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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 · June 9, 2014

The Famous “Agatha Christie” Indult

“If some senseless decree were to order the total or partial destruction of basilicas or cathedrals, then
obviously it would be the educated — whatever their personal beliefs — who would rise up in horror to oppose such a possibility.”

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Jeff Ostrowski · June 9, 2014

Is There Truly “Versus Populum” Celebration? Vatican Says No.

Can AD ORIENTEM be excluded from the Novus Ordo? Vatican says: “Negatively, and in accordance with the following explanation.”

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Jeff Ostrowski · June 5, 2014

Video • Pius XII Speaking Fantastic English To Troops Who Liberated Rome!

His Holiness mentions St. Thomas More, St. John Fisher, and others.

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Jeff Ostrowski · June 4, 2014

Can You Name These Five Hymns?

Speak now, or forever hold your peace!

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Jeff Ostrowski · June 2, 2014

Problematic Sequence Translations In Our Current Lectionary

Are you bothered by the VANDALISM done to Lectionary Sequence translations?

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 25, 2014

The Mystery of Missal vs. Gradual has been solved!

Are there concrete reasons to prefer the ancient texts from the Roman Gradual? Short answer: Yes!

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 25, 2014

Shall The Nuns Save Us? I Think So.

“Let us continue to do the best things in the worst times.”

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 22, 2014

Maurice Lavanoux • “Liturgical Arts”

Anyone have copies of this old magazine?

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 20, 2014

Pope St. John Paul II Celebrates Mass “Ad Orientem”

John Paul II leads the congregation facing the traditional way during his June 1999 visit to Poland.

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 19, 2014

PDF Download: Extremely Rare Book Of Propers (1962)

A book which Bugnini called the “precursor” to the Simple Gradual is now online!

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 15, 2014

Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven?

Musicians tend to fight with one another over the DUMBEST things.

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 15, 2014

How To Sing The Gregorian Alleluia

The Alleluia can be confusing, especially during Eastertide.

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 14, 2014

Truly Marvelous Image of Saint Isaac Jogues

This lovely image is courtesy of D.F. — taken at Georgetown University.

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 11, 2014

How I Learned What Liturgy Really Is

Congregations in South Texas normally applaud for the musicians during Mass.

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 9, 2014

An Unexplained Problem

I’m unaware of ANY other liturgical occurrence like this one.

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Knox. Has. No. Equal.
    Dr. Finberg (of the University of Leicester) famously said: “No living writer possesses a greater command over the English language than Monsignor Ronald Knox.” A lifetime spent among his works would not exhaust them; always another thing to see, never once a reason to look away. Consider the marvelous way Knox Englished the famous VERBUM SUPERNUM of Saint Thomas Aquinas. The 4th verse (in Latin) means: “By being born, He became man’s companion; at this supper, He became man’s food; in dying, He became man’s ransom; in reigning, He is man’s reward.” Knox brilliantly makes the English fit the Latin meter: The manger, Christ their equal made, | That upper room, their souls’ repast, | The Cross, their ransom dearly paid, | And heav’n, their high reward at last. I believe the meaning of the French word “manger” was not absent from his thoughts when he penned that stanza.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Proportionalist Plainchant • (Documented)
    On this website, we believe: “If we don’t know where we came from, we can’t know where we’re going.” As a result, we often spend hours scanning old books of GREGORIAN CHANT (and organ accompaniments). We don’t claim those items are useful or desirable for today’s circumstances; the goal is understanding where we came from. Here is a fascinating musical score from the 19th century. At that time, it was believed that MENSURALISM (a.k.a. “proportionalism”) was the historically correct way to sing plainsong.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Garnier Alleluias • “Have They Moved?”

    We received an email asking whether the “Garnier Gospel Acclamations website” has…

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    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Predictable Rhymes?” • A Follow Up
    We received considerable correspondence regarding my article, Two Ways to Defile a Hymn. More specifically, what really raised certain people’s hackles was its follow-up article dealing with the keyboard accompaniment for the CHRIST THE KING HYMNAL. But to quote Eliza Doolittle: “Have I said anything I oughtn’t?” Please examine this PDF file and see whether you agree. Were the editors of the BRÉBEUF HYMNAL incorrect to insist upon sophisticated and clever rhymes, rather than mind-numbingly predictable rhymes?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    ‘Ould’ But Not Good
    Dom Samuel Gregory Ould (note the spelling) was a Benedictine monk at FORT AUGUSTUS ABBEY in Scotland. As musician, organist, and composer, Dom Ould was highly regarded. Moreover, he was considered an authority on Gregorian Chant. But not everything found in an old book—or, in this case, an “Ould” book—is necessarily praiseworthy. Consider this page from Dom Ould’s hymnal. Do you see the rhymes? They offend severely by ABR (“Abuse By Reuse”) and are utterly predictable. In my recent article—Two Ways to Defile a Hymn—I addressed this topic.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Reader Feedback” • 22 June 2026
    A reader wrote to us from Virginia: “I really appreciate the 23 harmonizations that you posted on CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED for the Daily, Daily, Sing to Mary hymn. I hope to find willing voices in our small Schola Cantorum to try the three-voice version. Carry on, sir! You’re doing the Lord’s work.” While we don’t know this gentleman personally, we note that he earned a Ph.D. (which demonstrates that our blog has something for everybody). 😊
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

“Some of our younger parish clergy read their sermons. This should not be done except for some very special reason. The priest who is not capable of preparing and delivering a brief, clear instruction on Catholic teaching to his people is not fit to be in parish work. The people as a rule do not want to listen to a sermon reader.”

— Archbishop of Baltimore (9 July 1929)

Recent Posts

  • “Panis Angelicus” • Organ Accompaniment (7 Pages)
  • 1,187 Pages • “Dripping With Color, Craft, and Splendor” (Missale Romanum, 1933)
  • Knox. Has. No. Equal.
  • “Plainsong Propers” • Fascinating 1980s Recordings
  • Proportionalist Plainchant • (Documented)

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