Views from the Choir Loft

Musical Resources • Feast of All Saints (November 1st)

Jeff Ostrowski · November 1, 2015

RESPONSES FOR HIGH MASS

PDF Score (Singer) • printed on a single sheet

PROCESSIONAL • #872 O Thou, The Martyrs’ Glorious King

From the Campion Hymnal. Organist.

ASPERGES

PDF Score (Singer) • Practice Audio (Singer) • Organist

To practice the new section of the Asperges, you must locate #4550.

INTROIT • Sung by the men only.

PDF Score (Singer) • Practice Audio (Singer)

KYRIE ELEISON

Score is in the Campion Hymnal. The organist needs this Accompaniment. To learn this piece, go here and find “Kyrie XI.”

Our Palestrina Kyrie will be sung during Advent. The CHRISTE section (#5054) and the KYRIE section (#5053). Please be practicing this because we might start it before Advent—it all depends.

To practice the Kyrie by Richard Rice, which will sing again someday, you must locate #4781.

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS

The Gloria this week is #4748.

The one by Zachariis (†1594) which we’ve been doing for months is #5051.

GRADUAL & ALLELUIA

To practice the new Palestrina ALLELUIA, you must locate #4470. The other one we know is #5050.

You don’t need to practice the chant verses which change each week.

CREDO IV • Alternatim

PDF Score (Singer) • Practice Audio (Singer) • Organist

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON

PDF Score (Singer)

OFFERTORY

PDF Score (Singer) • Organist

SANCTUS & HOSANNA

We have been singing #4912 and will sing it again this Sunday.

Sometimes—but not this coming Sunday—we sing a different polyphonic “Hosanna,” which is #5048. You don’t need to practice the Chant Part.

AGNUS DEI

To practice the Agnus Dei by Philippe Verdelot (d. 1531), you must locate #4801.

Don’t forget our other setting, #4347.

COMMUNION ORGAN

Organist … while choir receives Holy Communion.

COMMUNION ANTIPHON

PDF Score (Singer) • Practice Audio (Singer)

COMMUNION POLYPHONY

We will sing #4428 this Sunday. It is called “Jesu Dulcis Memoria.”

RECESSIONAL HYMN • #870 Blessed Are The Sons Of God

From the Campion Hymnal. Organist.

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

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 Michigan. —(Read full biography).

“Offertory” at Catholic Funerals

I have argued that the OFFERTORY—at least in its ancient form—is more of a responsory than an antiphon. The 1962 Missal specifically calls it “Antiphona ad Offertorium.” From now on, I plan to use this beautiful setting (PDF) at funerals, since it cleverly inserts themes from the absolution of the body. Tons more research needs to be done on the OFFERTORY, which often is a ‘patchwork’ stitching together various beginnings and endings of biblical verses. For instance, if you examine the ancient verses for Dómine, vivífica me (30th Sunday in Ordinary Time) you’ll discover this being done in a most perplexing way. Rebecca Maloy published a very expensive book on the OFFERTORY, but it was a disappointment. Indeed, I can’t think of a single valuable insight contained in her book. What a missed opportunity!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“In Paradisum” • Gregorian Chant

As a RECESSIONAL on All Souls’ Day (November 2nd), we will sing In Paradísum Dedúcant Te Ángeli (PDF). When it comes to Gregorian Chant, this is one of the most popular “songs.” Frankly, all the prayers and chants from the traditional REQUIEM MASS (Missa exsequialis or Missa pro defunctis) are incredibly powerful and never should’ve been scuttled. Click here to hear “In Paradisum” in a recording I made this afternoon. Professor Louis Bouyer spoke of the way Bugnini “scuttled the office of the dead” in this fascinating excerpt from his memoirs. In his book, La riforma litugica (1983), Bugnini bragged—in quite a shameful way—about eliminating the ancient funeral texts, and even admitted those venerable texts were “beloved” (his word) by Catholics.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • All Souls (2 November)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 2 November 2025, which is the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (“All Souls”). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the top-notch feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin. In my humble opinion, it’s weird to have the feast of All Saints on a Sunday. No wonder the close associate of Pope Saint Paul VI said the revised KALENDAR was “the handiwork of a trio of maniacs.” However, I can’t deny that sometimes the sacred liturgy consists of elements that are seemingly contradictory: e.g. the Mode 7 “De Profúndis” ALLELUIA, or the Mode 8 “Dulce lignum” ALLELUIA on the various ancient feasts of the Holy Cross (3 May, 14 September, and so on).

—Jeff Ostrowski

Gospel Options for 2 November (“All Souls”)

We’ve been told some bishops are suppressing the TLM because of “unity.” But is unity truly found in the MISSALE RECENS? For instance, on All Souls (2 November), any of these Gospel readings may be chosen, for any reason (or for no reason at all). The same is true of the Propria Missæ and other readings—there are countless options in the ORDINARY FORM. In other words, no matter which OF parish you attend on 2 November, you’ll almost certainly hear different propers and readings, to say nothing of different ‘styles’ of music. Where is the “unity” in all this? Indeed, the Second Vatican Council solemnly declared: “Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community.”

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Our Father” • Musical Setting?

Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?

—Jeff Ostrowski

New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”

My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.

—Jeff Ostrowski