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Corpus Christi Watershed

“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Short But Superb Film • “Westminster Choir Boys”

Jeff Ostrowski · February 6, 2020

HERE have been changes made to the program at Westminster Cathedral (which is Roman Catholic, whereas Westminster Abbey is currently Protestant). This program was initially created under Sir Richard R. Terry, whose book can be downloaded as a PDF file.  Recently, it has been run by Martin Baker, who can be seen in the following video. Maestro Baker is a very close friend of Fr. Guy Nicholls, who has been such a supporter of CCWatershed through the years. But Martin Baker recently resigned, apparently because of certain changes (which Dr. Tappan has spoken about.) May God’s Will be done with regard to the music program there.

In any event, here’s an inspiring film created before Maestro Baker’s resignation:


The Cathedral—it would seem—is trying to correct the mistake they made, and have launched:

*  A Plan To Save The Music Program
—“Strategic review of sacred music in the mission of Westminster Cathedral” (01/20/2020)

It seems the future is in the hands of these people:

Robert Arnott, Director of Strategy, Social Mobility and Disadvantage at the Department for Education and Chair of Trustees of the Cardinal Hume Centre.

Leslie Ferrar, Non-Executive Director of Secure Income REIT PLC and Former Trustee of the Diocese of Westminster.

Mgr Mark Langham, Roman Catholic Chaplain of Cambridge University and Former Administrator of Westminster Cathedral.

Andrew Reid, Formerly Director of the Royal School of Church Music and Former Assistant Master of Music of Westminster Cathedral.

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

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Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: February 6, 2020

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Jeff Ostrowski

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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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

Surprising Popularity!

One of our most popular downloads has proven to be the organ accompaniment to “The Monastery Hymnal” (131 pages). This book was compiled, arranged, and edited by Achille P. Bragers, who studied at the Lemmensinstituut (Belgium) about thirty years before that school produced the NOH. Bragers might be considered an example of Belgium “Stile Antico” whereas Flor Peeters and Jules Van Nuffel represented Belgium “Prima Pratica.” You can download the hymnal by Bragers at this link.

—Jeff Ostrowski
15 February 2021 • To Capitalize…?

In the Introit for the 6th Sunday after Pentecost, there is a question regarding whether to capitalize the word “christi.” The Vulgata does not, because Psalm 27 is not specifically referring to Our Lord, but rather to God’s “anointed one.” However, Missals tend to capitalize it, such as the official 1962 Missal and also a book from 1777 called Missel de Paris. Something tells me Monsignor Knox would not capitalize it.

—Jeff Ostrowski
15 February 2021 • “Sung vs. Spoken”

We have spoken quite a bit about “sung vs. spoken” antiphons. We have also noted that the texts of the Graduale Romanum sometimes don’t match the Missal texts (in the Extraordinary Form) because the Mass Propers are older than Saint Jerome’s Vulgate, and sometimes came from the ITALA versions of Sacred Scripture. On occasion, the Missal itself doesn’t match the Vulgate—cf. the Introit “Esto Mihi.” The Vulgate has: “Esto mihi in Deum protectórem et in domum refúgii…” but the Missal and Graduale Romanum use “Esto mihi in Deum protectórem et in locum refúgii…” The 1970s “spoken propers” use the traditional version, as you can see.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Young people have entrusted me with their absolute preference for the Extraordinary Form… […] But, above all, how can we understand—how can we not be surprised and deeply shocked—that what was the rule yesterday is prohibited today? Is it not true that prohibiting or suspecting the Extraordinary Form can only be inspired by the demon who desires our suffocation and spiritual death?”

— Cardinal Sarah to Edward Pentin (23 September 2019)

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