Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • The Most Difficult Piece! (Sacred Music Symposium 2020)

Jeff Ostrowski · March 17, 2020

OME EXTREMELY intelligent people are terrified of Coronavirus possibly spreading in America. On the other hand, some very smart people have pointed out that our “reaction”—in spite of its good intention—might cause serious and irreparable damage to the country. For instance, so many people have already lost employment because of the governmental regulations. They are now unable to earn money for their families. No matter which “side” you are on, I think we can all agree that Americans stuck at home should use their time in a productive manner. We are, therefore, trying to release as much music as we can, so you can start rehearsing for Sacred Music Symposium 2020.

Here is a rehearsal video for the most challenging piece of all. It is the “Hosanna” section of the Sanctus. (The other movements will be added soon.)

You can download the PDF, and rehearse each individual voice by locating #79467. (Currently, it’s at the very top, so you will find it easily.)

By the way, you should visit the Symposium website and read the “Official Statement on Coronavirus,” posted earlier today.

We have already spoken about the magnificent Missa Mille Regretz by Cristóbal de Morales, a Spanish priest who was one of greatest composers of all time. You will be hearing a lot more about it. For the time being, you can listen to the chanson (“Mille regretz”) if you click here. You can also hear the Hilliard Ensemble sing this “Hosanna” if you go to the 3:03 marker.

I have much more to say about Missa Mille Regretz…so please stay tuned!

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

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 Michigan. —(Read full biography).

“Common” Responsorial Psalm?

I try to avoid arguing about liturgical legislation (even with Catholic priests) because it seems like many folks hold certain views—and nothing will persuade them to believe differently. You can show them 100 church documents, but it matters not. They won’t budge. Sometimes I’m confronted by people who insist that “there’s no such thing” as a COMMON RESPONSORIAL PSALM. When that happens, I show them a copy of the official legislation in Latin. I have occasionally prevailed by means of this method.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • 5th Sunday of Easter (Year C)

Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 5th Sunday of Easter (18 May 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The Communion Antiphon was ‘restored’ the 1970 Missale Romanum (a.k.a. MISSALE RECENS) from an obscure martyr’s feast. Our choir is on break this Sunday, so the selections are relatively simple in nature.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Communion Chant (5th Sunday of Easter)

This coming Sunday—18 May 2025—is the 5th Sunday of Easter, Year C (MISSALE RECENS). The COMMUNION ANTIPHON “Ego Sum Vitis Vera” assigned by the Church is rather interesting, because it comes from a rare martyr’s feast: viz. Saint Vitalis of Milan. It was never part of the EDITIO VATICANA, which is the still the Church’s official edition. As a result, the musical notation had to be printed in the Ordo Cantus Missae, which appeared in 1970.

—Jeff Ostrowski

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

When to Sit, Stand and Kneel like it’s 1962

There are lots of different guides to postures for Mass, but I couldn’t find one which matched our local Latin Mass, so I made this one: sit-stand-kneel-crop

—Veronica Brandt

The Funeral Rites of the Graduale Romanum

Lately I have been paging through the 1974 Graduale Romanum (see p. 678 ff.) and have been fascinated by the funeral rites found therein, especially the simply-beautiful Psalmody that is appointed for all the different occasions before and after the funeral Mass: at the vigil/wake, at the house of the deceased, processing to the church, at the church, processing to the cemetery, and at the cemetery. Would that this “stational Psalmody” of the Novus Ordo funeral rites saw wider usage! If you or anyone you know have ever used it, please do let me know.

—Daniel Tucker