Views from the Choir Loft

Archives for February 2016

Jeff Ostrowski · February 16, 2016

Something That Would Fix So Much … But Nobody Mentions It

Is this “tacit” approval really “imaginary” approval?

Jeff Ostrowski · February 15, 2016

“Credo for Two Voices” • Gustaaf Nees (d. 1965)

This simple setting of Gregorian Credo IV uses organ, men’s voices, and women’s voices.

Fr. David Friel · February 14, 2016

Repetition in the Roman Missal

A Literary Approach in an Adoremus Bulletin Article

Jeff Ostrowski · February 14, 2016

Canon Van Nuffel’s Setting Of Smoke Rising

“Smoke rises from the Mountain of Doom. The hour grows late, and Gandalf the Grey rides to Isengard seeking my counsel.”

Jeff Ostrowski · February 14, 2016

Musical Resources • 1st Sunday of Lent (EF)

“We solemnly offer the sacrifice at the beginning of Lent, O Lord…”

Veronica Brandt · February 13, 2016

Save the Merit, Save the World

Lenten discipline : St Philip Neri says “to love to be unknown”; Gandalf says “Keep it secret, keep it safe.”

Jeff Ostrowski · February 12, 2016

Motet • “Verbum Supernum” by Fr. Carlo Rossini

This SATB setting can be used during any liturgical season and has “O Salutaris Hostia” as one of its verses.

Richard J. Clark · February 12, 2016

Minimal Standards at Weddings and Funerals

It is easier to capitulate than to educate.

Jeff Ostrowski · February 11, 2016

“Audi Benigne Conditor” • Gregorian Hymn For Lent

The text is by St. Gregory the Great, who was Pope from 590-604.

Andrew Leung · February 11, 2016

Three Common Misconceptions about Chant

If we can solve these 3 misunderstandings, people can fall in love with chant easier!

Jeff Ostrowski · February 10, 2016

Decapitation of an Innocent Meadowlark

Do we remember that people in the pews often lack our musical background?

Jeff Ostrowski · February 9, 2016

Francisco Guerrero • “Hymn To The Sacred Trinity” (SATB with Plainsong)

Are you up for a special hymn challenge?

Dr. Lucas Tappan · February 9, 2016

Chorister Vocal Pedagogy

I hope this might serve as a foundation for your future work with young singers in your parish.

Jeff Ostrowski · February 8, 2016

What Are You Doing For Lent?

“The phone is our century’s plague. It destroys character, interaction, friendships, families, and our time. We are glued to these devices.”

Fr. David Friel · February 7, 2016

The Phrasing of the Sanctus

The Difference a Comma Makes

‘Bogey’ of the Half-Educated: Paraphrase

Father Adrian Porter, using the cracher dans la soupe example, did a praiseworthy job explaining the difference between ‘dynamic’ and ‘formal’ translation. This is something Monsignor Ronald Knox explained time and again—yet even now certain parties feign ignorance. I suppose there will always be people who pretend the only ‘valid’ translation of Mitigásti omnem iram tuam; avertísti ab ira indignatiónis tuæ… would be “You mitigated all ire of you; you have averted from your indignation’s ire.” Those who would defend such a translation suffer from an unfortunate malady. One of my professors called it “cognate on the brain.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Father Cuthbert Lattey • “The Hebrew MSS”

Father Cuthbert Lattey (d. 1954) wrote: “In a large number of cases the ancient Christian versions and some other ancient sources seem to have been based upon a better Hebrew text than that adopted by the rabbis for official use and alone suffered to survive. Sometimes, too, the cognate languages suggest a suitable meaning for which there is little or no support in the comparatively small amount of ancient Hebrew that has survived. The evidence of the metre is also at times so clear as of itself to furnish a strong argument; often it is confirmed by some other considerations. […] The Jewish copyists and their directors, however, seem to have lost the tradition of the metre at an early date, and the meticulous care of the rabbis in preserving their own official and traditional text (the ‘massoretic’ text) came too late, when the mischief had already been done.” • Msgr. Knox adds: “It seems the safest principle to follow the Latin—after all, St. Jerome will sometimes have had a better text than the Massoretes—except on the rare occasions when there is no sense to be extracted from the Vulgate at all.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • 9 Nov. (Dedic. Lateran)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 9 November 2025, which is the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. 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 sensational feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reminder” — Month of November (2025)

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. Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.

—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

“From six in the evening, his martyrdom had continued through the ghastly night until nine o’clock in the morning. After fifteen hours of torture rarely if ever surpassed in the bloody annals of the Iroquois, the soul of Gabriel Lalemant was freed from its charred and mutilated prison and summoned to join his comrade Jean de Brébeuf in the radiant splendor of God. March 17th, 1649, was the date; for Brébeuf it had been the sixteenth.”

— ‘Fr. John A. O’Brien, speaking of St. Gabriel Lalemant’