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Corpus Christi Watershed

Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Corpus Christi Watershed

Corpus Christi Watershed · March 14, 2025

Reader Feedback • “Reform of the Reform”

“Throughout those 40+ years, I designed the music liturgy according to my sense of entertainment, failing to realise what it was supposed to be until much later.” —Chad H.

Corpus Christi Watershed · March 12, 2025

“I Hate, Loathe, and Utterly Despise the Trivial Details of Ceremonies.” —Father Adrian Fortescue

“I want never to hear another word about ceremonies for as long as I live. I would rather discuss the symptoms of cancer.” —Dr. Fortescue

Corpus Christi Watershed · March 11, 2025

Our Own Richard J. Clark Conducts 250 Children in Chant & Polyphony!

Reclaiming Gregorian Chant for children at the New England “Pueri Cantores” choral festival & Mass.

Corpus Christi Watershed · February 25, 2025

Famous Italian Actor Regrets Aborting Son

“It was the mistake of my life. When I was very young, I had the chance to become a father, but I had my son aborted. Now, I’ve become very strongly against abortion.” —Andrea Roncato

Corpus Christi Watershed · February 17, 2025

“The Sad State of Liturgical Music in the Catholic Church” • Thomas G. McFaul (2002)

“Nothing in pop music ever sounded quite as loathsome as what is played and sung in the church today.” —Thomas G. McFaul

Corpus Christi Watershed · February 10, 2025

Monsignor Ronald Knox—His Actual Voice!—Speaks of Saint John Henry Newman (1948)

It is beyond fascinating to hear his actual voice.

Corpus Christi Watershed · February 7, 2025

“Win or Lose, a Fight Worth Fighting!” • (Email Received from a Priest)

We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Jeffrey Tucker, who prevented a non-Christian company from securing a monopoly on the (mandatory) English psalm translation!

Corpus Christi Watershed · February 5, 2025

Abbey Psalms & Canticles • Copyright?

Confusion, Controversy, and Contradiction rules the day.

Corpus Christi Watershed · February 4, 2025

Antiphons Don’t Match?

The short answer is: the “Adalbert Propers” were never intended to be sung.

Corpus Christi Watershed · February 3, 2025

“Jeff, Your Assertions Are False and Misleading”

“This is a false assertion: one I’ve never heard, read about, or heard organ builders discuss.” —Kyle H.

Corpus Christi Watershed · January 30, 2025

Reader Feedback • Re: “Simplified” Music (Part 2)

“I haven’t been doing parish music that long—only about 3 years at this point.” —Celeste M.

Corpus Christi Watershed · January 30, 2025

“Entrance Chant” (Feast of the Presentation, 2 Febr.) • Sung by Three Young Women

This ‘live’ video shows three young women singing…

Corpus Christi Watershed · January 27, 2025

Photograph • Mass at Dachau Concentration Camp

Is that a tiny pipe organ?

Corpus Christi Watershed · January 24, 2025

Reader Feedback • Re: “Simplified” Organ Music

I’ve lived through various pendulum swings: the “Glory and Praise” phase; the “hymn sandwich” phase; and the “baroque tracker organ” phase.

Corpus Christi Watershed · January 23, 2025

“How To Prepare A Talk” • Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

A television broadcast from the 1960s.

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Simplified Accompaniment (Easter Hymn)
    Number 36 in the Brébeuf Hymnal is “At the Lamb’s high feast we sing,” an English translation for Ad Cenam Agni Próvidi (which was called “Ad Régias Agni Dapes” starting 1631). As of this morning, you can download a simplified keyboard accompaniment for it. Simple click here and scroll to the bottom. Many organists are forced to serve simultaneously as both CANTOR and ACCOMPANIST. In spite of what some claim, this can be difficult—which explains why choirmasters appreciate these simplified keyboard accompaniments. Sadly, many readers will click that link but forget to scroll to the bottom where the simplified PDF file is located.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Quasi Modo Sunday”
    The Introit for “Quasi Modo Sunday” (12 April 2026) is particularly beautiful. The musical score can be downloaded as a PDF file, and so can the organ accompaniment. The official language of the Catholic Church is Latin (whereas Greek is our mother tongue). Vatican II said Gregorian Chant must be given “first place” under normal circumstances. As a result, some parishes will rightly sing the authentic version. On the other hand, because so many USA dioceses disobey the mandate of Vatican II, some musicians sing plainsong in the vernacular. I have attempted to simultaneously accompany myself on the pipe organ while singing the English version. Although very few take advantage of it, the complete Proprium Missae is posted at the flourishing feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    ‘German’ Introductions for Hymns
    German organ books have an enchanting habit of including introductions for each and every hymn. For example, consider this snazzy example found in a German hymnal published in 1902. In the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal, that melody is called “Laudes Mariae” and was married to Omni Die Dic Mariae, with a popular English translation (“Daily, daily, sing to Mary”) by Father Henry Bittleston, an Oratorian priest. Notice they also added a ‘tailpiece’ or ‘playout’ or postlude at the end—a very German thing to do!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    PDF Download • “Anima Christi”
    I received a request for an organ accompaniment I created way back in 2007 for the “Anima Christi” Gregorian Chant. You can download this PDF file which has the score in plainsong followed by a keyboard accompaniment. Many melodies have been paired with “Anima Christi” over the centuries, but this is—perhaps—the most common one.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF • “Liturgical Law” (467 Pages)
    On Good Friday during the middle ages, the pope privately recited THE ENTIRE PSALTER. If you don’t believe me, see for yourself by reading this passage by Dom Charles Augustine Bachofen (d. 1943). His famous book—called “Liturgical Law: A Handbook Of The Roman Liturgy”—was published by the Benjamin Herder Book Company, which was the American arm (operating out of St. Louis, Missouri) of one of the world’s most significant Catholic publishers. Dom Charles Augustine Bachofen was born in Switzerland but spent his career between the Benedictine monasteries at Conception (Missouri) and Mount Angel (Oregon). His 1931 masterpiece, Liturgical Law can be downloaded as a PDF file … 467 pages!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Gregorian Chant Quiz” • 24 March 2026
    How well do you know your Gregorian hymns? Do you recognize the tune inserted into the bass line on this score? For many years, we sang the entire Mass in Gregorian chant—and I mean everything. As a result, it would be difficult to find a Gregorian hymn I don’t recognize instantly. Only decades later did I realize (with sadness) that this skill cannot be ‘monetized’… This particular melody is used for a very famous Gregorian hymn, printed in the LIBER USUALIS. Do you recognize it? Send me an email with the correct words, and I promise to tell everybody I meet about your prowess!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Using the shoddiest, sleaziest material we have for the purpose of glorifying God is not very sound theology or even very good common sense. […] (In general, when you see a diminished seventh chord in a hymn, run.) And these chords are usually used in bad hymns in precisely the same order in which they occur in “Sweet Adeline.”

— Paul Hume (1956)

Recent Posts

  • PDF Download • “Anima Christi”
  • PDF Download • “Rarer Than a Blue Moon” — Side-by-Side English Translation (Pius XII Psalter)
  • Fulton J. Sheen • “24-Hour Catechism”
  • Simplified Accompaniment (Easter Hymn)
  • PDF Download • “Quasi Modo Sunday”

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