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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 22, 2018

PDF Booklet • Christmas Midnight Mass (36 pages)

It looks so simple when placed in a booklet like that…

Jeff Ostrowski · December 18, 2018

The Most Popular Hymn Tunes? • A List

I could not have been more thrilled to see this list—those are exactly the tunes I love!

Jeff Ostrowski · December 17, 2018

Counter-Melodies • “Accompaniment of Psalm Tones”

Go to the 1:07 marker and you will hear something worth dying for…

Jeff Ostrowski · December 15, 2018

Christmas Midnight Mass • Saint Vitus Parish (LA)

“And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him up in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Jeff Ostrowski · December 13, 2018

Seven Tips • “Directing A Catholic Choir”

The physical and mental demands made upon a choirmaster are considerable.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 8, 2018

PDF • “Creator Alme Siderum” (Organ Accompaniment)

Each verse written out, with a translation by Fr. Adrian Fortescue.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 7, 2018

Exclusive images! • Draft Pages (Brébeuf Hymnal)

As you can see, this new hymnal is pleasantly thin and not heavy.

Jeff Ostrowski · November 28, 2018

PDF • “Ecclesia Dei” Responses (14 November 2018)

Several questions deal with music at the Traditional Latin Mass (“Extraordinary Form”).

Jeff Ostrowski · November 25, 2018

First Sunday of Advent at Saint Vitus Parish (LA)

“May we receive Thy mercy, O Lord, in the midst of Thy temple, that with due reverence we may prepare for the coming festival of our redemption.”

Jeff Ostrowski · November 24, 2018

The Only Hymn Father Fortescue Ever Wrote

…including a “Sneak Peek” at the Brébeuf Hymnal.

Jeff Ostrowski · November 15, 2018

PDF Download • Mass Hymns by Fr. Seed, SJ (1906)

How utterly strange to see such items!

Jeff Ostrowski · November 13, 2018

Hymn Texts by Fr. Christopher Phillips

Listen to an original text accepted for publication in the Brébeuf hymnal…

Jeff Ostrowski · November 6, 2018

“Last” Sunday after Pentecost (Extraordinary Form)

“Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it cockle?” And he said to them, “An enemy hath done this.”

Jeff Ostrowski · November 6, 2018

PDF Download • “Pope Pius XII Hymnal” (1959)

Were you shocked to see the Pius XII Hymnal assigning vernacular hymns to different parts of the Mass?

Jeff Ostrowski · October 30, 2018

“Source Material” • The Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal

We assembled a staggering number of Catholic hymnals and selected only the very best material from each.

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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

“The cemeteries are full of people who thought they were indispensable.”

— Fr. Alan Heet, OFM

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  • “Dies Irae” • A Monstrous Translation

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