Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • “Singers’ Music Booklet” (15th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Corpus Christi Watershed · July 7, 2026

LMOST WITHOUT exception, the vocation of a church musician can be isolating and lonely. Knowing this, I felt sure you’d want to hear of an event taking place this Sunday. DR. HORST BUCHHOLZ (the internationally celebrated musician who now oversees the music for the Archdiocese of Detroit) and KEVIN ALLEN (believed by many to be the finest living composer of Catholic church music) will both be at my parish this Sunday 12 July for the 5:00pm Mass. If you live in Illinois, Indiana, or Michigan, why not come and introduce yourself afterwards?

* PDF Download • MUSIC BOOK FOR SINGERS—32 pages

Since our children’s choir will be joining us, I produced rehearsal videos, listed on this sheet.

Date & Time • Saint Mary’s is located in Muskegon, Michigan. The Mass will begin promptly at 5:00pm on 12 July 2026. Our pastor is being installed—during this Mass—by Most Rev. David Walkowiak, bishop of the Grand Rapids diocese. That’s the reason we have a choir (whereas our choir doesn’t sing during July under normal circumstances).

St. Mary Catholic Church
239 W Clay Ave
Muskegon, MI 49440

Muskegon to Chicago: about 3 to 3.5 hours (roughly 180 miles).

Muskegon to Indianapolis: about 4.5 to 5 hours (roughly 290 miles).

Muskegon to Detroit: about 3 hours (roughly 190 miles).

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

Calling Dr. Weaver!

A remarkable exposition of the “mora vocis” (published in 1953 in the Netherlands) which doesn’t shy away from a certain item!

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—Jeff Ostrowski

SLANE • “Simplified” Keyboard Arr.

Do you know ‘SLANE’ the hymn tune?

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—Jeff Ostrowski

Insane Baroque-Era Dissonance!

The sumptuous melody called “JESU LEIDEN PEIN UND TOD” appears no fewer than three times in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal and is harmonized with standard Common Practice Era SATB voice leading and harmonies (which is only natural). However, one who takes the time to examine what Sebastian Bach did with that tune will encounter an incredibly dissonant sound. As far as I’m concerned, there is no more dissonant sound—in the entire Baroque era—than what I highlighted in yellow on that excerpt. Please let me know if you disagree.

—Jeff Ostrowski

‘Ould’ But Not Good

Dom Samuel Gregory Ould (note the spelling) was a Benedictine monk at FORT AUGUSTUS ABBEY in Scotland. As musician, organist, and composer, Dom Ould was highly regarded. Moreover, he was considered an authority on Gregorian Chant. But not everything found in an old book—or, in this case, an “Ould” book—is necessarily praiseworthy. Consider this page from Dom Ould’s hymnal. Do you see the rhymes? They offend severely by ABR (“Abuse By Reuse”) and are utterly predictable. In my recent article—Two Ways to Defile a Hymn—I addressed this topic.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reader Feedback” • 22 June 2026

A reader wrote to us from Virginia: “I really appreciate the 23 harmonizations that you posted on CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED for the Daily, Daily, Sing to Mary hymn. I hope to find willing voices in our small Schola Cantorum to try the three-voice version. Carry on, sir! You’re doing the Lord’s work.” While we don’t know this gentleman personally, we note that he earned a Ph.D. (which demonstrates that our blog has something for everybody). 😊

—Corpus Christi Watershed

Time and Again We Are Asked…

John Baptist Singenberger (d. 1924) was a central figure of Catholic Church music. In this utterly fascinating excerpt (Single-Page PDF), Singenberger writes: Time and again we are asked: “Is the Gregorian chant to be accompanied by the organ?” As a young student in Saint Gall, Singenberger befriended SEBASTIAN GEBHARD MESSMER, the future Archbishop of Milwaukee (Wisconsin). The two graduated together in 1861. The school they attended (Saint George’s Seminary) was a “seminary”—but in the older European sense. In other words, it provided a classical education without necessarily leading to ordination. Singenberger remained a layman his whole life, but Messmer was eventually made archbishop—by Pope Saint Pius X—of the very archdiocese in Wisconsin where Singenberger would spend his American career, giving him a powerful ecclesiastical ally.

—Jeff Ostrowski