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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

Jeff Ostrowski • Article Archive

A theorist, organist, and conductor, Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He completed studies in Education and Musicology at the graduate level. Having worked as a church musician in Los Angeles for ten years, in 2024 he accepted a position as choirmaster for Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Michigan, where he resides with his wife and children. —Read full biography (with photographs).

Jeff Ostrowski · December 10, 2019

PDF • “Veni Veni Emmanuel” (2 Voices + Organ)

Download this PDF score—free to all—and sing during Advent!

Jeff Ostrowski · December 1, 2019

(Archive) • St. Edmund Campion Missal & Hymnal (2nd Edition)

Foreword by Fr. Berg   —   Nine Images   —   2nd Edition Info Table of Contents   —   Executive Summary ORGAN ACCOMPANIMENTS (2 vols.)   —   “How do I open this book properly?” (VIDEOS) INE ART: More than 300 traditional line art illustrations were collected from a special Benedictine archive and […]

Jeff Ostrowski · November 30, 2019

Fr. Wasilewski: “Evil” to Remove Pachamama Idols

His argument about “theft”—such as removing pornography from a church where children might see it—is incorrect and dangerous.

Jeff Ostrowski · November 26, 2019

Are Choirmasters Allowed To Have A Bad Day?

By 1941, Horowitz had been playing Rachmaninov’s 3rd Concerto for 23 years…

Jeff Ostrowski · November 14, 2019

Dominican Priest Calls Gregorian Chant “Infantile”

Fr. Gerard Lessard is upset that millennials “seem to be mainly interested in returning to Gregorian chant and organ music of the distant past.”

Jeff Ostrowski · November 11, 2019

Video • What Are Common Hymn Melodies?

Short demonstrations by a volunteer parish choir!

Jeff Ostrowski · November 8, 2019

PDF Download • A Eucharistic Piece My Choir Loves

Including a “preview” of the forthcoming Brébeuf Hymnal SATB Choral Supplement.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 28, 2019

What Choirmasters Do.

In case you’re wondering: the photo on the upper right is me—taken on Saturday night.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 23, 2019

Fascinating! • Tridentine “Permission Slip” (1985)

In this riveting document, Archbishop Weakland forbids one’s child from attending a Low Mass—wicked beyond a doubt!

Jeff Ostrowski · October 21, 2019

New Typesetting! • “Kyriale Supplement” (1934)

Mr. Andrew Hinkley has done something marvelous…again!

Jeff Ostrowski · October 19, 2019

PDF Download • Palestrina Kyrie (Part 2 of 3)

“Dazzlingly luscious” is probably best way to describe this Mass.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 16, 2019

“Hidden” Hymns by Cardinal Newman

Fr. Nicholls points out that Saint Newman was an admirer of Beethoven at a time when Beethoven was still living.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 10, 2019

Incredible!!! • Ancient Kyriale MSS for Download

Through the centuries, we observe a remarkable stability—in spite of variants, which will always exist.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 7, 2019

PDF Download • SATB “Sanctus” by Orlando de Lassus

We have completed part 1. When part 2 is finished, we’ll release that, as well.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 3, 2019

Pope Francis: “Promote The Presence Of The Schola Cantorum In Every Parish Community!”

Pope Francis said (28 September 2019) that liturgical music must be Holy, Artistic, and Universal.

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Good Friday Flowers
    Good Friday has a series of prayers for various parties: the pope, catechumens, pagans, heretics, schismatics, and so forth. In the old liturgical books, there was no official ‘name’ for these prayers. (This wasn’t unusual as ‘headers’ and ‘titles’ for each section is a rather modern idea.) The Missal simply instructed the priest to go to the Epistle side and begin. In the SHERBORNE MISSAL, each prayer begins with a different—utterly spectacular—flower. This PDF file shows the first few prayers. Has anyone counted the ‘initial’ drop-cap flowers in the SHERBORNE MISSAL? Surely there are more than 1,000.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Music List • (3rd Sunday of Lent)
    Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for this coming Sunday, which is the 3rd Sunday of Lent (8 March 2026). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. This feast has magnificent propers. Its stern INTROIT (“Óculi mei semper ad Dóminum”) is breathtaking, and the COMMUNION (“Qui bíberit aquam”) with its fauxbourdon verses is wonderful. I encourage all the readers to visit the feasts website, where the Propria Missae may be downloaded completely free of charge.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Ubi Caritas” (SATB)
    I remember singing “Ubi Cáritas” by Maurice Duruflé at the conservatory. I was deeply moved by it. However, some feel Duruflé’s version isn’t suitable for small choirs since it’s written for 6 voices and the bass tessitura is quite low. That’s why I was absolutely thrilled to discover this “Ubi cáritas” (SATB) for smaller choirs by Énemond Moreau, who studied with OSCAR DEPUYDT (d. 1925), an orphan who became a towering figure of Catholic music. Depuydt’s students include: Flor Peeters (d. 1986); Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel (d. 1953); Arthur Meulemans (d. 1966); Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989); and Gustaaf Nees (d. 1965). Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #19705. When I came across the astonishing English translation for “Ubi Cáritas” by Monsignor Ronald Knox—matching the Latin’s meter—I decided to add those lyrics as an option (for churches which have banned Latin). My wife and I made this recording to give you some idea how it sounds.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Dies Irae” • A Monstrous Translation
    It isn’t easy to determine what Alice King MacGilton hoped to accomplish with her very popular book—A Study of Latin Hymns (1918)—which continued to be reprinted in new editions for at least 34 years. This PDF file shows her attempt to translate the DIES IRAE “in the fewest words possible.” There’s a place for dynamic equivalency, but this is repugnant. In particular, look what she does to “Quærens me sedísti lassus.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”
    For vigil Masses on Saturday (a.k.a. “anticipated” Masses) we use this simpler setting of the “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989), a Belgian priest, organist, composer, and music educator who ultimately succeeded another ‘Jules’ (CANON JULES VAN NUFFEL) as director of the Lemmensinstituut in Belgium. Although I could be wrong, my understanding is that the LEMMENSINSTITUUT eventually merged with “Catholic University of Leuven” (originally founded in 1425). That’s the university Fulton J. Sheen attended.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Grotesque Pairing • “Passion Chorale”
    One of our rarest releases was undoubtably this PDF scan of the complete Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959) by Father Joseph Roff, a student of Healey Willan. One of the scarcest titles in existence, this book was provided to us by Mr. Peter Meggison. Back in 2018, we scanned each page and uploaded it to our website, making it freely available to everyone. Readers are probably sick of hearing me say this, but just because we upload something that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wonderful or worthy of imitation. We upload many publications precisely because they are ‘grotesque’, interesting, or revealing. Whereas the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal had an editorial board that was careful and sensitive vis-à-vis pairing texts with tunes, the Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959) seems to have been rather reckless in this regard. Please take a look at what they did with the PASSION CHORALE and see whether you agree.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“There’s a world of difference between a thoughtful, wise Catholic and a bitter contrarian. In spite of what is claimed on certain blogs, being addicted to cable news and twitter does not make one an intellectual.”

— Jeff Ostrowski

Recent Posts

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  • Good Friday Flowers
  • PDF Download • “Entrance Chant” for Holy Thursday (Plainsong in English)
  • “Dies Irae” • A Monstrous Translation

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