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Views from the Choir Loft

Twenty Minutes That Changed My Life Forever

Jeff Ostrowski · September 28, 2016

Y BROTHER, who’s a fantastic musician, sent me a text message recently. As a result of info shared by him, I was able to discover a live recording from seventeen years ago, when I was still in high school. It was a recording of the audition I played, which awarded me a scholarship. Like most high schoolers, I had almost no money—and the thought of taking out a loan scared me. This 20-minute audition would change the course of my entire life!

Somehow I played the entire audition from memory. To be honest, there’s no way I could memorize a 5-voice fugue today. [The fugue begins at the 3:05 marker.]

It’s always terrifying to play on an instrument you’ve never played before. Indeed, I can still hear how nervous I was!


That audition included several other pieces, all played from memory:

    * *  Live Excerpt • BEETHOVEN SONATA (circa 1999)

    * *  Live Excerpt • CHOPIN ETUDE (circa 1999)

    * *  Live Excerpt • DEBUSSY PRELUDE (circa 1999)

As a result of the scholarships, I was able to attend a great music school that changed my life forever.

I SHARE THESE ITEMS because they relate to our work as church musicians. 1 For example, there was so much riding on that audition and the pressure was tremendous—I’m amazed I didn’t freak out! Yet, as a church musician we must “perform” every week, and as time goes on, we learn techniques that help this process. For example, a good choirmaster sooner or later learns to have the choir members sing sing sing whenever possible. Don’t talk at them! Choirmasters always want to talk and explain, but it’s better to drill over and over. Trust me: at Mass on Sunday, you’ll be glad you drilled them.

Another thing I learned is what I call the “middle pedal rule.” You see, most pianos have a middle pedal, and there are special ways pianists utilize the middle pedal. (I often used it for Medtner!) The problem is, you never know if the middle pedal will work, because some piano tuners don’t maintain it. After many years, one realizes that it’s better not to use the middle pedal, because all your work is wasted if the competition piano doesn’t have one that functions. Choirmasters must learn this same lesson, and be very pragmatic, not idealistic. What I’m trying to say is, you must be ruthless in your preparation, taking into consideration obstacles that may arise from absences, new acoustics, unfriendly celebrants, and so on.

While we’re speaking about directing a choir, I’ll share a tip with you: never become angry. I know about the frustrations of directing a volunteer choir—but no matter what, you must remain positive and upbeat. When the dust settles, you will always be glad you remained happy and positive, in spite of everything you were dealing with.

Another thing I will mention: make sure you never succumb to the “internet culture” so prevalent today. So many people (not just in the USA) publish online articles about “good liturgy.” They tell everyone they are “experts” and insist that we heed their advice. In reality, though, there’s no such thing as an “internet celebrity liturgist”—that’s a myth. The only thing that matters is what’s done on the parish level; and that’s the really hard work. Believe me, typing on the internet is 1,000 times easier than training choir members in real life, recruiting Catholics in real life, and dealing with the frustrations of parish life. Moreover, the choirmasters who have the very best choirs (and whose efforts please God the most) don’t possess hours of free time to spend typing on the internet. I often want to share insights gained by working with my volunteer choir, but when all my duties are finished I’m too tired—and that’s how it should be! 2

My happiest memories from youth are being an altar boy, and I served as Master of Ceremonies for many years. However, I must admit that directing a choir is 100x more difficult than serving, and let me explain why. I’ve observed complex liturgical ceremonies all over the world, and invariably the servers are doing last minute signals or even giving quiet verbal directions during the ceremony. Choirmasters do not have that luxury! We can’t whisper in choir members’ ears as Mass is going on, saying: “Okay, you’re a little flat. Okay, remember your vowel shape here. Okay, watch the director here.” For the choirmaster, everything must be rehearsed before Mass begins—or everyone in the church will hear.

I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE a few more thoughts, even though they don’t directly relate to directing a church choir. First of all, my Bach performance would probably be considered somewhat “romantic” today. I went on to study with various teachers, and even underwent a phase when I would renounce such a “romantic” approach. But as time has passed, I view things differently. Now I accept a variety of possibilities and approaches. Indeed, I now have scant patience for people who insist there’s only one “correct” way to play Bach. In other words, I now have an open mind—as long as the performance is musical and thoughtful.

In some of those audition pieces, I hit a few wrong notes. I’ve now become intolerant of wrong notes—I just can’t stand them! Yet, I’m glad the judges in 1999 were willing to forgive a few wrong notes from a very nervous high school boy. (By the way, for some reason, wrong notes by Fischer, Richter, or Cortot don’t bother me.)

Looking back on the Bach Prelude & Fugue, I now appreciate so much that I did not then: stretto, stepwise movement in the bass, overall contours (a.k.a. “grand phrase”), contrasting episodes, hidden entrances of the subject, intricacies of the double fugue, and so forth. Yet, I’m glad I didn’t wait until I understood these things perfectly to learn the piece! In other words, our choir members must be “plunged” into music that is, as Artur Schnabel said, “greater than it can be played.”



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   Frequently on this blog, I have mentioned that our profession is extremely difficult. Someday, I’d like to write a book which describes in detail all the various items which make our profession so hard—but this will have to wait for another day.

2   At the same time, there’s no question that the internet has made it possible for those of us who attend the Extraordinary Form to observe that others in the world also value certain liturgical traditions—and I’m grateful for this. This was not the case in the 1990s, when my family began attending the Traditional Latin Mass.

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3). I'm not a fan of chant in octaves, but we had such limited time to rehearse, it seemed the best choice. After all, everyone should have an opportunity to learn “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium,” which summarizes Candlemas.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“We know that originally the offertories of the repertoire included a series of verses, just like the introit and the communion, but generally more ornate. Many of these are musical compositions of great beauty. They quickly fell into disuse, and we find them only in the most ancient manuscripts. The only remaining trace of this older arrangement in our present-day liturgy is that of the offertory of the Requiem Mass.”

— Dom Joseph Gajard (1956)

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