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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 29, 2021

PDF Download • “Credo VII Polyphonic Extension” for a Girls’ Choir

We’ve decided to try an experiment, with assistance from one of my favorite composers: Giovanni Maria Nanino (d. 1607).

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 26, 2021

What A Roman Catholic Hymnal Looks Like!

How exactly does the “Choral Supplement” look in real life?

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 25, 2021

“Veni Creator Spiritus” + Organ Accompaniment • with English Translation by Fr. Fortescue

Did you realize there are two versions of this famous hymn?

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 24, 2021

24 May 2021 • FEEDBACK

M.B. wrote to us: “Dear Corpus Christi Watershed: please keep posting beautiful hymns! You have no idea just how helpful it is to me! God bless the work and efforts that you pour into making the liturgy more beautiful for God’s glory!”

Jeff Ostrowski · May 23, 2021

“Part 1 of 3” • Guerrero Kyrie for Our Lady

Now that choirs are beginning to come back…

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 21, 2021

“Veni Sancte Spiritus” (Sequence) • 18 Accompaniments

The Pentecost Sequence harmonized by Father Green, Father Jones, Dom Gregory Murray, Max Springer, Achille P. Bragers, and more!

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 21, 2021

21 May 2021 • “Cheating?”

If you look in the 1952 Australian Hymnal by Father Percy Jones called The Saint Pius X Hymnal, you will see that they substitute “Confirma Hoc” from Confirmation with the Offertory antiphon on Pentecost Sunday. Thoughts? Was that cheating?

Jeff Ostrowski · May 18, 2021

18 May 2021 • A bad translation?

My friend L.F. has informed me that the editors of the 1965 Missale Romanum seem to have deliberately deleted the part about “raising the children in the Catholic Faith.” Do you agree? See for yourself. How would you translate that passage into English? Please email me at: jeff@ccwatershed.org

Jeff Ostrowski · May 17, 2021

“Slanty Wampus” Doesn’t Count

From one of my composition teachers…

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 15, 2021

“Homily: Sunday after the Ascension” (EF) • Father Valentine Young, OFM

I wanted to become a Franciscan priest, and became one. But I certainly landed in places and assignments I never dreamed of being in.

Jeff Ostrowski · May 14, 2021

“Easy Polyphonic Agnus Dei” • Part 2 of 3

What is the best way to get your choir singing when they first return? Here are some tips…

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 12, 2021

Being Too Hard On Priests?

…including a fancy capital “A” from a medieval manuscript.

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 11, 2021

Did Bishop Sheen Favor A Particular Hymnal?

Including a wonderful hymn for the Ascension.

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 10, 2021

Re: “Christ the King Hymnal” (Imprimatur, 1954)

Venerable Pope Pius XII explicitly allowed vernacular hymns during High Mass in 1958.

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Jeff Ostrowski · May 6, 2021

6 May 2021 • FEEDBACK

A reader from St. Louis, Missouri, wrote to us: “The work you and your team do is quite possibly the most valuable resource I have come across as a younger Sacred music director and organist. The Brébeuf Hymnal is my most used and referenced resource. Although my church has not adopted it yet (I will […]

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    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
    “Samaritánæ” (3rd Sunday of Lent)
    With regard to the COMMUNION for the 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year A), the Ordo Cantus Missae—which was published in 1969 by the Vatican, bearing Hannibal Bugnini’s signature and approbation in its PREFACE—inexplicably introduced a variant melody and slightly different words, as you can see by this comparison chart. When it comes to such items, they’re always done in secrecy by unnamed people. (Although it is known that Dom Eugène Cardine collaborated in the creation of the GRADUALE SIMPLEX, a book considered by some to be a travesty.)
    —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

The literal translation: “Lord, have mercy—Christ, have mercy,” does not offer much material for an acceptable song text. The words, not having any feminine syllables, are abrupt; the sounds are almost all muted and colorless; the rhythmic flow is too brief. So many people may prefer responses that further extend the song of the assembly, e.g., “Have pity on us, Lord” or “Pardon us and change our hearts.

— J. Gelineau attacking the KYRIE ELEYSON (page 64 in “Learning to Celebrate,” 1985)

Recent Posts

  • “Dies Irae” • A Monstrous Translation
  • PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”
  • Music List • (3rd Sunday of Lent)
  • “National Survey” (Order of Christian Funerals) • By the USCCB Secretariat of Divine Worship
  • “Samaritánæ” (3rd Sunday of Lent)

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