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Corpus Christi Watershed

Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Biography • William J. Fritz

William J. Fritz · January 22, 2020

William J. Fritz is a composer, pianist, organist, liturgical musician and director of music at St. John the Baptist Parish in Costa Mesa, CA. His musical journey began as a child when he lay under the piano while his older sisters practiced for their lessons. From there, he convinced his parents to start him on piano lessons, but not before he had composed his first piano piece, being an autodidact at heart.

He flourished under the instruction of Robert Estrin of LivingPianos.com, under Esther Jones for organ studies, and under both Norman Beede and Robert Cummings for composition.

In high school, he discovered the beauty of chant, attending the St. Michael’s College Prep school, where he had the joy of listening to the canons chant the Mass and Compline every day.

He joined St. Michael’s Abbey in Orange County as a seminarian and for nine years dedicated himself to learning the life they lived. While there, he began organ training and a rigorous, immersive approach to Gregorian chant, serving as apprentice to the canons during his education as seminarian. As part of the training of a seminarian, William also received a master’s in theology from the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Toronto, Canada.

After leaving the seminary, he became music director and began teaching Gregorian chant, piano, organ and composition around Southern California. The approach William has to music has been deeply molded by the spirit and technique of plainchant through the years spent daily singing and studying with the Norbertine canons.

He now lives in Southern California with his beautiful wife and three children.

He is also the founder of Cyprian Studios, providing tuition in Organ, Piano, Chant and Composition.

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

Filed Under: Biographies Last Updated: August 20, 2020

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About William J. Fritz

William J. Fritz currently serves as music director at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Costa Mesa, CA where he resides with his wife and three boys.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “What Martin Luther Said…”
    My pastor asked me to write little columns for the bulletin each week. The article for 20 July 2025 has been posted, and it’s called: “What Luther Said…” Martin Luther (an ex-priest and apostate) was an infamous heretic whose ignorance of JESUS CHRIST was only exceeded by his filthy and disgusting vulgarity.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

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

“It will not be Rome to tell you what you should do, no: because you have the charism. …you have the Holy Spirit for this. If Rome were to begin to make the decisions it would be a blow to the Holy Spirit, who works in the particular Churches.”

— Pope Francis (27 March 2023)

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