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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

PDF Download • Saint Noël Chabanel Mass Setting (“Kýrie Eléison”) for the Ordinary Form

Jeff Ostrowski · August 23, 2023

WOULD BET MONEY you’ve heard elderly people say something like: “When I was growing up, I’d walk twelve miles to school in the snow…” I can assure you: I always walked to school. I never once rode in a car. And we enjoyed walking. It was quite peaceful. I was astonished to learn (when we moved to Los Angeles) that some parents send their children to high school each day in über! Do you ever take time to reflect? Do you ever look back and remember how things were growing up? Do you agree life back then was completely different? My family had four boys and one girl (the youngest). My parents refused to buy us a Nintendo, so we entered strangers’ houses (!) to watch our neighbors play Nintendo. For hours we’d sit there, hoping ardently we might get a short turn.

Kyrie Released • In a moment, I will continue this discussion. But first I want to release another movement of the Mass in Honor of Saint Noël Chabanel. Written for the Ordinary Form, this Mass involves your CONGREGATION, your CANTOR, and your CHOIR. It consists of seven movements. The other movements will most likely be released next week; we’re putting finishing touches on the rehearsal videos. I tried to make my setting as brief as possible. (Anyone who’s worked in Ordinary Form parishes will understand why.)

Free rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #39164.

To freely download the PDF score, locate #39164.

Discussion Cont’d • It seems unreal that as youngsters we roamed the neighborhood each day. I have a poor memory, so there’s tons I can’t remember. But I do remember the various houses we lived in, and I have specific memories of entering strangers’ homes. Life was different back then. Nobody even locked their doors at night! (If readers have similar experiences they wish to share, I’d love to hear them. You can send to the email address listed at the bottom of this page.)

Has Jeff Changed? • I think we’ve established that “times have changed.” Needless to say, human beings also change and develop with the passage of time. Consider the polyphonic ending to the Kýrie Eléison posted above. Would I even appreciate such a music as a youngster? Would I say to myself: “Oh, what a wonderful use of canon!” Would I exclaim: “Such a clever juxtaposition of long notes against fast-moving stepwise patterns.” Would I get excited over the way each voice enters yet carefully makes room for others to enter? Would I cherish the fact that no matter how many times one listens to that short polyphonic section, there’s always something new to listen for?

An Ever-Widening Vista • My friends, let’s be honest. This isn’t something my brain would have understood as a youngster. Yet, tremendous wisdom is demonstrated by the tradition of the Catholic Church. The THESAURUS MUSICAE SACRAE (“treasury of sacred music”) is not stagnant, lifeless, and tedious. Rather, it’s an ever-widening vista, offering something powerful and valuable to all who set foot in the church, no matter their current stage of development. Our culture insists that learning a discipline is worthless. Our culture also says hard work “victimizes.” But the tradition of the Church is different. The tradition of the Church says we don’t know everything—and it is good to study, learn, struggle, develop, and (as a consequence) grow.

Keeping Grounded • Readers will agree that American society has changed so much, it’s almost unrecognizable. However, the way to “escape the madness”—in my humble opinion—is to interact with people in real life. I love our annual Sacred Music Symposium because I come into contact with such wonderful and “grounded” people. I also love directing choirs, because the singers are fantastic people. They’re kind, generous, interesting, and unique. They keep me grounded.

The Rock’s Lesson • A “siren” in Greek mythology was a half-bird woman who lured sailors to destruction by the sweetness of her song. Many church leaders today have been lured away from the Gospel; instead they talk about “making the world a better place.” They have forgotten that our Savior said cælum et terra transíbunt (Mt 24:35). We must remember the lesson of the rock. If you visit Rome, you’ll observe stones which have been trod upon for centuries. It turns out even a hard stone will (ever so slowly) develop furrows. Now imagine the Earth as a giant stone. Ask yourself how long it would take for a tiny ant to walk around the equator until it caused furrows. We’re talking millions of years, right? And yet, even that is barely the beginning of eternity. Do we contemplate this?

Conclusion • When we begin to understand how long eternity lasts, the constant and heavy penances undertaken daily by someone like Saint John Vianney make sense. I do think there’s a “shortcut” to Heaven, however. (I base my theory off something Father Valentine Young said to me during confession.) In essence, I believe charity is something particularly pleasing to Almighty God. Therefore, let us love one another! And let us pray for the grace to forgive others’ faults for the sake of JESUS CHRIST. Et dimítte nobis débita nostra, sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris…

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured, PDF Download Tagged With: Choral Extension Jeff Ostrowski, Father Noel Chabanel, MASS IN HONOR OF NOEL CHABANEL, SATB Polyphonic Extension, Thesaurus musicae sacrae Last Updated: August 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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    Interesting story about Sergei Rachmaninoff
    It's very brief, but I think you would enjoy hearing Benno Moiseiwitsch (d. 1963) tell this really cool story about Sergei Rachmaninoff (d. 1943). Moiseiwitsch, whose playing was admired by Josef Hofmann, had studied with Theodor Leschetizky (d. 1915). I opened my recent article by speaking of a powerful quote Rachmaninoff gave to Robert Croan, music critic for the Post Gazette and professor of voice at Duquesne University.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    [Quiz] • “Do You Know Your Hymns?”
    In case you missed it, many readers have enjoyed taking this little Quiz On Hymns. In the context of that article, I included a sensational quote about the Holy Mass by Monsignor Ronald Knox. Moreover, I talk about how Abraham Lincoln's mother died, as well as a fabulous Eucharistic hymn by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

Random Quote

Some are called not to much speaking, | nor to conversations about the Church, | but, rather, to a deep silence | and to a life hidden in the heart of the Church, | far from wrangling tongues, from speculations, and discord. […] This is the essence of a Eucharistic monastic life.

— Fr. Mark Daniel Kirby (Meditation on Colossians 3:3)

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