Views from the Choir Loft

Archives for December 2017

Jeff Ostrowski · December 31, 2017

“Te Deum” • Printable 4-Page Sheet

…with English Translation by Rt. Rev. Msgr. Charles E. Spence.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 31, 2017

“Veni Creator Spiritus” • with Fortescue’s English Translation

A plenary indulgence can be gained by singing the “Veni Creator Spiritus” publicly on New Year’s Day.

Fr. David Friel · December 31, 2017

USCCB Assesses Impact of “Magnum Principium”

Seven Observations on Liturgical Translation and the Recent Motu Proprio

Veronica Brandt · December 30, 2017

GABC Propers Tool Revisited

A major shortcut to preparing Gregorian chant propers and ordinaries.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · December 27, 2017

Of the Father’s Love Begotten…

Some day I wouldn’t mind cooking up a good ol’ fashioned Christmas Ball, but ’til then have to content myself with adding a few pounds (or more than a few) in honor of our Lord’s birth.

Veronica Moreno · December 24, 2017

[español] Your Christmas Present

SU REGALO NAVIDEÑO (2014). Jeff Ostrowski y el equipo de CCWatershed comparten ONCE (11) archivos. Incluyen partiduras y apuntes en documentos de PDF, videos de docentes dando clases, y mucho más. ¡Feliz Navidad!

Jeff Ostrowski · December 24, 2017

Your Christmas Present!

We met our fundraising goal, so you get these items!

Jeff Ostrowski · December 24, 2017

Midnight Mass (4th Sunday of December)

“O God, Who hath brightened this most holy night with the shining of the true light…”

Fr. David Friel · December 24, 2017

Lux Fulgebit: Mass at Dawn of Christmas Day

New recording by the Schola Cantorum of St. Mary’s Church in Norwalk, CT

Veronica Brandt · December 23, 2017

Epiphany Proclamation 2018

Fifteen years typing up the Proclamation of Moveable Feasts!

Jeff Ostrowski · December 22, 2017

Cardinal Sarah to celebrate TLM on 21 May 2018

If this is accurate, it’s marvelous news.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 21, 2017

Xmas Image • Print for Children to Color

Courtesy of John Sonnen.

Andrew Leung · December 21, 2017

The Marvels of Choral Singing

A reflection and meditation on choral singing.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 20, 2017

Can You Say “Theft” ?

Unless I am mistaken, John David Chambers stole Neale’s rhymes without attribution.

Corpus Christi Watershed · December 19, 2017

Six Videos • Gregorian Chant (2017)

…produced in association with Saint John the Beloved (McLean, Virginia)

‘Bogey’ of the Half-Educated: Paraphrase

Father Adrian Porter, using the cracher dans la soupe example, did a praiseworthy job explaining the difference between ‘dynamic’ and ‘formal’ translation. This is something Monsignor Ronald Knox explained time and again—yet even now certain parties feign ignorance. I suppose there will always be people who pretend the only ‘valid’ translation of Mitigásti omnem iram tuam; avertísti ab ira indignatiónis tuæ… would be “You mitigated all ire of you; you have averted from your indignation’s ire.” Those who would defend such a translation suffer from an unfortunate malady. One of my professors called it “cognate on the brain.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Father Cuthbert Lattey • “The Hebrew MSS”

Father Cuthbert Lattey (d. 1954) wrote: “In a large number of cases the ancient Christian versions and some other ancient sources seem to have been based upon a better Hebrew text than that adopted by the rabbis for official use and alone suffered to survive. Sometimes, too, the cognate languages suggest a suitable meaning for which there is little or no support in the comparatively small amount of ancient Hebrew that has survived. The evidence of the metre is also at times so clear as of itself to furnish a strong argument; often it is confirmed by some other considerations. […] The Jewish copyists and their directors, however, seem to have lost the tradition of the metre at an early date, and the meticulous care of the rabbis in preserving their own official and traditional text (the ‘massoretic’ text) came too late, when the mischief had already been done.” • Msgr. Knox adds: “It seems the safest principle to follow the Latin—after all, St. Jerome will sometimes have had a better text than the Massoretes—except on the rare occasions when there is no sense to be extracted from the Vulgate at all.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • 9 Nov. (Dedic. Lateran)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 9 November 2025, which is the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the sensational feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reminder” — Month of November (2025)

On a daily basis, I speak to people who don’t realize we publish a free newsletter (although they’ve followed our blog for years). We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and refuse to run annoying ads. As a result, our mailing list is crucial to our survival. Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Gospel Options for 2 November (“All Souls”)

We’ve been told some bishops are suppressing the TLM because of “unity.” But is unity truly found in the MISSALE RECENS? For instance, on All Souls (2 November), any of these Gospel readings may be chosen, for any reason (or for no reason at all). The same is true of the Propria Missæ and other readings—there are countless options in the ORDINARY FORM. In other words, no matter which OF parish you attend on 2 November, you’ll almost certainly hear different propers and readings, to say nothing of different ‘styles’ of music. Where is the “unity” in all this? Indeed, the Second Vatican Council solemnly declared: “Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community.”

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Our Father” • Musical Setting?

Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?

—Jeff Ostrowski