Views from the Choir Loft

My Recent Discovery

Andrew Leung · June 9, 2016

INCE JEFF AND DR. TAPPAN both shared about musical repertoire for choirs, I thought it would be nice to share my recent discovery at this time. About a month ago, I discovered a choral setting of Ave Verum Corpus by Philip Stopford on Facebook. This discovery led me to explore other choral works by the British composer and I am very impressed by his compositions!

Philip Stopford is an English sacred music choral composer and choir director. He is known for his contemporary a capella and accompanied settings of traditional Latin and English prayers and hymns. Personally, I enjoy his a capella pieces more than the accompanied ones. I think Stopford is very gifted in writing melodies and he arranges the voicing very effectively.

Mr. Stopford began his musical career as a chorister at Westminster Abbey. He went on to Oxford University to study music at Kelbe College. He has held positions at Truro Cathedral, Chester Cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral and St. Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast. Currently, Stopford is the music director of Christ Church Bronxville, NY. His works appeared in the Classical FM Hall of Fame in 2013 and 2014.

Here are three pieces by Stopford:

1. Ave Verum sung by Melisma

2. Do Not Be Afraid sung by Melisma

3. Te Deum sung by the Choir of St Polycarp’s Parish Church in Belfast

I hope you enjoyed his pieces. You can find videos of his works on his Youtube channel.

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

About Andrew Leung

Andrew Leung currently serves the music director of Vox Antiqua, conductor of the Cecilian Singers, and music director at Our Lady of China Church.—(Read full biography).

“What Martin Luther Said…”

My pastor asked me to write little columns for the bulletin each week. The article for 20 July 2025 has been posted, and it’s called: “What Luther Said…” Martin Luther (an ex-priest and apostate) was an infamous heretic whose ignorance of JESUS CHRIST was only exceeded by his filthy and disgusting vulgarity.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.

—Jeff Ostrowski

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.

—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

“Dom Pothier does not belong to the dim past, as the silence which surrounds his name would lead one to believe. Only a few years separate us from the time when—growing old and heavily burdened by trials—Dom Pothier was concentrating his ever keen attention on the study of manuscripts in the Belgian place of retreat where his community had found refuge. For he was the abbot; and there can be no doubt that the cross he wore during those days was a cross of sorrow, though he bore it with a smile.”

— Dom Ermin Vitry, OSB (31-OCT-1936)