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“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

“I’m hanging on every word.”—Catholic Organist Group

Jeff Ostrowski · February 7, 2020

Y friend, Mæstro Clark, sent me a screenshot from a discussion on the “Catholic Organist Group.” Look what one participant wrote about the Brébeuf hymnal:

I’ve never encountered
such a prolific and astoundingly
interesting hymnal, that
includes researched and
annotated writings as
the Brébeuf hymnal.

I just read it for an hour and
I’ve barely scratched the surface.
I’m hanging on every word.

It is just as much a lesson
in theology, Christian tradition,
the history of sacred hymnody,
and inspiring Christian bio-epic
of the North American martyrs
as it is a hymnal. It could easily
stand as a primary text
to a course, and is almost
overkill as a pew aid.

Further comments are here:

*  PDF Download • Read the Entire Thread
—“Catholic Organist Group” screenshot on 7 February 2020.

Last night during rehearsal, I opened up the Brébeuf pew book and was almost moved to tears. The typesetting, the drop caps, the intricate details…wonderful stuff:


I’m beyond thrilled that we are able to sing the beautiful hymn for Septuagesima (“Rebus Creatis Nil Egens”) during Septuagesima. How cool is that? The Brébeuf hymnal is the only hymn book which provides settings for it in English, to say nothing of the gorgeous literal translation by an FSSP priest.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Jean de Brebeuf Hymnal Last Updated: May 14, 2020

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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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Quick Thoughts

19 May 2022 • “Trochee Trouble”

I’m still trying to decide how to visually present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores, using what is (technically) the official rhythm of the Church. You can download my latest attempt, for this coming Sunday. Notice the “trochee trouble” as well as the old issue of neumes before the quilisma.

—Jeff Ostrowski
16 May 2022 • Harmonized Chant?

This year’s upcoming Sacred Music Symposium will demonstrate several ways to sing the CREDO at Mass. This is because—for many parishes—to sing a full-length polyphonic CREDO by Victoria or Palestrina is out of the question. Therefore, we show options that are halfway between plainsong and polyphony. You can hear my choir rehearsing a section that sounds like harmonized plainsong.

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • “Pure” Vatican Edition

As readers know, my choir has been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana. That is to say, the official rhythm which—technically—is the only rhythm allowed by the Church. I haven’t figured out how I want the scores to look, so in the meantime we’ve been using temporary scores that look like this. Stay tuned!

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Nothing should be allowed that is unworthy of divine worship, nothing that is obviously profane or unfit to express the inner, sacred power of prayer. Nothing odd or unusual is allowable, since such things, far from fostering devotion in the praying community, rather shock and upset it—and impede the proper and rightful cultivation of a devotion faithful to tradition.

— Pope Paul VI • 10/13/1966

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