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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

Alfred Calabrese • Article Archive

Dr. Alfred Calabrese is a conductor, educator, composer, scholar, and church musician. Having worked in academia for two decades, he felt called to enter full-time work in the Catholic Church, and since 2007 has directed the music at Saint Rita Catholic Church. He and his wife live in Dallas, TX. They have two grown children. —Read full biography (with photographs).

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · October 9, 2025

Exclusive Interview • “Púeri Cantóres” President

On 9 October 2025, I was pleased to interview the legendary Paul French.

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · September 23, 2025

Dr. Alfred Calabrese • “Three Recommendations for Children’s Repertoire”

Below are three compositions I’ve used with great success…

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · October 16, 2024

“My Best Advice To You” • After 18 Years At My Catholic Parish

A few years ago, I attended Mass at Westminster Cathedral in London…

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · September 23, 2023

PDF Download • “Kyrie for the Ordinary Form in Honor of Saint Thomas More”

A month of William Byrd … in Dallas, Texas!

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · September 7, 2023

Dr. Alfred Calabrese on William Byrd’s “Sanctus” • (Mass for Five Voices)

“The Byrd Masses were printed without title pages, and with no reference to a composer. It was too dangerous to do so.” —Dr. Calabrese

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · November 3, 2020

(Installment #11) “Catholic Hymnals” • Alfred Calabrese

Book Review: “The First Christian Hymnal”

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Dr. Alfred Calabrese · June 14, 2020

Live Recording (42 min) • “Vespers for the Sacred Heart”

You will hear, as the service progresses, how unisons become more and more refined and how subtlety finds its way into the psalmody.

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Dr. Alfred Calabrese · May 26, 2020

Arranging and Transcribing Our Way Through the Epidemic

I am imagining a new ensemble, built out of necessity, for the singing of polyphonic motets and even Mass ordinaries.

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Dr. Alfred Calabrese · May 13, 2020

Josquin’s “Ave Maria…Virgo Serena” • The Most Famous Piece Of 1502

It stands to reason that if someone wants to sell a lot of books, he should put something in there that people want to buy.

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Dr. Alfred Calabrese · April 21, 2020

The Unintended Consequences of Live Streaming Mass

If someone is not entertained watching a live streamed Mass, they can just change the channel.

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Dr. Alfred Calabrese · March 25, 2020

Repeating Repertoire? • Dr. Calabrese

“I have made the mistake in the past of scheduling a whole set of new pieces for three of four weeks in a row.”

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Dr. Alfred Calabrese · March 17, 2020

Eucharistic Fasting, Hunger, and Pent Up Energy

So many are distraught that they are unable to receive the Eucharist. The dryness of the Lenten desert is real.

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · February 18, 2020

Olivier Latry: Recital in Dallas This Sunday

I am thrilled that my parish, St. Rita Catholic Church in Dallas, TX, will host Mr. Latry this Sunday evening for an extraordinary concert of French music.

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Dr. Alfred Calabrese · February 8, 2020

To Breathe or Not To Breathe

Our choirs should not sound mechanical. Beautiful music its waiting to be discovered.

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · January 19, 2020

Is It Time To Stop Singing The Propers?

I know how difficult it can be to introduce chant to a Novus Ordo parish.

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    ‘Bogey’ of the Half-Educated: Paraphrase
    Father Adrian Porter, using the cracher dans la soupe example, did a praiseworthy job explaining the difference between ‘dynamic’ and ‘formal’ translation. This is something Monsignor Ronald Knox explained time and again—yet even now certain parties feign ignorance. I suppose there will always be people who pretend the only ‘valid’ translation of Mitigásti omnem iram tuam; avertísti ab ira indignatiónis tuæ… would be “You mitigated all ire of you; you have averted from your indignation’s ire.” Those who would defend such a translation suffer from an unfortunate malady. One of my professors called it “cognate on the brain.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Father Cuthbert Lattey • “The Hebrew MSS”
    Father Cuthbert Lattey (d. 1954) wrote: “In a large number of cases the ancient Christian versions and some other ancient sources seem to have been based upon a better Hebrew text than that adopted by the rabbis for official use and alone suffered to survive. Sometimes, too, the cognate languages suggest a suitable meaning for which there is little or no support in the comparatively small amount of ancient Hebrew that has survived. The evidence of the metre is also at times so clear as of itself to furnish a strong argument; often it is confirmed by some other considerations. […] The Jewish copyists and their directors, however, seem to have lost the tradition of the metre at an early date, and the meticulous care of the rabbis in preserving their own official and traditional text (the ‘massoretic’ text) came too late, when the mischief had already been done.” • Msgr. Knox adds: “It seems the safest principle to follow the Latin—after all, St. Jerome will sometimes have had a better text than the Massoretes—except on the rare occasions when there is no sense to be extracted from the Vulgate at all.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 9 Nov. (Dedic. Lateran)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 9 November 2025, which is the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the sensational feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Reminder” — Month of November (2025)
    On a daily basis, I speak to people who don’t realize we publish a free newsletter (although they’ve followed our blog for years). We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and refuse to run annoying ads. As a result, our mailing list is crucial to our survival. Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Gospel Options for 2 November (“All Souls”)
    We’ve been told some bishops are suppressing the TLM because of “unity.” But is unity truly found in the MISSALE RECENS? For instance, on All Souls (2 November), any of these Gospel readings may be chosen, for any reason (or for no reason at all). The same is true of the Propria Missæ and other readings—there are countless options in the ORDINARY FORM. In other words, no matter which OF parish you attend on 2 November, you’ll almost certainly hear different propers and readings, to say nothing of different ‘styles’ of music. Where is the “unity” in all this? Indeed, the Second Vatican Council solemnly declared: “Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community.”
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Our Father” • Musical Setting?
    Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The chapter orders that only grandees (and their immediate relatives), counts, marquises, and provincial governors may in future enter the choir enclosure during divine service: such a restriction being imposed so that quiet can be the better maintained during cathedral solemnities.” [From “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]

— Sevilla: Chapter Resolution (25 May 1558)

Recent Posts

  • ‘Bogey’ of the Half-Educated: Paraphrase
  • Father Cuthbert Lattey • “The Hebrew MSS”
  • Re: The People’s Mass Book (1974)
  • They did a terrible thing
  • What surprised me about regularly singing the Gloria in Latin

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