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Corpus Christi Watershed

We’re a 501(c)3 public charity established in 2006. We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and run no advertisements. We exist solely by the generosity of small donors.

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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 · May 4, 2025

“Music List” • 3rd Sunday of Easter (Year C)

Readers have expressed interest in examining the “music list” I prepared for this coming Sunday.

Jeff Ostrowski · May 2, 2025

Communion (3rd Sunday of Easter)

This piece is sung by either all men or all women.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 29, 2025

“Entrance Chant” • 3rd Sunday of Easter

This “Entrance Chant” is used during liturgical years A, B, and C.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 27, 2025

“Simple English Propers” • Error this Sunday?

Did the good of the Church “genuinely and certainly” require this confusing change in 1970?

Jeff Ostrowski · April 26, 2025

PDF Download • “Extremely Rare” — German Organ Accompaniment for Hymnal (158 pages)

This year, we did something unusual.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 23, 2025

“Reminder” — Month of April (2025)

Since a new month has arrived, it’s my pleasure to remind you that…

Jeff Ostrowski · April 22, 2025

“Why Choir Directors Fail” • Six Reasons

Re: Singing in front of 580 people!

Jeff Ostrowski · April 18, 2025

(2025) • “Vexilla Regis” + “Ubi Caritas”

But they said: “Lord, behold here are two swords.” And He said to them: “It is enough.” —Luke 22:38

Jeff Ostrowski · April 18, 2025

“Music List” • Easter Sunday

Readers have expressed interest in examining the “music list” I prepared for this coming Sunday.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 17, 2025

Caught on Video! • Choir Director’s Disturbing Holy Week “Meltdown”

Since Covid-19, many Catholic churches “live-stream” their Masses … and this disturbing footage emerged.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 15, 2025

PDF Download • Exceedingly Rare! — “The Torn Tunic” (122 pages) … published in 1967

Is Tito Casini correct that vernacular plainsong is a “sin against nature?”

Jeff Ostrowski · April 14, 2025

“Our Trials” • Choirmaster Crosses

How can we experience peace of soul when most people don’t even understand the mental trauma we deal with?

Jeff Ostrowski · April 13, 2025

PDF Download • “Easter Sunday Introit”

In accordance with the official edition.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 12, 2025

“Music List” • Holy Thursday

Readers have expressed interest in examining the “music list” I prepared for Maundy Thursday.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 11, 2025

PDF Download • “Communion” (Holy Thursday)

Its verses are quite beautiful.

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Yahweh” in church songs?
    My pastor asked me to write a weekly column for our parish bulletin. The one scheduled to run on 22 June 2025 is called “Three Words in a Psalm” and speaks of translating the TETRAGRAMMATON. You can read the article at this column repository. All of them are quite brief because I was asked to keep within a certain word limit.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    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

Random Quote

Palestrina wrote two Masses in honor of the Blessed Virgin—one “a 6” before the Council of Trent, consequently with the tropes, and first published in 1570. In 1599 it was republished in Palestrina “Missarum Liber III” with the tropes removed, and in their place the liturgical words of the “Gloria” reiterated.

— Henry Coates

Recent Posts

  • PDF Download • “Gospel Acclamation” for 29 June (Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles)
  • “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
  • Available! • Free Rehearsal Videos for Agnus Dei “Mille Regretz” after Gombert (d. 1560)
  • Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
  • PDF Download • “Polyphonic Extension” (Kevin Allen) for Gloria III

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Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.

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