Views from the Choir Loft

Free Videos • “How to say the Extraordinary Form”

Jeff Ostrowski · January 14, 2022

This was posted in 2013, but you’ll want to bookmark it.

1 of 20 • Preparation of the Altar
2 of 20 • Vesting in the Sacristy
3 of 20 • Chapter 3: Procession & Arrival at the Altar
4 of 20 • Chapter 4: Prayers at the Foot of the Altar
5 of 20 • Chapter 5: The Introit
6 of 20 • Chapter 6: Kyrie & Gloria
7 of 20 • Chapter 7: The Collect & Epistle
8 of 20 • Chapter 8: The Gospel & Creed
9 of 20 • Chapter 9: The Offertory (Part I)
10 of 20 • Chapter 10: Offertory (Part II)
11 of 20 • Chapter 11: The Preface
12 of 20 • Chapter 12: The Canon (Part I)
13 of 20 • Chapter 13: The Consecration
14 of 20 • Chapter 14: The Canon (Part II)
15 of 20 • Chapter 15: The Pater Noster & Fractio
16 of 20 • Chapter 16: The Communion of the Priest
17 of 20 • Chapter 17: The Ablutions
18 of 20 • Chapter 18: The Postcommunion & Final Blessing
19 of 20 • Chapter 19: The Last Gospel & Leonine Prayers
20 of 20 • Chapter 20: The Recession & Unvesting

“How to say Mass in the Extraordinary Form”
produced by
The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter

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).

Spectacular Communion Setting!

The FAUXBOURDON setting of the Communion for the Baptism of the Lord (which will occur this coming Sunday) strikes me as quite spectacular. The verses—composed by the fifth century Christian poet, Coelius Sedulius—come from a long alphabetical acrostic and are deservedly famous. The feast of the LORD’S BAPTISM was traditionally the octave day of Epiphany, but in the 1962 kalendar it was made ‘more explicit’ or emphasized. The 1970 MISSALE ROMANUM elevated this feast even further.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Music List” (Sunday, 11 January)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (SUNDAY, 11 January 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The FAUXBOURDON verses for the Communion Antiphon—to say nothing of the antiphon itself—are breathtaking. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the monumental feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Epiphany Hymn • “New 2-Voice Arrangement”

The Von Trapp Family Singers loved a melody that was featured heavily (perhaps even “too heavily”) in the Brébeuf Hymnal. It goes by many names, including ALTONA, VOM HIMMEL HOCH, and ERFURT. If you only have one man and one woman singing, you will want to download this arrangement for two voices. It really is a marvelous tune—and it’s especially fitting during the season of Christmas and Epiphany.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reminder” — Month of January (2026)

On a daily basis, I speak to people who don’t realize we publish a free newsletter (although they’ve followed our blog for years). We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and refuse to run annoying ads. As a result, our mailing list is crucial to our survival. Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “O Come All Ye Faithful” (Simplified)

I admire the harmonization of “Adeste Fideles” by David Willcocks (d. 2015), who served as director of the Royal College of Music (London, England). In 2025, I was challenged to create a simplified arrangement for organists incapable of playing the authentic version at tempo. The result was this simplified keyboard arrangement (PDF download) based on the David Willcocks version of “O Come All Ye Faithful.” Feel free to play through it and let me know what you think.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “In Paradisum” in English

We always sing the IN PARADISUM in Latin, as printed on this PDF score. I have an appallingly bad memory (meaning I’d be a horrible witness in court). In any event, it’s been brought to my attention that 15 years ago I created this organ accompaniment for the famous and beautiful ‘IN PARADISUM’ Gregorian chant sung in English according to ‘MR3’ (Roman Missal, Third Edition). If anyone desires such a thing, feel free to download and print. Looking back, I wish I’d brought the TENOR and BASS voices into a unison (on B-Natural) for the word “welcome” on the second line.

—Jeff Ostrowski