Views from the Choir Loft

Archives for March 2016

Richard J. Clark · March 18, 2016

As the Tension Grows

As Holy Week approaches, the tension is palpable.

Andrew Leung · March 17, 2016

Holy Week — A Week of Love

How can we practice charity during Holy Week?

Jeff Ostrowski · March 16, 2016

Printable Passion Booklets (PDF)

These might be helpful to some!

Jeff Ostrowski · March 16, 2016

Sean McDermott’s “Virgo Dei Genitrix”

Do you agree this “live” recording is sung with excellence?

Dr. Lucas Tappan · March 15, 2016

St. Paul’s Choir School

I would like to share with you an incredible place where such a musician had a great vision, informed by the mind and heart of the Church.

Jeff Ostrowski · March 15, 2016

Brand New • “Saint Paul Hymnal”

Msgr. Andrew R. Wadsworth served on the advisory committee for this hymn book!

Jeff Ostrowski · March 14, 2016

“Liturgy Shaming”

They’re doing the very thing they say they deplore!

Fr. David Friel · March 13, 2016

The Rite of Marriage, Second Edition

The release date has been set. What will be new in the new Rite of Marriage?

Jeff Ostrowski · March 13, 2016

Can You Find The Error Here?

The problem with trying to revise liturgical books too quickly…

Jeff Ostrowski · March 12, 2016

Suzanne Toolan • Missing Verse From “I Am The Bread Of Life” Hymn

Is this for real?

Jeff Ostrowski · March 12, 2016

PDF Download • Spanish Cathedral Music (1961)

“On Holy Saturday in 1545, while the pope and several cardinals were present, two of the oldest choir members flew at each other during the blessing of the new oils…”

Richard J. Clark · March 11, 2016

When the Liturgy Astounds • The Fire of Divine Love

I found these words to be jaw dropping—utterly astounding.

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · March 10, 2016

Has The Church Rejected Her Inheritance?

The richness of liturgy and music should never be abandoned.

Andrew Leung · March 10, 2016

Yes or No? • Accompanying Chant with the Organ

One of the hottest topics in the field: should chanting be accompanied by the organ?

Dr. Lucas Tappan · March 8, 2016

They Lied To Me In Grad School

No matter what anyone else thinks, strive for greatness and never look back!

Music List • (3rd Sunday of Lent)

Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for this coming Sunday, which is the 3rd Sunday of Lent (8 March 2026). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. This feast has magnificent propers. Its stern INTROIT (“Óculi mei semper ad Dóminum”) is breathtaking, and the COMMUNION (“Qui bíberit aquam”) with its fauxbourdon verses is wonderful. I encourage all the readers to visit the feasts website, where the Propria Missae may be downloaded completely free of charge.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Samaritánæ” (3rd Sunday of Lent)

With regard to the COMMUNION for the 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year A), the Ordo Cantus Missae—which was published in 1969 by the Vatican, bearing Hannibal Bugnini’s signature and approbation in its PREFACE—inexplicably introduced a variant melody and slightly different words, as you can see by this comparison chart. When it comes to such items, they’re always done in secrecy by unnamed people. (Although it is known that Dom Eugène Cardine collaborated in the creation of the GRADUALE SIMPLEX, a book considered by some to be a travesty.)

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Ubi Caritas” (SATB)

I remember singing “Ubi Cáritas” by Maurice Duruflé at the conservatory. I was deeply moved by it. However, some feel Duruflé’s version isn’t suitable for small choirs since it’s written for 6 voices and the bass tessitura is quite low. That’s why I was absolutely thrilled to discover this “Ubi cáritas” (SATB) for smaller choirs by Énemond Moreau, who studied with OSCAR DEPUYDT (d. 1925), an orphan who became a towering figure of Catholic music. Depuydt’s students include: Flor Peeters (d. 1986); Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel (d. 1953); Arthur Meulemans (d. 1966); Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989); and Gustaaf Nees (d. 1965). Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #19705. When I came across the astonishing English translation for “Ubi Cáritas” by Monsignor Ronald Knox—matching the Latin’s meter—I decided to add those lyrics as an option (for churches which have banned Latin). My wife and I made this recording to give you some idea how it sounds.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”

For vigil Masses on Saturday (a.k.a. “anticipated” Masses) we use this simpler setting of the “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989), a Belgian priest, organist, composer, and music educator who ultimately succeeded another ‘Jules’ (CANON JULES VAN NUFFEL) as director of the Lemmensinstituut in Belgium. Although I could be wrong, my understanding is that the LEMMENSINSTITUUT eventually merged with “Catholic University of Leuven” (originally founded in 1425). That is the university Fulton J. Sheen went to, as well as Dr. Myrna Keough.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Grotesque Pairing • “Passion Chorale”

One of our rarest releases was undoubtably this PDF scan of the complete Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959) by Father Joseph Roff, a student of Healey Willan. One of the scarcest titles in existence, this book was provided to us by Mr. Peter Meggison. Back in 2018, we scanned each page and uploaded it to our website, making it freely available to everyone. Readers are probably sick of hearing me say this, but just because we upload something that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wonderful or worthy of imitation. We upload many publications precisely because they are ‘grotesque’, interesting, or revealing. Whereas the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal had an editorial board that was careful and sensitive vis-à-vis pairing texts with tunes, the Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959) seems to have been rather reckless in this regard. Please take a look at what they did with the PASSION CHORALE and see whether you agree.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Extreme Unction

Those who search Google for “CCCC MS 079” will discover high resolution images of a medieval Pontificale (“Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 079”). One of the pages contains this absolutely gorgeous depiction of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction.

—Corpus Christi Watershed