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Views from the Choir Loft

Josquin Des Prez Vandalized Stuff (!)

Jeff Ostrowski · October 26, 2017

4121 arguam HEN I WAS STUDYING musicology in graduate school, the professor hurried into class one day and exclaimed gleefully: “Josquin vandalized things!”

Then she spoke of an article she read which described how someone discovered Josquin’s name “etched onto the back of a pew, proving he was a singer at the Vatican.” At that time, I wondered how we could be certain it was Josquin des Prez (d. 1521) who created the vandalism and not somebody else. (But I admit it’s more fun to assume it to be authentic and not a forgery!)

My professor must have been talking about marker 1:12 in this stunningly well-produced video:


Unfortunately, that’s pretty much all I remember from graduate studies!

P.S.

Sometimes it’s hard to remember the famous Renaissance composers were not hired as such—they were hired as singers.

Sorry to change subjects, and sorry to be random, but I discovered something yesterday. It turns out Ted Marier was not infallible. Examine carefully the bottom of this page:

4120 MARIER


Marier says the translation was by “anonymous”—but unless I’m mistaken, this translation was produced by Fr. Caswall.

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

16 May 2022 • Harmonized Chant?

This year’s upcoming Sacred Music Symposium will demonstrate several ways to sing the CREDO at Mass. This is because—for many parishes—to sing a full-length polyphonic CREDO by Victoria or Palestrina is out of the question. Therefore, we show options that are halfway between plainsong and polyphony. You can hear my choir rehearsing a section that sounds like harmonized plainsong.

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • “Pure” Vatican Edition

As readers know, my choir has been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana. That is to say, the official rhythm which—technically—is the only rhythm allowed by the Church. I haven’t figured out how I want the scores to look, so in the meantime we’ve been using temporary scores that look like this. Stay tuned!

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • Gorgeous Book

If there is a more beautiful book than Abbat Pothier’s 1888 Processionale Monasticum, I don’t know what it might be. This gorgeous tome was today added to the Saint John Lalande Online Library. I wish I owned a physical copy.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

The ratio of voices in modern choirs is usually wrong. Basses should be numerically greatest, then altos, then tenors, then sopranos. One good soprano can carry a high “A” against 30 lower voices.

— Roger Wagner

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