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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 · October 2, 2019

Veronica Brandt • “Lalande Drop-Cap Letters”

Editing Code in the Classic Editor There are two tabs to the right of the content box: Visual and Text. Choose Text to edit the code. Choose Visual for a rough idea of how it will look. Editing Code in the Block Editor Each paragraph block has a menu bar which pops up when that […]

Jeff Ostrowski · September 30, 2019

Brave Schola Director Posts iPhone Recording

Sometimes the obstacles faced by choirmasters seem completely overwhelming.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 24, 2019

Brébeuf Review! • “Society for Catholic Liturgy”

“The editors of the Brébeuf Hymnal have done a great service to the profession.” —Aaron James, Ph.D.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 20, 2019

PDF Download • Palestrina Kyrie “Fons Bonitatis”

This is part 1 of 3 — and the other parts will be released soon.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 16, 2019

“Dies Irae” • Why Does It Appear In So Many Movies?

Veronica Brandt wrote about this in 2014. This morning, VOX made her article into a YouTube.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 13, 2019

($54,000 per year) • FSSP San Diego Seeks Choirmaster

It seems Fr. Lyons offered the position to a candidate who later decided not to accept.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 11, 2019

“How To Begin Choir Practice” • (A Suggestion)

How one *begins* a rehearsal is crucial.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 11, 2019

Photographs • Père Daniel Kyriale (126 pages)

The beauty of the Gregorian Kyriale cannot be stopped—and Saint Antoine Daniel is the perfect patron for this!

Jeff Ostrowski · September 10, 2019

PDF Download • “Alleluia Choral Extension” (EF + OF)

This may look simple on paper, but it sounds *incredible* when sung by a full choir. Guerrero rocks!

Jeff Ostrowski · September 9, 2019

When People Lie About Hymns Unwittingly

As a young man, I came into contact with an organist who claimed there was no such thing as a “Recessional,” insisting that I was wrong and foolish to use that term.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 7, 2019

Revealed! • A Fascinating Mass Rubric Very Few Know

“How surprised people would be next Sunday to see the direction being carried out!” —1943 article

Jeff Ostrowski · September 4, 2019

Do You Know Credo VII ??

A wonderful medieval Credo, published with “Imprimatur” from 1924.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 3, 2019

The 1961 Code of Rubrics • Pope St. John XXIII

I would not argue with someone who called this document curious, or even bizarre; it was only in effect for a few years • Also: “Should the Sanctus and Benedictus be split in the Traditional Latin Mass?” • This “Extraordinary Form” question is treated meticulously with full documentation going back 150 years+

Jeff Ostrowski · September 2, 2019

PDF Download • Handy Solfège Chart (Printable)

I have no idea whether this will be of use to anyone, but here it is…

Jeff Ostrowski · September 2, 2019

I. Was. Dead. Wrong.

Setting the record straight.

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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

Many declare that Vatican Council II brought about a true springtime in the Church. Nevertheless, a growing number of Church leaders see this “springtime” as a rejection, a renunciation of her centuries-old heritage, or even as a radical questioning of her past and Tradition. Political Europe is rebuked for abandoning or denying its Christian roots; but the first to have abandoned her Christian roots and past is indisputably the post-conciliar Catholic Church.

— ‘Pope Francis’ Chief Liturgist (31 March 2017)’

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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