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Views from the Choir Loft

Offensive Music in Germany • Ash Wednesday (2019)

Jeff Ostrowski · March 13, 2019

HE FOLLOWING VIDEO has been making the rounds. You’ll surely see it sooner or later, so you might as well be prepared. (I find it pretty shocking—and, trust me, I’ve seen a lot of bad stuff.) This took place in the Basilica of St. Kunibert, and the celebrant was Cardinal Woelki, Archbishop of Cologne. For the record, I have no idea why she keeps spitting into that bullhorn during Mass. Gregory DiPippo, editor of the blog for the Church Music Association of America (CMAA), wrote: Shame on them for profaning the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with that disgusting non-music.

To me, the “sacred music” chosen seems bizarre and disrespectful.

What do you think?

Cf. nn 85172

*  Direct Download • 22.4MB
—Download this video file directly from GloriaTV.

You can view it on YouTube.

It also seems to have been uploaded as a file directly to YouTube.

Make no mistake about it: this Mass did happen—you can see for yourself. It is not a YouTube prank. They will probably remove the video, so here’s proof this is not fake.

MANY HAVE BEEN asking things like: “Why is that woman clapping in Church? Why is she hissing on Ash Wednesday? Why is she spitting into a bullhorn during Mass?” …and so forth. For myself, I have some different questions. Why is there no choir? What was found so unacceptable about truly great music (Palestrina, Morales, etc.) that this music was chosen instead? Listening to the video, can we really pretend that compositions by composers such as Marenzio are “too esoteric” to be understood by modern man? I can tell you that my choir members here in Los Angeles love the traditional music—and they sing it very well. Their favorite is Father Tomás Luis de Victoria. The Soprano in that video clearly has a fantastic voice; why does she not use her voice to train a choir?

I don’t know anything about Cardinal Woelki, but several who do know him have written to say he must have been tricked into doing this. Sadly, bishops are often unaware of what they’re walking into.

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: March 1, 2021

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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).

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    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
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    Don’t You Agree About These?
    If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Victoria not only made his professional debut as church organist: he also continued active on the organ bench until the very eve of his death. Indeed, during his last seven years at Madrid (1604-1611) he occupied no other musical post but that of convent organist.”

— Dr. Robert Stevenson (1961)

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