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Views from the Choir Loft

“The Organist At Sung Mass” —Fr. Adrian Fortescue

Jeff Ostrowski · October 17, 2016

765 Fr. Adrian Fortescue IMAGE HE CHOIRMASTER does so many things only another choirmaster could appreciate. So much “hidden” work is required for the music on Sunday to be worthy—or, at least, as worthy as we can make it. When I am setting up fifty chairs, carrying heavy items up and down stairs, or spending hours sorting choir binders, I remember the words of Richard J. Clark: “Every technical detail and every rehearsal is a prayer.”

Fr. Adrian Fortescue (d. 1923) was a priest who truly appreciated the details of what we do, as you can see:

    * *  PDF • THE ORGANIST AT SUNG MASS

Learn about this book’s provenance by clicking here and scrolling to the summary by Fr. Aidan Nichols. 1

In the 1990s, Fr. Valentine Young always encouraged the organist to play the recessional melody softly during the LAST GOSPEL—and we always do that here in Los Angeles. I once received a nasty email from someone claiming to be an “expert” in Sacred music (whatever that means!) declaring it was utterly forbidden to play during the Last Gospel and “there is absolutely no precedent for this.” He failed to realize that much of what we do as choirmasters is not written down; it’s a living tradition.

For the record, notice that Fr. Fortescue agrees with Fr. Valentine:

766 Fortescue The Organist At Sung Mass


What Fr. Fortescue says about the Offertory is 100% accurate, but nowadays the Communion time is even more nerve-racking than the Offertory. That’s because depending upon the number of priests, it could last five minutes or twenty minutes. This was only beginning in the time of Fr. Fortescue, though. Until the reign of Pope St. Pius X, the priest alone usually received Holy Communion.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   These pages are courtesy of Maestro Charles Cole, as the linked article explains.

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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Quick Thoughts

    Don’t You Agree About These?
    If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Choral Vowels? Yes? No?
    Here's a live recording of one of the choral “warm-up” exercises my choir enjoys. It was taken during our rehearsal on 27 January 2023. It’s good to make sure each chord is perfectly in tune and balanced before moving to the next one. That only happens when each singer has the correct vowel. If you like, you can freely download that vocal exercise.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    26 January 2023 • FEEDBACK
    “Jeff, I wanted to personally thank you for your spiritual witness at the Symposium & often blogs that you write too. Praying that prayer in the mornings My God, my Father and my all (by Cardinal Merry Del Val), mentioning saints’ stories of Brébeuf, Jogues, John Vianney, monks who fought in WWII, their hard work in spite of terrible conditions, their relentless zeal for the faith, their genuine love for the laypeople they served, etc. Overall though—more than anything concrete I can point to that you did or said—it was your demeanor at the Symposium. I could tell you really absolutely love and believe the Catholic Faith. You don’t get that everywhere, even in Church circles. And your humility is what then makes that shine even brighter. It is super inspiring! God is working through you probably way more than you know.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Both of these appointments—of Cardinal Lercaro and Father Bugnini—to key positions on the Consilium made it possible for voices to be heard that could not be heard during the proceedings of the Council, and likewise silenced others.”

— Alfons Cardinal Stickler, Vatican II ‘peritus’

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