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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 · September 20, 2017

PDF Download • “Missal for the Laity” (1846)

Have you noticed liturgical progressives are never happy?

Jeff Ostrowski · September 19, 2017

PDF Download • “Lauda Sion” Hymnal (1886)

Hymns to the Blessed Virgin, Hymns for Benediction, Offertories, etc.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 15, 2017

“O Sanctissima” • SATB Contemporary Setting!

I bet you haven’t heard this arrangement!

Jeff Ostrowski · September 14, 2017

15th Sunday after Pentecost (3rd in September)

…and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet is risen up amongst us and God hath visited His people.”

Jeff Ostrowski · September 13, 2017

Does Watershed Make A Difference?

“A huge success! My pastor was blown away at the beauty of the Mass setting by Guerrero. The people in attendance were just floored…”

Jeff Ostrowski · September 7, 2017

14th Sunday after Pentecost (2nd in September)

“Grant us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that this saving Victim may become both the cleansing of our sins, and the propitiation of Thy might.”

Jeff Ostrowski · August 31, 2017

13th Sunday after Pentecost (1st in September)

“Having received Thy heavenly sacraments, O Lord, we beseech Thee that we may profit unto the increase of everlasting salvation…”

Jeff Ostrowski · August 30, 2017

Thoughts That Enter A Choirmaster’s Mind

A word about depression and discouragement.

Jeff Ostrowski · August 25, 2017

Very Great Mischiefs Which Arise From The Use Of Polyphony By Religious Orders (1610)

Fourth: musicians who beguile their way into religious orders are for the most part silly, idle, vacillating, vain, effeminate, and even vicious individuals.

Jeff Ostrowski · August 24, 2017

Musical Resources • 12th Sunday after Pentecost

“…and it chanced that a certain priest went down the same way, and seeing him, passed by.”

Jeff Ostrowski · August 22, 2017

Volunteer Choirs • Rehearsal “Tricks”

Only two people in the whole school are forced to publicly demonstrate their work: the choirmaster and the coach.

Jeff Ostrowski · August 18, 2017

PDF Download • “O Esca Viatorum”

I am deeply saddened that some people still don’t know where these items are located.

Jeff Ostrowski · August 18, 2017

Musical Resources • 11th Sunday after Pentecost 1

“After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.”

Jeff Ostrowski · August 14, 2017

Ordo Missæ from “People’s Mass Book” (1964)

Two words come to mind: inexplicable and bizarre.

Jeff Ostrowski · August 10, 2017

Musical Resources • 10th Sunday after Pentecost 1

“At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves as just, and despised others…”

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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

“Before any seminarian is accepted for ordination, he must not only strive for chastity but actually achieve it. He must already be living chaste celibacy peacefully and for a prolonged period of time—for if this be lacking, the seminarian and his formators cannot have the requisite confidence that he is called to the celibate life.”

— Archbishop Viganò (16 February 2019)

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

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