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“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

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Views from the Choir Loft

“Pronouncing the Responses at Mass” • Phonetic Booklet for Altar Boys (Latin Mass)

Jeff Ostrowski · September 8, 2022

ALCYON. The halcyon days of my life were unquestionably when I was an Altar boy serving Mass. Those were the moments I was happiest and (I suspect) holiest. I especially enjoyed the weekday Masses on evenings in the countryside; they were spectacularly peaceful. I served so frequently, I was appointed as M.C. (“Master of Ceremonies”) while still in my teens.1

A Boy’s Gift • When I was a boy, someone gave me a ‘cheat sheet’ for Altar servers with phonetic pronunciation underneath each word. That was one of the most useful gifts I ever received, and it helped me commit to memory the required responses for serving at the Altar. We have attempted to create something resembling what I had back in those days:

*  Softcover • “LOW MASS: Making the Responses” (33 pages)
—Eligible for AMAZON PRIME • For Training Altar Boys • Traditional Latin Mass.

Stumbling Blocks • We have tried to clearly indicate common stumbling blocks, such as the infamous ‘changing endings’ in the CONFITEOR: “beáto Joánni Baptístae” vs. “beátum Joánnem Baptístam.” Etc.

Help Them Along! • This would make a splendid Christmas gift for boys attempting to learn their Mass responses. In today’s world, young boys need all the help they can get. Please consider giving them a helping hand!

1 I was given the unforgettable opportunity to serve as M.C. when the Superior General of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter—FATHER JOSEF BISIG—visited from Switzlerland. Several years later, I was chosen to serve as M.C. for his successor, FATHER ARNAUD DEVILLERS.

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured Tagged With: Altar Boy, Altar Boy Cheat Card, Altar Boy Responses, Altar Boys Extraordinary Form, Altar Server Cheat Card, Altar Serving Guide, Missale Vetustum, Responses For Low Mass, Responses Phonetic Traditional Latin, Serving Low Mass, Training Altar Boys Last Updated: September 16, 2022

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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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    William Byrd • Simple “Agnus Dei” Canon
    Time flies! Back in July, I posted a PDF setting of a perfect canon by William Byrd (d. 1623) arranged as an AGNUS DEI for three voices. Last Sunday, we sang that arrangement with our volunteer choir. To hear a ‘live’ recording of it, click here (Mp3). In my humble opinion, this would be a perfect piece for a choir just beginning to experiment with polyphony.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Glory To God” • (For Choir + Congregation)
    I wish to thank everyone for the nice comments I received vis-à-vis my Glory To God setting for Choir & Congregation. A gentleman with a musical doctorate from Indiana University wrote: “Love this setting so much. And I will pray, as you asked, for your return to composition more fully. You are very very good.” A female choir director wrote: “I love your harmonizations, your musicality, and the wonderful interplay you have with dissonance and consonance in your music. So fun to listen to, and great for intellect, heart, and soul!” A young woman from California wrote: “Thank you for releasing your new Glory To God in honor of Saint Noel Chabanel. I'm enjoying reading through the various parts and listening to your recordings.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    William Byrd • “Mass for Five Voices”
    Our volunteer choir is learning the “Sanctus” from William Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices. You can hear a short excerpt (recorded last Sunday) but please ignore the sound of babies crying: Mp3 recording. We still have work to do—but we’re on the right track. Once we have some of the tuning issues fixed, I desire to use it as an example proving volunteers can sing complicated polyphony. — One of our volunteer choirs also sang that SANCTUS on 24 September 2023, and you can listen to how that came out.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Finally, let us not forget that listening especially is active participation. When we listen to the performances of Bach’s Saint Matthew Passion, we can fully participate actively in the Passion of Christ. And so, if we listen attentively to the singing and organ music during the celebration of the divine services, our participation is not less complete. The real significance of this objective and very important aspect is insufficiently understood.”

— Flor Peeters

Recent Posts

  • Gregorian Rhythm Wars • “Nuances of Nuances” (28 Sep 2023)
  • William Byrd • Simple “Agnus Dei” Canon
  • Active Participation or Not?
  • (Not Kidding) • Does Singing for Mass Fulfill One’s Obligation to Attend Mass?
  • A Brief Addendum

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