Views from the Choir Loft

2nd Sunday of Advent (2nd of December)

Jeff Ostrowski · December 3, 2017

These musical programs are for FSSP.la, the new FSSP Apostolate in Los Angeles. Bring your family to the High Mass (SAINT VICTOR, 8634 Holloway Dr, West Hollywood, CA 90069) at 7:00pm every Sunday.

PROCESSIONAL

#798 Savior Of The Nations Come

ASPERGES

PDF Score (Singer) • Practice Audio (Singer) • Organist

We also add a polyphonic section, which is #4550.

INTROIT • Sometimes the ladies sing this.

This version

KYRIE ELEISON

We are singing #5294 (KYRIE “Iste Sanctus” by Guerrero)

We may learn a new Kyrie for Christmas.

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS

Advent has no Gloria, but for Christmas Midnight we will sing: #5612.

GRADUAL & ALLELUIA

Psalm Tone Version

We will pair it with ALLELUIA by Fr. Cristóbal de Morales: #3982.

CREDO IV • Alternatim

We may sing #5984 by Machaut.

We also sometimes sing this version: #3445. But sometimes we sing in unison.

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON

PDF Score (Singer)

OFFERTORY OTHER

#796 Veni, Veni Emmanuel from Campion Hymnal.

SANCTUS & HOSANNA

We will sing the Palestrina #6962 (“Te saeculorum”)

Sometimes we sing #3496 paired with #2999.

Sometimes we sing Sanctus from Mass XIII. The complete “Kyriale” (Ordinarium Missae) can be found at St. Antoine Daniel.

BENEDICTUS & HOSANNA

We will sing #6926 Palestrina (Te Sæculorum).

AGNUS DEI

We will sing #7554.

Before long we will begin work on a setting by Giovanni Gabrieli.

COMMUNION ANTIPHON

This will be sung by chosen soloists.

COMMUNION OTHER

Guerrero Cónditor Alme Síderum is #7231.

RECESSIONAL HYMN • #800 On Jordan’s Bank The Baptist’s Cry

From the Campion Hymnal.

CHOIR PRAYER (from CAMPION HYMNAL) happens after attendance is taken:

What Fr. Ragueneau after learning about the martyrdom of St. Charles Garnier:

3817 St Charles Garnier

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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

Requesting Our Advent Eucharistic Hymn

A young lady named Agnes wrote to us: “Dear Mr. Ostrowski, do you have the PDF score for Ave Corpus Domini set to the ADVENT melody? Last year, we sang the hymn tune “Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland” quite a bit using your contrafactum technique. My choir appreciates the Latin hymns and practice videos, especially in the ADVENT and CHRISTMAS seasons. Your recent article on Gregorian Psalm Tones is a great help to my organist brother, and reminds us of attending VESPERS years ago when we lived in California. Thank you so much for all the effort put into providing these wonderful resources!” Agnes, if you are listening! Yes, the PDF file you desire can be downloaded for free at the Brébeuf Portal via this URL link. Thanks for writing to us!

—Jeff Ostrowski

Message from the Vice-President!

The Vice-President of the Church Music Association of America, Dr. Horst Buchholz (who also serves as Director of Sacred Music for the Archdiocese of Detroit) sent us an email yesterday regarding the harmonizations (PDF) I composed for the Gregorian Chant psalm tones. Dr. Buchholz says: “Those settings are absolutely exquisite, as I'm used to when it comes from you. Bravo! Well done! Now, as a sequel, if you could write something for accompanying psalms in English that would be awesome.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Seven (7) Hymn Verses for November!

In the month of November, we remember in a special way the souls in purgatory. The BRÉBEUF HYMNAL often includes text alone versions for its hymns; why is that? The short answer is: flexibility. The “text only” version allows each choirmaster to employ a myriad of melodies. For example, I recently set the English translation of “De Profúndis” with the DAVOST MELODY (PDF). We are singing this before November ends. Indeed, you can hear our volunteer singing this (in real life) if you click here.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“I prefer to preach,” said one priest “even without immediate preparation, for I can always draw—from the various studies stored away during the seminary years—enough material to interest our good Catholic people. But when I have to go to the altar and sing High Mass or a Requiem, and I know that I cannot read a note of the Preface and the ‘Pater Noster’, I feel like going to martyrdom. Yet the notes are right there before my eyes, but they seem to mock my ignorance.”

— From a 1920 article by Very Rev. Leo P. Manzetti