Views from the Choir Loft

Rehearsal Videos • “Sanctus & Hosanna” (Guerrero)

Jeff Ostrowski · May 23, 2017

KNOW A SECRET. Would you like to hear? Once upon a time, Roman Catholic composers were trained from birth in a special art of musical composition. This situation produced masters whose liturgical works contain unthinkable beauty, waiting for all to enjoy. They would combine plainsong themes in supremely brilliant ways, and I have tried to indicate such places by means of red ink: ¹

* * PDF • SANCTUS & HOSANNA (“Missa Iste Sanctus”)

For years, I hoped other Catholic websites would promote the gorgeous compositions by such giants as Palestrina, Verdelot, Victoria, Guerrero, Lassus, Marenzio, and others. However, very few do—although they exert tremendous energy complaining about “bad liturgy.” Therefore, I began making rehearsal videos in which I sing all the vocal parts (even the soprano notes!) to help this music live again in our churches:

REHEARSAL VIDEOS for each individual voice await you at #5454.

Many people (inexplicably) do not visit LALEMANT POLYPHONIC, where individual voice parts are located. That’s a huge mistake, because the whole point of these tracks is the individual voice tracks—and we’ve seen marvelous results from their use here in Los Angeles. By the way, those who attend Sacred Music Symposium 2017 will learn how to create these recordings.

Could anyone listen to the Tenor Rehearsal Video (at the “Hosanna” section) and not be overwhelmed by the majestic dignity and holiness of these melodies?

The Benedictus is forthcoming.

NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1 The red ink refers to the motet which serves as the basis for this parody Mass.

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

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 Michigan. —(Read full biography).

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

Music Director Job • $80,000 per year

Our readers will be interested in this job offering for Music Director at Saint Adalbert’s Basilica, located 40 minutes from where I live. My pastor was recently elevated to this basilica. He is offering $80,000 per year, plus benefits. I’m told Saint Adalbert’s Basilica is utterly gorgeous and contains one of America’s most magnificent pipe organs. It would be fantastic to have a colleague nearby!

—Jeff Ostrowski

Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published

Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.

—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