Views from the Choir Loft

Square Notes: The Sacred Music Podcast

Fr. David Friel · March 10, 2019

EBCASTING aficionados take heed: a new podcast devoted to sacred music has just been launched. Entitled Square Notes, the program is dedicated to exploring the teaching and vision of the Church on the topic of liturgical music. This project brings the discussion of truly sacred music to a new platform, supplementing what is already available through professional organizations, in the blogosphere, and in print.

The hosts of the podcast are Dr. Jennifer Donelson and Mr. Peter Carter, whose full bios are posted on the podcast’s website.

The first episode (the only one available so far) is an interview with Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of Portland, OR (see here for news of his recently promulgated “Archdiocesan Liturgical Handbook”). The interview, which lasts just over half an hour, involves an engaging discussion of the principles of sacred music and the importance of worthy liturgical celebration.

Future episodes will include stories of conversions prompted by sacred music, conversations with specialists in musical pedagogy for children, and such notable guests as Fr. Cassian Folsom, OSB, Dr. William Mahrt, and Charles Cole.

This new podcast is distributed through various media, including iTunes, YouTube, SoundCloud, and Stitcher. See the program’s own website for links to these listening platforms.

You can also like their Facebook page to stay abreast of newly posted episodes.

For my own first foray into the world of webcasting, check out this podcast from a couple years ago about what constitutes true sacred music.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.

—Jeff Ostrowski

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

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