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Corpus Christi Watershed

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 · October 5, 2022

“Portable organ shall be lowered…”

Alonso Lobo (1555-1617) started out as an assistant to Father Guerrero (d. 1599). In the book by Stevenson—which I never grow tired of praising—we find this wonderful excerpt which provides fascinating details vis-à-vis musical performance circa 1600AD. I like how it says that on Easter the prosa “must be the one composed by Morales.”

Jeff Ostrowski · October 1, 2022

“Released” • A Eucharistic Hymn You’ll Love!

Installment 4 • “How Has Nobody Done This Before?” (series)

Jeff Ostrowski · September 28, 2022

PDF Download • SATB “Alleluia” by J.S. Bach

This short piece shimmers with beauty. The arrangement is by Monsignor René Moissenet.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 27, 2022

“What Is Polyphony?” • With Audio Examples

A professor at our conservatory always told us: “An example is worth 1,000 words.”

Jeff Ostrowski · September 26, 2022

Say “Hello” to the Villain Who Lied About You

Fulton J. Sheen told a story about a man who bumped into Abraham Lincoln yelling: “Get out of my way, you big ugly lummox!”

Jeff Ostrowski · September 24, 2022

“Nobody Cares About This” • (Except Me!)

I’ve attempted to create a recording for this coming Sunday according to the official rhythm…

Jeff Ostrowski · September 21, 2022

Why Text Only?

Why do hymns in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal give so many optional “text only” versions of the hymns? It’s easier to demonstrate than explain. Consider Hymn #24, which allows the director to choose a wonderful melody and easily apply it to the text. Hymnal editors knew about the value of “text only” versions […]

Jeff Ostrowski · September 20, 2022

PDF Download • Brief Polyphonic “Asperges Me” for SATB by Father Guerrero (d. 1599)

Here’s my attempt at recording all the voices myself, to give you a rough idea how it sounds.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 20, 2022

Official USCCB Synod Document: “The Limited Access to the 1962 Missal Was Lamented…”

In this official document, we find a remarkable statement!

Jeff Ostrowski · September 20, 2022

“Choral Eavesdropping” • 15 Sept. 2022

If you enjoy eavesdropping, here’s a rehearsal excerpt (mp3) of my volunteers singing the exercise I posted last week. This is the second time we’ve used it, and I can definitely hear improvement. You can download this choral warm-up for free.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 18, 2022

“An Irish Hymnal?” • 126 Pages (English and Gaelic)

I find this hymn quite beautiful—and singers love it!

Jeff Ostrowski · September 14, 2022

“Isolation Camps” for Summórum Catholics?

Today is the 15th anniversary of “Summorum Pontificum”—and some clerics are choosing coercion where persuasion has failed.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 13, 2022

PDF Download • 2-Voice Eucharistic Hymn by Flor Peeters (45 pages) • Includes a Descant!

Lyrics in English, with an (optional) version in Latin.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 10, 2022

PDF Download • “Choir Warm-Up Exercise”

Your singers might enjoy this vocal warm-up exercise I composed for a volunteer choir.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 9, 2022

“Defending the English” • Brief Riposte from Uganda

“As for the subject of whether the music of Tallis, Taverner, and Tye was tainted by the reformation, I would agree with Mr. Ostrowski.” —Reader from Uganda

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    A Nice Hymn In Spanish
    In my humble opinion, this is a really beautiful hymn in Spanish. If I practice diligently, I’ll be able to pronounce all the words properly. If you’re someone who’s interested in obtaining a melody only version (suitable for your congregational ORDER OF WORSHIP) you can steal that from this.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 21st in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir returns on Sunday, 24 August 2025. Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for it, which is the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the spectacular feasts website. When it comes to the feast of the Assumption (15 August 2025), I have uploaded the music list for that Mass—but not the “bi-lingual” Mass in the evening (Spanish, Latin, and English) which has completely different music.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Entrance Chant” • 21st Sunday Ordin. Time
    You can download the ENTRANCE ANTIPHON in English for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) which is coming up on 24 August 2025. Corresponding to the vocalist score is this free organ accompaniment. It’s set in a melancholy mode, but if you heard my choir’s female voices singing it your soul would be uplifted beyond belief. If you’re someone who enjoys rehearsal videos, this morning I tried to sing it while simultaneously accompanying my voice on the pipe organ.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Solemn “Salve Regina” (Chant)
    How many “S” words can you think of using alliteration? How about Schwann Solemn Salve Score? You can download the SOLEMN SALVE REGINA in Gregorian Chant. The notation follows the official rhythm (EDITIO VATICANA). Canon Jules Van Nuffel, choirmaster of the Cathedral of Saint Rumbold, composed this accompaniment for it (although some feel it isn’t his best work).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    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

Random Quote

A hymn verse need not be a complete sentence, but it must have completed sense as a recognisable part of the complete sentence, and at each major pause there would be at least a “sense-pause.” Saint Ambrose and the early writers and centonists always kept to this rule. This indicates one of the differences between a poem and a hymn, and by this standard most of the modern hymns and the revisions of old hymns in the Breviary stand condemned.

— Fr. Joseph Connelly

Recent Posts

  • Now Online! • “Rare Latin + English Missal” (Burns and Oates, 1961) — 1,737 pages
  • Jeffrey Tucker: “USCCB Deserves Scorn for Maintaining Strict Copyright Over Liturgical Texts.”
  • Solemn “Salve Regina” (Chant)
  • A Nice Hymn In Spanish
  • Fulton J. Sheen • “Why Four Bishops Voted Against the Liturgical Constitution”

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