Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • For the Sacred Heart (3 voices)

Andrea Leal · June 3, 2021

HERE IS A GREAT NEED for simple polyphonic pieces arranged for 2-part choirs and 3-part choirs. As the demand for authentic sacred music increases, small choirs are popping up everywhere. It’s true that Covid put a stop to that for a while, but it was only a temporary halt. And now that some choirs are allowed back only in a limited fashion, mostly everyone is in need of music with reduced parts. Since I have always had a small choir with few voices, a few years back I “made an arrangement” for my group. (Read: I removed the bass part). I probably shouldn’t put music on the chopping block like that, but I had no bass singers so I wrote a clean copy without the distraction of that pesky 4th part. Frankly, if you wanted to sing this without the tenor part as well, I don’t think anyone would be mad about it.

Download this piece and start practicing soon, because the Feast of the Sacred Heart is next week.

* PDF Download • “O COR JESU” (3 voices)
—Arranged for 3 Voices by Anonymous.

I hope these Mp3 rehearsal files will assist you:

* Mp3 • [rehearsal] Equal Voices

* Mp3 • [rehearsal] Soprano Emphasized

* Mp3 • [rehearsal] Alto Emphasized

* Mp3 • [rehearsal] Tenor Emphasized

If you desire to try the full piece as it was written, you can download the original here. Don’t forget that my colleague, Veronica Brandt, has posted another very useful 3-part motet for the Sacred Heart as well. Since both of these pieces are short, you can alternate with a few verses of a psalm tone chant of your choice to lengthen it as needed.

NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

* Sometimes I make real arrangements (not just chopping one part off), and I even make rehearsal audio for my Schola Cantorum. But since I am busy with home life, I do it quickly and move on, forgetting that I can share it with you here. I’ll try to do better with that, because I know that they can be useful to others.

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

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About Andrea Leal

Andrea Leal is a wife and homeschooling mother of 6 children. She serves as choir director for the Traditional Latin Mass in Las Vegas.—(Read full biography).

PDF • Our Lady of Guadalupe (12 Dec.)

The Responsorial Psalm may be downloaded as a PDF file (organist & vocalist) for 12 December, which is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. When it comes to the formulary for this Mass, it’s astounding how infrequently it’s included in official books. Prior to Vatican II, one had to search through “supplemental material” printed in the back of hand-missals and graduals. But since 1970, the feast is virtually nonexistent. According to the UNIVERSAL KALENDAR, 12 December is the “Feast of Saint Jane Frances De Chantal, Religious” (Die 12 decembris: S. Ioannæ Franciscæ de Chantal, religiosæ). Why should that feast overpower Our Lady of Guadalupe? In the United States, OLG is celebrated—and I’d assume in Mexico, Central America, South America, and Canada—but, as I said, the Propria Missae are virtually impossible to locate. I possess only three books which mention this feast.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Simplified Accompaniment (Advent Hymn)

Many organists are forced to simultaneously serve as both CANTOR and ACCOMPANIST. In spite of what some claim, this can be difficult. I invite you to download this simplified organ accompaniment (PDF) which in the Father Brébeuf Hymnal is hymn #661: “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” (for ADVENT). I’m toying with the idea of creating a whole bunch of these, to help amateur organists. The last one I uploaded was downloaded more than 2,900 times in a matter of hours—so there appears to be interest.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Music List” (Immaculate Concep.)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 8 December 2025, the feast of OUR LADY’S IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. In Latin, the title of this feast is: In Conceptione Immaculata Beatae Mariae Virginis. 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

Pope Leo XIV on Sacred Music

On 5 December 2025, Pope Leo XIV made this declaration with regard to liturgical music.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“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