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 · June 21, 2015

Musical Resources • 4th Sunday after Pentecost (Extraordinary Form)

The organist will play softly at the Offertory.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 17, 2015

SATB “Agnus Dei” by Verdelot with Rehearsal Videos

Who wouldn’t welcome a brief-but-beautiful piece like this?

Jeff Ostrowski · June 17, 2015

Does Having Children Preclude Service As A Catholic Musician?

Here are some thoughts, but I can’t promise they make sense.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 16, 2015

Top Six Liturgical Quotes By Robert Cardinal Sarah

Is the “Reform of the Reform” dead? Bishop Serratelli and many others disagree!

Jeff Ostrowski · June 12, 2015

Musical Resources • External Solemnity of the Sacred Heart (1962 Missal)

Some EF communities will celebrate the “External Solemnity” of the Most Sacred Heart on Sunday.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 10, 2015

Video • “Three Approaches To A Catholic Hymn”

Including a special version of the “Tantum Ergo” by Fr. Adrian Fortescue.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 10, 2015

Solesmes Monastery & Latin Accents

I suspect that in a long melisma it’s hard to know “where you are”…

Jeff Ostrowski · June 9, 2015

PDF Download • “A Manual For Church Musicians” (1964) — 130 pages

A generous reader sent me copies of this extremely rare book.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 9, 2015

Video • Disrespect For God’s House

Is Consecration by the words of Institution “de fide” ??

Jeff Ostrowski · June 8, 2015

USCCB: “Revised Grail Psalter” Will Be Revised Again

“I cannot understand why a private family can be made worldwide agent for the official prayers of the Church.” —Dr. Jerry Galipeau

Jeff Ostrowski · June 7, 2015

Message From A “Traditional” Priest

“Believe me we had some long offices back in those days.”

Jeff Ostrowski · June 7, 2015

Musical Resources • 2nd Sunday after Pentecost (Extraordinary Form)

Some EF communities will celebrate the “External Solemnity” of Corpus Christi today.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 6, 2015

On This Day . . . In 1944

Soldiers attending Mass during World War II.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 5, 2015

Eerie Silence After Cardinal Sarah’s Testimony

Cardinal Sarah has committed an “unforgivable sin” in the opinion of progressive liturgists.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 4, 2015

Order of Worship • “Mass VIII” — High Resolution Images

It seems many wish to include Mass VIII in their program booklets.

Proof Which All Can Immediately See!

“A little knowledge is a dangerous thing,” as the famous maxim goes. Over the years, I’ve observed malicious attacks on the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal. Rather than scoring a ‘hit’ on the Brébeuf Hymnal, its attackers often reveal profound ignorance. I’ve been advised never to reply … but I break that rule today. Certain voices online assert that the Brébeuf Hymnal is “untraditional” because it includes both the Urbanite and pre-Urbanite versions of the hymns. But if only they would glance at a copy of the 1913 VESPERALE (printed by order of Pope Saint Pius X) they would see how mistaken such statements are.

—Jeff Ostrowski

New Bulletin Article • “8 June 2025”

My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for the parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article includes a few anecdotes about Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen and Abraham Lincoln.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Gloria in Spanish” • Free Accompaniment

Several people have requested an organ accompaniment for the GLORY TO GOD which prints the Spanish words directly above the chords. The Spanish adaptation—Gloria a Dios en el cielo—as printed in Roman Misal, tercera edición was adapted from the “Glória in excélsis” from Mass XV (DOMINATOR DEUS). I used to feel that it’s a pretty boring chant … until I heard it sung well by a men’s Schola Cantorum, which changed my view dramatically. This morning, I created this harmonization and dedicated it to my colleague, Corrinne May. You may download it for free. Please let me know if you enjoy it!

—Jeff Ostrowski

Antiphons Don’t Match?

A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).

—Corpus Christi Watershed

When to Sit, Stand and Kneel like it’s 1962

There are lots of different guides to postures for Mass, but I couldn’t find one which matched our local Latin Mass, so I made this one: sit-stand-kneel-crop

—Veronica Brandt

The Funeral Rites of the Graduale Romanum

Lately I have been paging through the 1974 Graduale Romanum (see p. 678 ff.) and have been fascinated by the funeral rites found therein, especially the simply-beautiful Psalmody that is appointed for all the different occasions before and after the funeral Mass: at the vigil/wake, at the house of the deceased, processing to the church, at the church, processing to the cemetery, and at the cemetery. Would that this “stational Psalmody” of the Novus Ordo funeral rites saw wider usage! If you or anyone you know have ever used it, please do let me know.

—Daniel Tucker

Saint Phillip Neri founded a religious congregation called the Oratory. Animuccia was involved from early on and remained “maestro di capella” of the Oratory until his death. The Oratory was able to attract many musicians who volunteered their services, including the famous singer Francesco Soto de Langa from the Capella Sistina, the composer Palestrina, and probably the composer Tomás Luis de Victoria who lived in the same house as St. Phillip Neri for five years.

— Source Unknown