Views from the Choir Loft

Archives for April 2018

Corpus Christi Watershed · April 30, 2018

(Transcript) • Archbishop Sample’s Sermon from the National Shrine Solemn Pontifical Mass

“I myself first discovered the Traditional Latin Mass as a college student.” —Most Rev’d Sample

Dr. Lucas Tappan · April 30, 2018

Choosing Choral Repertoire

Is it okay for choirmasters to program the same piece several Sundays in a row?

Jeff Ostrowski · April 29, 2018

Yesterday’s Solemn Mass Was An Inflection Point

Consider three (3) clerics who took part in this Solemn Mass at the National Shrine

Andrew Leung · April 26, 2018

This Saturday! • Solemn Pontifcal Mass in D.C.

Archbishop Sample will be offering a Solemn Pontifical Mass at the National Shrine in DC.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 24, 2018

Directing A Choir: Are You Tough Enough?

Your sense of humor says it all…

Corpus Christi Watershed · April 23, 2018

Opportunity to study Polyphony in San Francisco

Dr. Michael Alan Anderson is a superb director.

Fr. David Friel · April 22, 2018

Spanish Missal Chants Now Available

A collection of fine resources are available from the Domenico Zipoli Institute

Richard J. Clark · April 20, 2018

Listening and Mission

All that matters is God’s call of service—God’s agenda. This mission of service is primary. Service is a form of love.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · April 17, 2018

Teaching Gregorian Chant to Boys with Changed Voices

The boys encountered the same learning curves the adult men had previously, but their facility in solfege speed up the learning process.

Guest Author · April 16, 2018

What does Cicero have to do with the Breviary?

A proposal for “mutual enrichment”

Andrew Leung · April 12, 2018

Photos • Two Recent Solemn Masses in Hong Kong

This wasn’t my first time serving as a subdeacon, but it was a trembling experience.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · April 10, 2018

Tone Quality and Your Singers

Ultimately it doesn’t matter if your choir resonates well and sings beautiful vowels but can’t communicate via the music…

Fr. David Friel · April 8, 2018

The Turns at Benediction

To the Right or to the Left?

Jeff Ostrowski · April 5, 2018

“ Dissonance? ” • Gregorian Accompaniment

Nothing could be further from the truth!

Fr. David Friel · April 3, 2018

Ratzinger’s 1987 Letter to a Former Catechism Student

The Pope Emeritus presents church music as something central to life.

Dr. Mahrt explains the ‘Spoken’ Propers

In 1970, the Church promulgated a new version of the Roman Missal. It goes by various names: Ordinary Form, Novus Ordo, MISSALE RECENS, and so on. If you examine the very first page, you’ll notice that Pope Saint Paul VI explains the meaning of the ‘Spoken Propers’ (which are for Masses without singing). A quote by Dr. William P. Mahrt is also included in that file. The SPOKEN PROPERS—used at Masses without music—are sometimes called The Adalbert Propers, because they were created in 1969 by Father Adalbert Franquesa Garrós, one of Hannibal Bugnini’s closest friends (according to Yves Chiron).

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Music List” (1st Sunday of Advent)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 30 November 2025, which is the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is quite memorable, and the fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • Christ the King Sunday

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 23 November 2025, which is the 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. In the 1970 Missal, this Sunday is known as: Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Universorum Regis (“Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe”). As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the magnificent feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Translations Approved for Liturgical Use”

According to the newsletter for USSCB’s Committee on Divine Worship dated September 1996, there are three (3) translations of the Bible which can be used in the sacred liturgy in the United States. You can read this information with your own eyes. It seems the USCCB and also Rome fully approved the so-called NRSV (“New Revised Standard Version”) on 13 November 1991 and 6 April 1992 but this permission was then withdrawn in 1994.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

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

Pope Gelasius in his 9th Letter to the Bishops of Lucania condemned the evil practice which had been introduced of women serving the priest at the celebration of Mass. Since this abuse had spread to the Greeks, Innocent IV strictly forbade it in his letter to the Bishop of Tusculum: “Women should not dare to serve at the altar; they should be altogether refused this ministry.” We too have forbidden this practice in the same words in Our oft-repeated constitution “Etsi Pastoralis” (§6, #21)

— Pope Benedict XIV • Encyclical “Allatae Sunt” (26 July 1755)