Views from the Choir Loft

Archives for December 2015

Andrew Leung · December 31, 2015

Te Deum Laudámus

Listen to Herbert Howells’s Te Deum to start the new year!

Jeff Ostrowski · December 31, 2015

Musical Resources • Most Holy Name (Extraordinary Form)

“…mercifully grant that we may in heaven enjoy the blessed vision of him, to whose most holy name we do reverence upon earth.”

Andrew Leung · December 31, 2015

Chant Workshop for Clergy

St. Ambrose School of Chant located in Georgia is organizing a Chant Workshop for Clergy.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 30, 2015

Another “Oops” Moment For Liturgical Press

Msgr. Kevin Irwin says this book “reflects the best of liturgical scholarship and wisdom gleaned from the liturgy.”

Andrew Leung · December 30, 2015

Bishop Perry at Prince of Peace Catholic Church

Bishop Joseph Perry administered the Sacrament of Confirmation and celebrated a Pontifical Solemn High Mass on Gaudete Sunday.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 30, 2015

Which Mass Goes With Which Season?

Unfortunately, many ignore the words of Abbot Pothier, included at the front of the Vatican Edition.

Cynthia Ostrowski · December 29, 2015

Popular Posts From 2015

In case you missed any of these!

Jeff Ostrowski · December 29, 2015

PDF • “The Truth Of Papal Claims” (Merry del Val)

Cardinal Raphael Merry del Val published this reply to a Protestant scholar in 1902.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 28, 2015

Hollywood: Midnight Mass By Candlelight

The FSSP had a special Christmas Mass at their new Apostolate in Los Angeles.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 28, 2015

A Myth That Needs To Die

“I never witnessed a Mass in the so-called Extraordinary Form that was done in 15 minutes.”

Andrew Leung · December 26, 2015

New Choir Stalls for the Sistine Chapel Choir

The Sistine Chapel Choir sang beautifully at the Midnight Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Richard J. Clark · December 25, 2015

Christmas and the Universal Role of Music

The birth of Christ recalls a specific time and place as does the music of Christmas. It is sacred music that has poured out into an increasingly secular world.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 24, 2015

Musical Resources • Christmas Midnight Mass (Extraordinary Form)

We won’t be singing “Frosty The Snowman” for Offertory!

Andrew Leung · December 22, 2015

Video • Holy Mass in Hollywood, 1944

A video of the Christmas Solemn High Mass in Hollywood film, “Christmas Holiday”

Andrew Leung · December 21, 2015

Sing Like the Angels

We can learn from the best choir, the Holy Angels!

Funeral Music “Template” • For Families

Many have requested the MUSICAL TEMPLATE for funerals we give to families at our parish. The family of the deceased is usually involved in selecting Number 12 on that sheet. This template was difficult to assemble, because the “Ordo Exsequiarum” has never been translated into English, and the assigned chants and hymns are given in different liturgical books (Lectionary, Gradual, Order of Christian Funerals, and so on). Please notify me if you spot errors or broken links. Readers will be particularly interested in some of the plainsong musical settings, which are truly haunting in their beauty.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“To Cover Sin With Smooth Names”

Monsignor Ronald Knox created several English translations of the PSALTER at the request of the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster. Readers know that the third edition of the Saint Edmund Campion Missal uses a magnificent translation of the ROMAN CANON (and complete Ordo Missae) created in 1950 by Monsignor Knox. What’s interesting is that, when psalms are used as part of the Ordo Missae, he doesn’t simply copy and paste from his other translations. Consider the beautiful turn of phrase he adds to Psalm 140 (which the celebrant prays as he incenses crucifix, relics, and altar): “Lord, set a guard on my mouth, a barrier to fence in my lips, lest my heart turn to thoughts of evil, to cover sin with smooth names.” The 3rd edition of the CAMPION MISSAL is sleek; it fits easily in one’s hand. The print quality is beyond gorgeous. One must see it to believe it! You owe it to yourself—at a minimum—to examine these sample pages from the full-color section.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Heretical Hymns

As a public service, perhaps a theologian ought to begin assembling a heretical hymns collection. A liturgical book—for funerals!—published by the Collegeville Press contains this monstrosity by someone named “Delores Dufner.” I can’t tell what the lyrics are trying to convey—can you? I detest ‘hymns’ with lines such the one she came up with: “Let the thirsty come and drink, Share My wine and bread.” Somehow, the publication was granted an IMPRIMATUR by Most Rev’d Jerome Hanus (bishop of Saint Cloud) on 16 August 1989. It’s a nice tune, but paired with a nasty text!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reminder” — Month of Febr. (2026)

On a daily basis, I speak to people who don’t realize we publish a free newsletter (although they’ve followed our blog for years). We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and refuse to run annoying ads. As a result, our mailing list is crucial to our survival. It couldn’t be easier to subscribe! Just scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Chart • “Plainsong Rhythm”

I will go to my grave without understanding the lack of curiosity so many people have about the rhythmic modifications made by Dom André Mocquereau. For example, how can someone examine this single sheet comparison chart and at a minimum not be curious about the differences? Dom Mocquereau basically creates a LONG-SHORT LONG-SHORT rhythmic pattern—in spite of enormous and overwhelming manuscript evidence to the contrary. That’s why some scholars referred to his method as “Neo-Mensuralist” or “Neo-Mensuralism.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “O Come All Ye Faithful” (Simplified)

I admire the harmonization of “Adeste Fideles” by David Willcocks (d. 2015), who served as director of the Royal College of Music (London, England). In 2025, I was challenged to create a simplified arrangement for organists incapable of playing the authentic version at tempo. The result was this simplified keyboard arrangement (PDF download) based on the David Willcocks version of “O Come All Ye Faithful.” Feel free to play through it and let me know what you think.

—Jeff Ostrowski