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Corpus Christi Watershed

“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Archives for March 2019

Fr. David Friel · March 31, 2019

Sacred Music US • Website for Fr. Weber’s Resources

A website exists to disseminate Fr. Samuel Weber’s sacred music resources

Veronica Brandt · March 30, 2019

How to Install Compline in Your Home

A first step to planting the timeless prayer of the Universal Church in your home. Plus a four part setting of the prayer just because.

Follow the Discussion on Facebook

Dr. Gregory Hamilton · March 27, 2019

Beauty in the Service of the Lord

“Recently, playing a prelude before a Mass, I thought of the preeminence of beauty in our faith.” —Dr. Hamilton

Fr. David Friel · March 26, 2019

Flash Mob • Franz Biebl’s “Ave Maria”

A special celebration of the Annunciation 2019

Fr. David Friel · March 24, 2019

New Musical Settings for the Blessing of the Holy Oils

The USCCB has provided freely downloadable versions of the musical settings of these newly translated texts.

Veronica Brandt · March 23, 2019

Upgrading to a Missa Cantata for Singers

One of those fantastic diagrams of the structure of the Mass, expostulated in under 9 minutes.

Follow the Discussion on Facebook

Richard J. Clark · March 22, 2019

Funerals: The Most Challenging Pastoral Responsibility

The centrality of Christ in the Funeral Mass is a priceless gem, a lifeline urgently needed in grief.

Jeff Ostrowski · March 19, 2019

A Short Piece We’re Singing For Lent

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to sit down with one of the smartest Catholic priests alive.

Fr. David Friel · March 17, 2019

The Lorica of St. Patrick

A fifth-century hymn preserved in an eleventh-century manuscript

Veronica Brandt · March 16, 2019

A German Franciscan Soldier who Sang

Excerpts from the life of Fr Gereon Goldmann – bombs, concentration camps, espionage and Gregorian chant.

Jeff Ostrowski · March 14, 2019

“Sarum Rite” • Did it exist? What is it?

“To contrast Ancient Sarum with Modern Roman is absurd.” —Fr. Adrian Fortescue (1912)

Jeff Ostrowski · March 13, 2019

Offensive Music in Germany • Ash Wednesday (2019)

Have you ever seen a liturgical “instrument” like this?

Fr. David Friel · March 10, 2019

Square Notes: The Sacred Music Podcast

Dedicated to exploring the teaching and vision of the Church on the topic of liturgical music

Veronica Brandt · March 9, 2019

Every Church Musician Deserves Music Lessons

In which Veronica describes some unexpected benefits of taking up music lessons.

Jeff Ostrowski · March 7, 2019

“The New Mass” • Discussed by Michael Davies, Malachi Martin, Msgr. Champlin, and William F. Buckley

Fascinating debate recorded 22 April 1980.

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    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
    14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    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

Random Quote

Using the shoddiest, sleaziest material we have for the purpose of glorifying God is not very sound theology or even very good common sense. […] (In general, when you see a diminished seventh chord in a hymn, run.) And these chords are usually used in bad hymns in precisely the same order in which they occur in “Sweet Adeline.”

— Paul Hume (1956)

Recent Posts

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  • New “Latin/English Missal” for the Novus Ordo
  • Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published

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