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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 · May 6, 2024

Protected: Don’t Share • “Cantoral del Padre Antonio Daniel”

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

Jeff Ostrowski · May 5, 2024

MONTH OF MAY • “Reminder”

Each day, I speak via telephone to folks who have supported Corpus Christi Watershed for years. Many of them don’t know about our email newsletter! Please sign up! Simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address. Thank you!

Jeff Ostrowski · May 3, 2024

“The English Mozart” • Who Was That?

Including a hymn suitable for a Catholic wedding (“Nuptial Mass”).

Jeff Ostrowski · May 3, 2024

Anglican Ordinariate: “A Hymn For Saint Joseph”

With a digression on Cardinal Antonelli and the feast of “Saint Joseph the Artisan” (1 May).

Jeff Ostrowski · May 2, 2024

PDF Download • “Ad Regias” Hymn

Upon hearing this special rendition of the ancient Roman Catholic hymn for Eastertide known as “Ad Régias Agni Dapes” several readers requested the score. You may now download the PDF Score (4 pages) completely free of charge. [Rehearsal videos for each individual part are waiting for you at #33013.] For the record, prior to 1632AD […]

Jeff Ostrowski · May 2, 2024

Singing Bach At Mass? • “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

I wouldn’t argue if somebody made the claim that Sebastian Bach was “the most musical person who ever lived.”

Jeff Ostrowski · April 29, 2024

PDF Download • Simplified Accompaniment for the famous Hymn: “Praise To The Lord”

According to Monsignor Franz Stemmer, the famous hymn “Praise to the Lord” originally came from the 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘎𝘦𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘣𝘶𝘤𝘩 (1665).

Jeff Ostrowski · April 29, 2024

Organ Accompaniment Booklet (20 pages)

This coming Sunday in the Extraordinary Form will be the Fifth Sunday after Easter. Each week, everyone can freely visit this page, downloading such booklets (as it were) directly from the source. Nevertheless, I’d like to draw your attention to the ORGAN ACCOMPANIMENT BOOKLET (20 pages) for Vespers in the Extraordinary Form: Dominica V Post […]

Jeff Ostrowski · April 25, 2024

Random Psalm Tone! • (1962 Weddings)

I believe it’s better to sing a Psalm Tone with excellence rather than attempt the authentic CARMEN GREGORIANUM (Gregorian Chant) in a plodding, lifeless, poorly-executed way. To that end, I have created this Fifth Mode Psalm Tone version for the COMMUNION CHANT assigned to 1962 Missal weddings. The Nuptial Mass is sometimes called “Pro Sponso […]

Jeff Ostrowski · April 25, 2024

Update (25 April) • “Forthcoming Spanish Hymnal”

“When our people have the courage to break resolutely with a bad tradition, there are unworked mines of religious poetry in the old hymns that we can use in translations.” —Father Adrian Fortescue

Jeff Ostrowski · April 24, 2024

Three Easter Hymns Sung Three Different Ways!

There was deep division in Chicago between those who cheered for the Cubs and those who cheered for the White Sox.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 21, 2024

Near “Occasions” of Sin, Forgiveness, Psalms, Hymns, and the Artistic Temperament

Rachmaninoff never forgave Prokofiev for this, as anyone with a melancholic temperament will understand.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 19, 2024

PDF Download • “Wedding Sheet” (Showing Prices)

Being hired as organist or choirmaster for Catholic weddings can be stressful.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 18, 2024

Can Your Choir Members Do This?

How many of your choir members can do this? (a) Recite the Tantum Ergo from memory; (b) Explain where the piece comes from and when specifically—during HOLY WEEK—it’s used; (c) Provide a literal translation (from memory, without looking in a book). This nifty one-page sheet (PDF) might be worth downloading if you’re worried some of […]

Jeff Ostrowski · April 17, 2024

Announcement! • “New Spanish Hymnal”

We seek native speakers willing to help proofread.

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Good Friday Flowers
    Good Friday has a series of prayers for various parties: the pope, catechumens, pagans, heretics, schismatics, and so forth. In the old liturgical books, there was no official ‘name’ for these prayers. (This wasn’t unusual as ‘headers’ and ‘titles’ for each section is a rather modern idea.) The Missal simply instructed the priest to go to the Epistle side and begin. In the SHERBORNE MISSAL, each prayer begins with a different—utterly spectacular—flower. This PDF file shows the first few prayers. Has anyone counted the ‘initial’ drop-cap flowers in the SHERBORNE MISSAL? Surely there are more than 1,000.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Music List • (3rd Sunday of Lent)
    Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for this coming Sunday, which is the 3rd Sunday of Lent (8 March 2026). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. This feast has magnificent propers. Its stern INTROIT (“Óculi mei semper ad Dóminum”) is breathtaking, and the COMMUNION (“Qui bíberit aquam”) with its fauxbourdon verses is wonderful. I encourage all the readers to visit the feasts website, where the Propria Missae may be downloaded completely free of charge.
    —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

Quick Thoughts

    “Dies Irae” • A Monstrous Translation
    It isn’t easy to determine what Alice King MacGilton hoped to accomplish with her very popular book—A Study of Latin Hymns (1918)—which continued to be reprinted in new editions for at least 34 years. This PDF file shows her attempt to translate the DIES IRAE “in the fewest words possible.” There’s a place for dynamic equivalency, but this is repugnant. In particular, look what she does to “Quærens me sedísti lassus.”
    —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
    Grotesque Pairing • “Passion Chorale”
    One of our rarest releases was undoubtably this PDF scan of the complete Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959) by Father Joseph Roff, a student of Healey Willan. One of the scarcest titles in existence, this book was provided to us by Mr. Peter Meggison. Back in 2018, we scanned each page and uploaded it to our website, making it freely available to everyone. Readers are probably sick of hearing me say this, but just because we upload something that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wonderful or worthy of imitation. We upload many publications precisely because they are ‘grotesque’, interesting, or revealing. Whereas the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal had an editorial board that was careful and sensitive vis-à-vis pairing texts with tunes, the Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959) seems to have been rather reckless in this regard. Please take a look at what they did with the PASSION CHORALE and see whether you agree.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Participation” in the Mass does not mean hearing our own voices. It means God hearing our voices. Only He knows who is “participating” at Mass. I believe, to compare small things with great, that I “participate” in a work of art when I study it and love it silently.

— Evelyn Waugh

Recent Posts

  • Music is the “Humble Handmaid” of the Mass
  • Good Friday Flowers
  • PDF Download • “Entrance Chant” for Holy Thursday (Plainsong in English)
  • “Dies Irae” • A Monstrous Translation
  • PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”

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