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Corpus Christi Watershed

“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

Views from the Choir Loft • “Our Team”

avatar for Jeff OstrowskiJeff 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).

avatar for Fr. David FrielFr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Richard J. ClarkRichard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Veronica BrandtVeronica Brandt

Veronica Brandt holds a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering. She lives near Sydney, Australia, with her husband and six children.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Andrew LeungAndrew Leung

Andrew Leung currently serves the music director of Vox Antiqua, conductor of the Cecilian Singers, and music director at Our Lady of China Church.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Lucas TappanLucas Tappan

Dr. Lucas Tappan is a conductor and organist whose specialty is working with children. He lives in Kansas with his wife and four children.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Cynthia OstrowskiCynthia Ostrowski

Cynthia Ostrowski holds a bachelor's degree (2005) in Geographic Information Science and a minor in Computer Science from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Andrew R. MotykaAndrew R. Motyka

Andrew Motyka is the Archdiocesan Director of Liturgical Music and Cathedral Music for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Keven SmithKeven Smith

Keven Smith, music director at St. Stephen the First Martyr, lives in Sacramento with his wife and five musical children.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Dr. Alfred CalabreseDr. Alfred Calabrese

Dr. Alfred Calabrese is Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Rita Catholic Church in Dallas, TX. He and his wife have two children.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Andrea LealAndrea Leal

Andrea Leal is a wife and homeschooling mother of 6 children. She serves as choir director for the Traditional Latin Mass in Las Vegas.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Veronica MorenoVeronica Moreno

Veronica Moreno is married to a teacher and homeschools five children. She has been cantor at her local Catholic parish for over a decade.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Charles WeaverCharles Weaver

Charles Weaver is on the faculty of the Juilliard School, and serves as director of music for St. Mary’s Church. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and four children.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Wilfrid JonesWilfrid Jones

Wilfrid Jones is a PhD student in the theology faculty of the Albert-Ludwigs University of Freiburg, studying the theology and practice of sacred music.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Christopher MuellerChristopher Mueller

Christopher Mueller is a conductor and composer who aims to write beautiful music out of gratitude to God, Author of all beauty.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Dr. Gregory HamiltonDr. Gregory Hamilton

Dr. Gregory Hamilton is a composer and performer currently on the faculty of Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas TX.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Patrick TorsellPatrick Torsell

Patrick Torsell is the Director of Music and Organist at Mater Dei Latin Mass Community in Harrisburg, PA.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Daniel TuckerDaniel Tucker

Daniel Tucker is the Director of Sacred Music & Liturgy at St. Thérèse Little Flower Catholic Church in South Bend, IN. He holds degrees in music and religion from Western Michigan University and Yale University.—(Read full biography).

avatar for William J. FritzWilliam J. Fritz

William J. Fritz currently serves as music director at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Costa Mesa, CA where he resides with his wife and three boys.—(Read full biography).

avatar for Corrinne MayCorrinne May

Corrinne May is one of Singapore’s most celebrated singer-songwriters. She is also a wife and homeschooling mother.—(Read full biography).

ORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED is a 501(c)3 public charity operating thanks to volunteers. Follow our organization on Facebook. We welcome guest submissions!  We always enjoy receiving your emails. Sometimes we cannot reply, and we apologize for that. All correspondence will be considered “bloggable” unless the subject heading of your email indicates otherwise; and we reserve the right to edit such correspondence.

Your email message won’t be forwarded to us unless you’re a current subscriber to the CCW mailing list. To sign up for the mailing list, click on any blog article and scroll to the bottom. It’s as simple as typing your email address.

IX YEARS AGO, we uploaded a stunning Blog Header image. Some have asked why Cardinal Ratzinger is featured instead of Pope Emeritus. The fact of the matter is, young Ratzinger has always been present on our header—even though our blog began after the election of Benedict XVI. The following paragraphs explain why.

