Views from the Choir Loft

Rehearsal Video • Breathtaking Morales “Sanctus”

Jeff Ostrowski · March 21, 2020

ARIOUS CATHOLIC SAINTS—such as Padre Pio, Don Bosco, and St. John Vianney—have warned against the sin of idle gossip. Successful choirmasters almost never partake in gossip, because they are usually so overworked they have no time for it. Idle gossip would include constant & unceasing speculation about Covid-19 and the future; and I certainly will not add to such speculation. I would point out, however, that so many people staying home is a perfect opportunity to prepare for Sacred Music Symposium 2020. For this reason, CCWatershed contributors—Veronica Moreno, Andrea Leal, and Cynthia Ostrowski—have come together (digitally) to help me start recording rehearsal videos!

Here is the Sanctus by Father Morales “Missa Mille Regretz” Cappella Sistina MS 17:

Note: You won’t want to miss the “Hosanna” section!

You can also download this song as an Mp3 file.

If you dislike our version, you can hear a professional recording by the Hilliard Ensemble.

Sacred Music Symposium Participants

If you are planning to participate in June, please scroll to the bottom of the Symposium website and you will notice rehearsal videos have slowly begun to appear. Please practice! By the way, the success of the Symposium is not only due to the people who run the Symposium—it’s also due to the participants. The participants, whether they know it or not, are joining a proud line of Catholic Church musicians going back at least 120 years. If you read the old journals—such as Caecilia Magazine—you can find many descriptions of church music conferences.

Regarding this Sanctus by Father Morales, there is an amazing history behind this piece. We have already begun the process of explaining it, but there is much more to discuss. However, when it comes to complicated topics, they must be presented in an organized and proper way—otherwise they just lead to confusion. 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).

Dr. Mahrt explains the ‘Spoken’ Propers

In 1970, the Church promulgated a new version of the Roman Missal. It goes by various names: Ordinary Form, Novus Ordo, MISSALE RECENS, and so on. If you examine the very first page, you’ll notice that Pope Saint Paul VI explains the meaning of the ‘Spoken Propers’ (which are for Masses without singing). A quote by Dr. William P. Mahrt is also included in that file. The SPOKEN PROPERS—used at Masses without music—are sometimes called The Adalbert Propers, because they were created in 1969 by Father Adalbert Franquesa Garrós, one of Hannibal Bugnini’s closest friends (according to Yves Chiron).

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Music List” (1st Sunday of Advent)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 30 November 2025, which is the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is quite memorable, and the fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • Christ the King Sunday

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 23 November 2025, which is the 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. In the 1970 Missal, this Sunday is known as: Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Universorum Regis (“Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe”). As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the magnificent feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Translations Approved for Liturgical Use”

According to the newsletter for USSCB’s Committee on Divine Worship dated September 1996, there are three (3) translations of the Bible which can be used in the sacred liturgy in the United States. You can read this information with your own eyes. It seems the USCCB and also Rome fully approved the so-called NRSV (“New Revised Standard Version”) on 13 November 1991 and 6 April 1992 but this permission was then withdrawn in 1994.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

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

“I am now old but I was young when I was received into the Church. I was not at all attracted by the splendour of her great ceremonies—which the Protestants could well counterfeit. Of the extraneous attractions of the Church which most drew me was the spectacle of the priest and his server at Low Mass, stumping up to the altar without a glance to discover how many or how few he had in his congregation; a craftsman and his apprentice; a man with a job which he alone was qualified to do.”

— Evelyn Waugh (7 August 1964)