 2015

When Choirmasters Despair

No matter how superb your music program is…

Dr. Lucas Tappan · October 13, 2015

Taka… What?

Kids love this!

Fr. David Friel · October 13, 2015

Discussion of “Inclusivity” & “Diversity” at the Synod

Remarks from Archbishop Chaput

Guest Author · October 12, 2015

“Saving” Gregorian Chant In The Ordinary Form

Daniel Craig’s review with a “signs of the times” digression.

Luis Martínez Must Go!

Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]

—Jeff Ostrowski

Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!

A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)

I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Pope Pius XII Hymnal?

Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Hybrid” Chant Notation?

Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

Antiphons Don’t Match?

A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).

—Corpus Christi Watershed

Pope Gelasius in his 9th Letter to the Bishops of Lucania condemned the evil practice which had been introduced of women serving the priest at the celebration of Mass. Since this abuse had spread to the Greeks, Innocent IV strictly forbade it in his letter to the Bishop of Tusculum: “Women should not dare to serve at the altar; they should be altogether refused this ministry.” We too have forbidden this practice in the same words in Our oft-repeated constitution “Etsi Pastoralis” (§6, #21)

— Pope Benedict XIV • Encyclical “Allatae Sunt” (26 July 1755)