It’s no secret that many who hopped on the “B16 Bandwagon” abandoned the liturgical movement when Pope Benedict XVI abdicated on 28 February 2013. It demonstrates that these authors—instead of being committed to perennial ideals—simply got caught up with a “trend.” However, if you examine the biographies of our contributors, most of us were involved in promoting authentic sacred music long before Benedict XVI was elected, and at least a decade before Summorum Pontificum was issued. We recall that the liturgy does not depend on the priorities or “taste” of a pope. Indeed, there were decades in our Church’s history when nobody knew who the true pope was! Yet, the liturgy continued. Assisting at Mass, where Christ is truly present, must be the summit of our existence: not “trends.”

*  PDF Download • Original Sketch of Young Cardinal Ratzinger

Cardinal Ratzinger, therefore, is featured because of the crucial role he played before he was elected pope. This does not minimize what he did as pope; and without question, the most important thing Ratzinger accomplished as pope was to make it forever impossible for anyone to assert that those desiring authentic liturgy are “living in the past,” because documents such as Summorum Pontificum and Universae Ecclesiae were issued in the last decade, whereas documents such as Sacrosanctum Concilium and Inter Oecumenici were issued 50+ years ago. The artist (Igor Kazarin) drew Cardinal Ratzinger circa 1988, based on various photographs we provided. The artist used a “modern” technique where only one element—Ratzinger’s hat—is colored, and the rest is black & white. This is symbolic of CCWatershed, where we promote tradition, but use modern techniques to spread it. Furthermore, take a look at this photograph of Cardinal Ottaviani dressed in his cardinal’s vestments. One reason cardinals wear red is to demonstrate their willingness to shed blood for the Gospel. Ratzinger was certainly a “martyr” in terms of the abuse he suffered from the anti-Catholic press. We believe that today’s church musicians must be “martyrs” to overcome the difficulties they face. But red is also used for the Holy Ghost; how fitting and significant! We require the Holy Ghost’s guidance to be good church musicians!

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Quick Thoughts

PDF • “Organ Interludes” (Manuals Only)

In graduate school, one is taught a valuable lesson: if you emphasize everything, nothing is emphasized. In other words, putting every other word in bold or italic (or both) wrecks your paper. I never to use the word “best”—but today I make an exception. The book of organ interludes released today by my colleague is without question the best I’ve ever seen. Including Dom Gregory Murray, Flor Peeters, Jacques Lemmens, John Lee, C. H. Rinck, Dom Alphege Shebbeare, Oreste Ravanello, Louis Niedermeyer, Eugène Gigout, Luigi Bottazzo, Johann Sebastian Bach, and many others. Learn more by clicking here.

—Jeff Ostrowski
For the Upcoming Choir Season!

Last week, I posted an SATB choral setting of the SANCTUS in a ‘contemporary’ style. You might want to consider this piece for two reasons: (1) It’s extremely brief; (2) Free rehearsal videos are available for each individual part. The piece is by Father Lhoumeau.

—Jeff Ostrowski
PDF Download • “Sunday Vespers” (22 pages)

When an organist accompanies Vespers, there is no time to think. It’s one thing after another: Bam – Bam – Bam. And that’s what makes Vespers difficult to accompany; there’s hardly even time to check the key signature for each piece! Therefore, although it’s far from perfect, I’m releasing this 22-page booklet:

PDF Download • SUNDAY VESPERS ACCOMPANIMENT

As time goes on, I will explain why I believe this booklet is important, my hopes for it, and why I selected the official edition, directly from the Vesperale Romanum. In spite of its imperfections, creating this (draft) booklet required much more effort than I had anticipated.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Thus the priest-celebrant, putting on the person of Christ, alone offers sacrifice, and not the people, nor clerics, nor even priests who reverently assist. All, however, can and should take an active part in the Sacrifice. “The Christian people, though participating in the Eucharistic Sacrifice, do not thereby possess a priestly power,” We stated in the Encyclical Mediator Dei (AAS, vol 39, 1947, p. 553).

— Pope Pius XII (2 November 1954)

Recent Posts

  • PDF Download • Extremely Rare! — 1913 “Vesperale” by Schwann (954 pages)
  • PDF • “Organ Interludes” (Manuals Only)
  • PDF Download • Organ Interludes Based on Plainsong (Manuals Only) — 104 pages!
  • “Wild Accompaniment” • Flor Peeters (Kyrie VIII)
  • 5 Ways to Make Your Music Program More Marian

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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.