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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 · August 4, 2015

The Easiest Way To Teach Your Choir Polyphony

What could be simpler or more fun than this?

Jeff Ostrowski · August 4, 2015

Why St. Josemaría Escrivá Only Celebrated The Extraordinary Form

“Such moments had been a part of his spiritual life since boyhood and through his priesthood.”

Jeff Ostrowski · August 2, 2015

Loading Choir Binders for 2 August 2015

Once we finish revising the scores at Goupil, this will be unnecessary.

Jeff Ostrowski · July 30, 2015

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen On Gregorian Chant

“I did my best to give utterance to all those black notes in the missal.” —Fulton J. Sheen

Jeff Ostrowski · July 29, 2015

Musical Resources • 10th Sunday after Pentecost (Extraordinary Form)

The recessional is bright, happy, and beautiful.

Jeff Ostrowski · July 28, 2015

A Most Devastating Change By Pope Paul VI

“We strongly resent the implication that we and our children are not sufficiently intelligent to understand the simple Latin of the Mass…” —Manifesto of the Catholic Laity (1943)

Jeff Ostrowski · July 27, 2015

Why It’s Pointless To Argue Over Our Roman Missal Translation

“Women forced to sell their bodies in desperation and fear” —From a 2013 GIA hymnal

Jeff Ostrowski · July 24, 2015

Pope Pius XI and “Concelebration”

Can anyone shed light on this?

Jeff Ostrowski · July 23, 2015

Polyphony (SATB) By Verdelot • With Optional Hymn “Christe Supreme”

Amazing! Verdelot’s cadence here sounds quite modern!

Jeff Ostrowski · July 22, 2015

Musical Resources • 9th Sunday after Pentecost (Extraordinary Form)

The organist will play softly at the Offertory.

Jeff Ostrowski · July 22, 2015

The “Little Rock Nine” & Sacred Music

How could closing down all the schools be a good plan?

Jeff Ostrowski · July 21, 2015

Fr. Robert E. Barron To Be Made A Bishop!

Three new auxiliary bishops for Los Angeles!

Jeff Ostrowski · July 21, 2015

Fr. Carlo Rossini Is Wrong About “EU”

You can sleep soundly at night, knowing how to correctly pronounce “hagióque pnéumate.”

Jeff Ostrowski · July 20, 2015

“Sacred Vs. Secular Music” • Fr. John C. Selner

“…like man, Mary, you are IN—really cool among women.”

Jeff Ostrowski · July 20, 2015

Is Renaissance Music Too Expressive For Holy Mass?

“To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.”

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Music List • (Palm Sunday, 2026)
    Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for Palm Sunday—a.k.a. “Dominica in palmis de Passione Domini”—which is 29 March 2026. Please feel free to download it as a PDF file if such a thing interests you. The OFFERTORY (Impropérium exspectávit cor meum) is quite moving. Even though the COMMUNION ANTIPHON is relatively simple, the Fauxbourdon makes it sound outstanding.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Easter • Would You Sing This Hymn?
    He who examines Laudes Dei: a hymnal for Catholic congregations (St. Louis, 1894) will discover this pairing of a hymn for Easter. For the record, this isn’t the only Catholic hymn book to marry that text and melody; e.g. Saint Mark’s Hymnal for Use in the Roman Catholic Church in the United States (Peoria, 1910) does the same thing. Sometimes an unexpected pairing—chosen with sensitivity—can be superb, forcing singers to experience the text in a ‘fresh’ and wonderful way. On the other hand, we sometimes encounter something I’ve called “PERNICIOUS HYMN PAIRINGS.” If you find the subject in intriguing, feel free to peruse an article I published in May of 2023. As always, my email inbox is open if you have a bone to pick with my take.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Pipe Organ “Answers” in Plainsong?
    In 2003, I copied a book by Félix Bélédin (d. 1895), who was titular organist—from 1841 to 1874—at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Lyon (France). In 2008, we scanned and uploaded the book to the Lalande Online Library. Nobody knows for sure when the book was published; some believe it first appeared in the 1840s. In any event, one who examines this excerpt, showing GLORIA IX might wonder why it says the organ answers in plainsong. However, the front of the book explains, telling the organist explicitly when to “respond in plainchant.” This is something called organ alternatim. Believe it or not, the pipe organ would take turns with the choir, playing certain texts instrumentally instead of having them sung. I’m not very well-versed in this—pardon the pun—but if memory serves, ORGAN ALTERNATIM was frowned upon by the time of Pope Saint Pius X. Nevertheless, French organists kept doing it, even after it was explicitly condemned as an abuse.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Gregorian Chant Quiz” • 24 March 2026
    How well do you know your Gregorian hymns? Do you recognize the tune inserted into the bass line on this score? For many years, we sang the entire Mass in Gregorian chant—and I mean everything. As a result, it would be difficult to find a Gregorian hymn I don’t recognize instantly. Only decades later did I realize (with sadness) that this skill cannot be ‘monetized’… This particular melody is used for a very famous Gregorian hymn, printed in the LIBER USUALIS. Do you recognize it? Send me an email with the correct words, and I promise to tell everybody I meet about your prowess!
    —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
    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

Random Quote

“Chants closely related to the readings should, of course, be appropriately transferred for use with these readings. For pastoral reasons also there is an option regarding the chants for the Proper of Seasons: namely, as circumstances suggest, to replace the text proper to a day with another text belonging to the same season.”

— Ordo Cantus Missae (1971)

Recent Posts

  • Music List • (Palm Sunday, 2026)
  • Easter • Would You Sing This Hymn?
  • “Priest Saying Mass” • Medieval Illumination
  • From Sentiment to Sacrament: Reclaiming Sacred Music for the Wedding Mass
  • Pipe Organ “Answers” in Plainsong?

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