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Corpus Christi Watershed

We’re a 501(c)3 public charity established in 2006. We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and run no advertisements. We exist solely by the generosity of small donors.

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Views from the Choir Loft

My Student Singing Byrd Will Make You Weep!

Jeff Ostrowski · April 30, 2023

OW MANY READERS have—at one time or another—considered giving up the church music vocation? I suspect most choirmasters have. After all, as youngsters we work so hard at musical perfection. We learn where “Middle C” is located. We learn about key signatures. We learn about staccato, sforzando, crescendo, and molto allegro. Our parents spend their life savings to buy us an instrument, obtain sheet music for us, and pay our teachers. Later on, we must figure out how to pay our professors at the conservatory. We sound the depths of Chopin, Grieg, Beethoven, Bach, Schumann, Schubert, Liszt, Debussy, Mendelssohn, and Mozart. We spend hours memorizing music. We learn how to perform before audiences, often through painful lessons. And on and on. Then, we finally get our first church job—only to discover staff members who betray us, parishioners who belittle us, and pastors who cause us anguish through abuse or (worst of all) through indifference.

Why We Stay • One reason we don’t quit is because of the power of sacred music: Cantus Gregorianus, Marenzio, Guerrero, Palestrina, Van Nuffel, and all our favorite composers. Another reason we don’t quit is because we see the influence we have on a new generation of choirmasters, organists, and singers. A few days ago, I recorded a SANCTUS by William Byrd, a Catholic composer of the Late Renaissance. One of my students provided the other voices.

Her name is Claire, and listen to how well she sings:

M Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #40998.

Another “William” Who Composes • Another reason we don’t quit is because of the terrific colleagues we meet. One such colleague is Maestro William Fritz of CYPRIAN STUDIOS. His kindness, generosity, and humility are outstanding. Moreover, he’s a phenomenal musician, theorist, organist, and composer. He was recently selected to study privately with Sir James MacMillan, the famous Scottish composer. Maestro Fritz has written a gorgeous AGNUS DEI which will be sung for the very first time during Sacred Music Symposium 2023:

M Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #40878.

Deep Sadness: Most readers won’t click on the individual voice parts, and that makes me glum. When we post a “scandalous” liturgical video, we get 40,000 views. I wish we could get as many views for the rehearsal videos! They take forever to create. Moreover, those who fail to click on those links will miss out on downloading free PDF scores.

“BBB” (Brief Byrd Biography) • William Byrd, famous English composer, was named Gentleman of the Chapel Royal in 1572AD where he stayed for approximately 20 years. In 1575AD, Byrd and Tallis were jointly granted a monopoly on music printing for 21 years. Circa 1594AD, he moved with his wife and children to a small village called Stondon Massey. His ownership of Stondon Place—where he lived for the rest of his life—was contested by Joanna Shelley, causing a legal dispute lasting about 15 years. From the early 1570s onwards, Byrd became increasingly involved with Catholicism, met Father Robert Southwell (whose works are featured in the Brébeuf Hymnal), and was increasingly persecuted by the Anglicans for his adherence to Catholicism. Despite repeated citations for recusancy (and heavy fines), he died a rich man.

*  Mp3 Download • WILLIAM BYRD SANCTUS (a5)
—Recorded ‘live’ on 10 December 2023.

Live recording on 24 September 2023

Live recording on 17 September 2023.

*  Mp3 Download • SANCTUS (William Byrd)
*  Mp3 Download • BENEDICTUS (William Byrd)

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured, PDF Download Tagged With: Mass For Five Voices, William Byrd Composer, William Fritz Composer Last Updated: December 23, 2023

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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

    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

At the Catholic gathering (Katholikentag) held at Breslau in August, the Papal Nuncio celebrated Mass for 80,000 participants, facing the people (the “Missa versus populum”).

— “Orate Fratres” Magazine (23 Jan. 1927)

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Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.

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