70% Moonshine? • Jeff Responds to a Dissertation-Length Article on Gregorian Chant

Jeff Ostrowski · November 9, 2026

On 7 November 2026, Father Claudio Campesato (a priest in the Diocese of Padua) published a Gregorian Chant article “of dissertation length.”

To access this post, you must purchase Monthly Subscription or Yearly Subscription.

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).

PDF Download • “Singers’ Booklet”

The Communion antiphon this week is the powerful “Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids.”

To access this post, you must purchase Monthly Subscription or Yearly Subscription.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Feast of All Saints (Nov. 1st)

The formatting of this booklet is ‘messy’—but it’s only ever seen by the singers (not the congregation).

To access this post, you must purchase Monthly Subscription or Yearly Subscription.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Twenty-Two (22) English Translations

We gathered every English translation of “Creátor Alme Síderum” ever made by Catholic poets, priests, bishops, cardinals, and saints (22 in all). Click this link to see them displayed, placed directly alongside the original Latin. Some are strikingly beautiful (e.g. “Great Maker of the glitt’ring stars”) and together they trace the hymn back to the ancient “Cónditor Alme Síderum,” which POPE URBAN VIII reworked in 1632AD.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Preface of Saint Joseph (added by the pope)

You can see the “Præfatio de Sancto Joseph” inserted directly into the priest’s missal.

To access this post, you must purchase Monthly Subscription or Yearly Subscription.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Predictable Rhymes?” • A Follow Up

We received considerable correspondence regarding my article, Two Ways to Defile a Hymn. More specifically, what really raised certain people’s hackles was its follow-up article dealing with the keyboard accompaniment for the CHRIST THE KING HYMNAL. But to quote Eliza Doolittle: “Have I said anything I oughtn’t?” Please examine this PDF file and see whether you agree. Were the editors of the BRÉBEUF HYMNAL incorrect to insist upon sophisticated and clever rhymes, rather than mind-numbingly predictable rhymes?

—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

70% Moonshine? • Jeff Responds to a Dissertation-Length Article on Gregorian Chant

Subscribe

CONTACT • Corpus Christi Watershed

Subscribe

It greatly helps us if you subscribe to our mailing list!

About Jeff Ostrowski

Footer

CONTACT • Corpus Christi Watershed