Views from the Choir Loft

Archives for April 2019

Dr. Lucas Tappan · April 30, 2019

A Reason To Hope

We need to remember how small the amount of yeast is that is needed to leaven the dough.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 22, 2019

Josef Hofmann: “King of Pianists”

This excerpt from a 1980 radio interview with Abe Chasins proves I’m not crazy…

Jeff Ostrowski · April 20, 2019

PDF Download • “Cheat Sheet” for Easter Vigil

Releasing this is probably a bad idea…too late!

Jeff Ostrowski · April 19, 2019

PDF Download • Organ Interludes for Manuals!

I will most definitely be playing these pieces—based on hymn tunes—by Georg Philipp Telemann!

Veronica Brandt · April 13, 2019

Oreste Ravanello’s Easy Pieces for Organ

A dozen easy little pieces for organ.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 12, 2019

Musical Program for Covid-19

Saint Vitus • MATT GONZALEZ WEDDING • Saturday, 1 August 2020…bride walks at Noon! ——Call time for singers is 10:00am ENTRANCE Organist will play INTROIT • “Deus Israël conjungat” Sung by Men from Goupil-Chant Search the René Goupil website for “pro sponsis” KYRIE #81668 — Palestrina “Fons Bonitatis” part 1 #81249 — Palestrina “Fons Bonitatis” […]

Jeff Ostrowski · April 12, 2019

The Amazing Uy Family Singers!

Not a piece you expected to hear today!

Corpus Christi Watershed · April 10, 2019

In 1991, Buchanan Predicted Ratzinger’s Election

“If the Latin Mass were available, 8% of Catholics would go every Sunday, 17% would attend frequently, and 51% occasionally.” —1991 Poll

Jeff Ostrowski · April 10, 2019

(captured by iPhone) • Rehearsing for the Symposium

Do me a huge favor…

Jeff Ostrowski · April 9, 2019

Brébeuf Harmony Edition • “Splendid Beyond Words”

Folks, there’s just one word for this: WOW.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 8, 2019

PDF Download • Spectacular “Tenebrae” Booklet

Mr. Albert Bloomfield has done us a breathtaking favor.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 6, 2019

St. Michael the Archangel Prayer…in Gregorian Chant!

From a rare book of Franciscan chants (1902)

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Jeff Ostrowski · April 4, 2019

PDF Download • Mystery Kyriale (100 Pages)

Nobody knows the author or date of publication.

‘Bogey’ of the Half-Educated: Paraphrase

Father Adrian Porter, using the cracher dans la soupe example, did a praiseworthy job explaining the difference between ‘dynamic’ and ‘formal’ translation. This is something Monsignor Ronald Knox explained time and again—yet even now certain parties feign ignorance. I suppose there will always be people who pretend the only ‘valid’ translation of Mitigásti omnem iram tuam; avertísti ab ira indignatiónis tuæ… would be “You mitigated all ire of you; you have averted from your indignation’s ire.” Those who would defend such a translation suffer from an unfortunate malady. One of my professors called it “cognate on the brain.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Father Cuthbert Lattey • “The Hebrew MSS”

Father Cuthbert Lattey (d. 1954) wrote: “In a large number of cases the ancient Christian versions and some other ancient sources seem to have been based upon a better Hebrew text than that adopted by the rabbis for official use and alone suffered to survive. Sometimes, too, the cognate languages suggest a suitable meaning for which there is little or no support in the comparatively small amount of ancient Hebrew that has survived. The evidence of the metre is also at times so clear as of itself to furnish a strong argument; often it is confirmed by some other considerations. […] The Jewish copyists and their directors, however, seem to have lost the tradition of the metre at an early date, and the meticulous care of the rabbis in preserving their own official and traditional text (the ‘massoretic’ text) came too late, when the mischief had already been done.” • Msgr. Knox adds: “It seems the safest principle to follow the Latin—after all, St. Jerome will sometimes have had a better text than the Massoretes—except on the rare occasions when there is no sense to be extracted from the Vulgate at all.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • 9 Nov. (Dedic. Lateran)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 9 November 2025, which is the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the sensational feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reminder” — Month of November (2025)

On a daily basis, I speak to people who don’t realize we publish a free newsletter (although they’ve followed our blog for years). We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and refuse to run annoying ads. As a result, our mailing list is crucial to our survival. Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.

—Jeff Ostrowski

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