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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

What A Real Catholic Conductor Looks Like

Jeff Ostrowski · June 10, 2021

O SINGER WHO HAS ever worked with Dr. Alfred Calabrese will ever forget the experience. When he walks into the room, he has “the presence” that my professor of choral methods (Dr. James Daugherty) used to speak about. Mæstro Simon Carrington, who directed our choral program when I first entered the Conservatory, also had “the presence.” What exactly does “the presence” mean? It basically means a particular conductor who enters the room and—when he does—everyone stands up straight and gets ready to work. Everyone wants to do well for a conductor with “the presence.”

I don’t know how you get “the presence.” Maybe they give it to you when you get a doctorate in conducting? Dr. Calabrese earned his doctorate from Indiana University (Bloomington), which has an esteemed music school. For example, one of the most famous musicologists of all time, Willi Apel, taught there. I believe Dr. Horst Buchholz also got a doctorate at Indiana University, and I’d be curious to know whether they knew each other at that time. Sometimes when Dr. Calabrese conducts, he wears a little “pink hood” over his shoulders. I believe that signifies he received a doctorate in the Fine Arts. I have seen Dr. Lucas Tappan also wear that little hood over his shoulder.

On facebook, I recently saw an excerpt of Dr. Calabrese conducting SOLEMN VESPERS at his church, and wanted to share it. If I had to guess, it sounds like Tallis—but don’t quote me on that:

You can watch the full video.

Even on a low-quality recording, the choral sound evoked by Dr. Calabrese sounds, in my humble opinion, quite beautiful; even glorious! 1

IN THE PAST, we have been blessed to have Dr. Calabrese as a guest conductor here in Los Angeles:

63204-Dr-Alfred-Calabrese-Conductor-2019
63204-Dr-Alfred-Calabrese-Conductor-2017
63204-Dr-Alfred-Calabrese-Conductor-2016

We were so sad when the Sacred Music Symposium was canceled (but not permanently) due to Covid-19.

I have been trying to think of way to get Dr. Calabrese to come back to Los Angeles to work with my singers. I think I could raise enough money to provide a proper stipend for him, but the main obstacle has to do with my singers’s schedules—most of them have jobs! I would want them to spend the whole week learning from Dr. Calabrese, but I just don’t know whether their work schedules would allow such a thing. I already push my singers pretty hard, and I don’t know what they would do if I said: “By the way, I also need you to take a full week off work for extra training.”

FUN FACT: The church where Dr. Calabrese conducts? My wife actually used to go there when she lived in Dallas. She saw the video, and she instantly recognized it!


NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   What’s even more amazing is, they are singing through face masks, just like Andrew Leung’s singers. I suspect they would not be allowed to sing, unless they are wearing face masks. For myself, I could not sing while wearing a face mask—I already have enough problems breathing! Let’s hope this face mask stuff ends soon…and never comes back! But we musicians don’t make the rules.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Alfred Calabrese Conductor Last Updated: June 10, 2021

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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 Michigan. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Typo in the “Missale Romanum” (1962)
    The 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM was a transitional missal. It was on its way to becoming the 1970 version, but wasn’t there yet. It eliminated certain duplications, downplayed the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, expanded the role of laymen, minimized the Last Gospel, made many items optional, and so forth. Father Valentine Young spotted many typos in the 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM, especially incorrect accents. The Offertory Antiphon for this coming Sunday (OF kalendar) contains an error, citing the wrong verse from Psalm 118. It should be 118:107b, not 118:154. If you read verse 154, you’ll understand how that error crept in. [In this particular case, the error pre-dates the 1962 Missal, since the 1940s hand-missal by Father Lasance also gets it wrong.]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 30th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 26 October 2025, which is the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the top-notch feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Little Encouragement?
    In the Gospel, our Savior tells about 10 lepers who were healed. Only one went back to give thanks. Precious few express gratitude, yet many have endless energy to complain. For that reason, I deeply appreciate receiving messages like the following, which arrived a few days ago (about the parish where I direct in Michigan): “Last Sunday, a couple I knew from Grand Rapids was at Mass at 10:00 a.m. I got a chance to talk to them after Mass. I wanted to let you know what they said about the choir. They were absolutely floored by our sound!!!!! They both said they could continuously listen to our choir and the beauty of it. They asked me: “Do you always sound like that?” And they were also very surprised at how packed the church was. They said it was nice for them to be in such a full church. I just thought you would be interested to know their thoughts about our choir.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “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
    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Participation at Mass must be “above all internal” (§15), and: “The faithful must be taught to unite themselves interiorly to what the ministers or choir sing, so that by listening to them they may raise their minds to God.”

— Musicam Sacram (5 March 1967)

Recent Posts

  • Typo in the “Missale Romanum” (1962)
  • “Music List” • 30th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • “Our Father” • Musical Setting?
  • Little Encouragement?
  • Children’s Repertoire • Mueller’s Recommendations

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