• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

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.

  • Donate
  • Our Team
    • Our Editorial Policy
    • Who We Are
    • How To Contact Us
    • Sainte Marie Bulletin Articles
  • Pew Resources
    • Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal
    • Jogues Illuminated Missal
    • KYRIALE • Saint Antoine Daniel
    • Campion Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Repository • “Spanish Music”
    • Ordinary Form Feasts (Sainte-Marie)
  • MUSICAL WEBSITES
    • René Goupil Gregorian Chant
    • Noël Chabanel Psalms
    • Nova Organi Harmonia (2,279 pages)
    • Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Father Enemond Massé Manuscripts
    • Lalemant Polyphonic
  • Miscellaneous
    • Site Map
    • Secrets of the Conscientious Choirmaster
    • “Wedding March” for lazy organists
    • Emporium Kevin Allen
    • Saint Jean de Lalande Library
    • Sacred Music Symposium 2023
    • The Eight Gregorian Modes
    • Gradual by Pothier’s Protégé
    • Seven (7) Considerations
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 · December 10, 2023

New Hymn By Father Dylan Schrader

That’s not an easy hymn to sing 𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 but my volunteer choir attempted it. If you think it’s easy, please send me a recording of your choir singing it!

Jeff Ostrowski · December 6, 2023

(Advent, 2nd Sunday) • Introit “Pópulus Sion” Sung According to the Official Rhythm

We can hardly do better than to join in the same melodies sung by Catholic saints throughout history.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 5, 2023

Schola Director Posts ‘Live’ Recording

As I explained in my article posted earlier today, Nun Komm Der Heiden Heiland is actually a Catholic tune (in spite of what some have claimed). The volunteer choir I direct sang that beautiful ADVENT melody last Sunday, and I invite you to listen to the live recording. It will get better the more we […]

Jeff Ostrowski · December 5, 2023

PDF Download • “Lo! He comes with clouds descending” (Advent Hymn) — A Catholic Version!

Some days, Fulton J. Sheen received as many as 30,000 letters.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 1, 2023

1963 Photograph • Original Lyrics for Fr. Hellriegel’s “To Jesus Christ Our Sovereign King”

Photograph from 1963, the year Monsignor Hellriegel published his 𝐻𝑜𝑙𝑦 𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝐻𝑦𝑚𝑛𝑎𝑙.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 1, 2023

Message from the Vice-President!

The Vice-President of the Church Music Association of America, Dr. Horst Buchholz (who also serves as Director of Sacred Music for the Archdiocese of Detroit) sent us an email yesterday regarding the harmonizations (PDF) I composed for the Gregorian Chant psalm tones. Dr. Buchholz says: “Those settings are absolutely exquisite, as I’m used to when […]

Jeff Ostrowski · December 1, 2023

My Response to Dr. Weaver’s Latest Article

Is it fair to forever bind Dom Guéranger to what he wrote about “barbarous archaisms” in 1855?

Jeff Ostrowski · November 29, 2023

Requesting Our Advent Eucharistic Hymn

A young lady named Agnes wrote to us: “Dear Mr. Ostrowski, do you have the PDF score for Ave Corpus Domini set to the ADVENT melody? Last year, we sang the hymn tune “Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland” quite a bit using your contrafactum technique. My choir appreciates the Latin hymns and practice videos, especially […]

Jeff Ostrowski · November 29, 2023

PDF Download • “Eight Gregorian Psalm Tones” (Harmonized by Jeff Ostrowski)

Yesterday, I recorded a video demonstration of each Gregorian Chant tone.

Jeff Ostrowski · November 27, 2023

Four (4) Excellent Hymns for Catholic Funerals

With a brief digression on certain “nasty” traditionalists.

Jeff Ostrowski · November 25, 2023

Seven (7) Hymn Verses for November!

In the month of November, we remember in a special way the souls in purgatory. The BRÉBEUF HYMNAL often includes text alone versions for its hymns; why is that? The short answer is: flexibility. The “text only” version allows each choirmaster to employ a myriad of melodies. For example, I recently set the English translation […]

Jeff Ostrowski · November 22, 2023

Worst Hymn Pairing Of All Time?

Are there sickening examples of hymn pairings? Oh, most certainly!

Jeff Ostrowski · November 21, 2023

Jeff Ostrowski’s Performance of Plainsong Attacked as “Inartistic”

The special Vigil of Christmas “Alleluia” sung according to the official rhythm of the Catholic Church.

Jeff Ostrowski · November 17, 2023

Jeff’s Attempt at Pipe Organ “Stops”

I’ve been attempting to record some Brébeuf hymns on the pipe organ, but I know very little about registration (“stops”). You can listen to this morning’s attempt, a recording of a tune called TRINITY COLLEGE. Do you know this tune? It’s quite nice. Feel free to email me vis-à-vis the registration I chose. To quickly […]

Jeff Ostrowski · November 17, 2023

Pope Saint Paul VI did not outlaw the TLM

This video shows a signatory of the famous “Agatha Christie Indult” talking about Glenn Gould (specifically his Bach interpretations).

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 28
  • Page 29
  • Page 30
  • Page 31
  • Page 32
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 176
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “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

Random Quote

“It would be difficult to find a failure of imagination greater than that of Carl Czerny.”

— Robert Schumann

Recent Posts

  • PDF Download • Palestrina’s “Ave Maria”
  • PDF Download • “2025 Booklet for Participants for the Sacred Music Symposium” — (155 pages)
  • Luis Martínez Must Go!
  • Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
  • PDF Download • “Gospel Acclamation” for 29 June (Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles)

Subscribe

Subscribe

* indicates required

Copyright © 2025 Corpus Christi Watershed · Isaac Jogues on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

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.

The election of Pope Leo XIV has been exciting, and we’re filled with hope for our apostolate’s future!

But we’re under pressure to transfer our website to a “subscription model.”

We don’t want to do that. We believe our website should remain free to all.

Our president has written the following letter:

President’s Message (dated 30 May 2025)

Are you able to support us?

clock.png

Time's up