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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 · November 6, 2020

6 November 2020 • FEEDBACK

The director of music at EWTN wrote to us about the Brébeuf hymnal: “I do believe your hymnal has the best harmonizations available. We have used several of your harmonizations on EWTN. I have recommended to other hymnal editors that they get aligned with Corpus Christi Watershed to improve their harmonizations. Take care.”

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Jeff Ostrowski · November 6, 2020

Msgr. Schmitt backs up Rev. Fortescue

My colleague, Andrea Leal, recently posted something extraordinary: an English translation of a NOTITIAE document from 1970 which explains why the reformers did such violence to the ancient Proprium Missæ. The author of that document erroneously claims that Gregorian composers changed the wording for musical purposes, but the real reason Missal and Gradual don’t always […]

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Jeff Ostrowski · November 6, 2020

“Polyphonic Credo” during Communion?

It sounds strange to Americans, but a very common European tradition is to sing a polyphonic “Agnus Dei” during the distribution of Holy Communion, famously defended by Cardinal Ratzinger in 1995. Monsignor Francis P. Schmitt wrote about visiting Saint Joseph Oratory in Montreal, and says: “A polyphonic Creed was sung during the distribution of Communion.” […]

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Jeff Ostrowski · November 5, 2020

“Christ as Creator” • Remarkable Findings in Ancient Hymns !

Archbishop Sheen immediately replied: “Then I didn’t explain it correctly, because it should be a mystery” • Including Rex Sempiterne Caelitum, Jesu Nostra Redemptio, Vexilla Regis Prodeunt, Auctor Beate Saeculi, A Solis Ortus Cardine, Jesu Redemptor Omnium, Conditor Alme Siderum, Corde Natus Ex Parentis, Pange Lingua Gloriosi, Veni Creator Spiritus, and more!

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Jeff Ostrowski · November 4, 2020

The Best We’ve Done?

Perhaps the most significant item we’ve yet had the honor of producing is an English translation of an extremely rare document from 1970. A member of the Consilium—Father Adalbert Franquesa Garrós—explains why the reformers felt it necessary to destroy most of the ancient Mass propers. In particular, this reformer priest claims that unless verses of […]

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Jeff Ostrowski · November 2, 2020

“Homily — 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A” • Father Valentine Young, OFM

Knowledge is having the facts. Wisdom is knowing what to do with them.

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Jeff Ostrowski · October 29, 2020

PDF Download • Vespers for the Dead

Mr. Albert Bloomfield kindly sent me “Vespers for the Dead”—which does not fulfill a priest’s obligation to pray the Divine Office, yet is often prayed when a loved one dies. Here is formatting A, and here it is again with formatting B.

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Jeff Ostrowski · October 28, 2020

“Homily for the Feast of All Saints” (November 1st) • Father Valentine Young, OFM

My mother told me that my father used to stop at the rectory every Saturday afternoon to go to confession to the priest. He died when I was eight, leaving my mother with six children…

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Jeff Ostrowski · October 28, 2020

* Live Rec. • “Absolution of the Body” (Gregorian Chant)

When a catafalque is used—instead of a dead body—the priest does not say the “Non Intres” prayer.

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Jeff Ostrowski · October 28, 2020

PDF Download • Beautiful Requiem Mass Image

“Every diocese, almost every church, had its own customs. Our present rule dates from the revived missal of 1570.”

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Jeff Ostrowski · October 27, 2020

“New” Cracked Altar Defaces Baroque Church

This travesty has been called “extensive restoration.”

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Jeff Ostrowski · October 27, 2020

ICEL added “Died” to the Nicene Creed • (I am not kidding!)

I bet you never noticed this, but here’s the proof! • Believe it or not, the Nicene Creed never says Our Lord “died,” and this article provides full documentation; also included are beautiful manuscript images from the greatest Dutch illuminated manuscript in the world: Catherine of Cleves Hours (15th century MS.)+

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Jeff Ostrowski · October 25, 2020

“Homily for the Feast of Christ the King” (EF) • Father Valentine Young, OFM

In many of His parables and teachings, Christ let us know that His Kingdom on earth was always what I am going to call “an unfinished product.”

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Jeff Ostrowski · October 23, 2020

PDF Download • Extremely Simple (Yet Gorgeous) Polyphonic Funeral Mass

These rehearsal videos were recorded by one person, and he apologizes for the poor singing quality…

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Jeff Ostrowski · October 21, 2020

20 October 2020 • “What we can’t share”

Almighty God has given to us the example of the Jesuit Martyrs of North America, whose feast day we celebrated yesterday. Of course, along with those eight martyrs we honor their associates, e.g Father François Bressani. I can’t share with you the torments Father Bressani underwent at the hands of Iroquois: it is too brutal. […]

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Rare Plainsong Accompaniments
    Our contributor, Veronica Brandt, went deep into Australia to take photographs of organ accompaniments for Gregorian Chant. Some consider these peculiar PLAINSONG ACCOMPANIMENTS—with 3-part harmonies by Barcelona Cathedral organist, Father Josep Muset i Ferrer—to be the rarest in the world. Click here to learn more. Thanks Veronica! 😊
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Hidden Chant” • For the Ordinary Form

    Not even the magnificent “GregoBase”—which is incredibly comprehensive—realizes music for this antiphon was published by the Vatican in the 1930s.

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    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Citation Needed” • Dom Foote of ICEL
    Father Basil Foote, OSB, was organist at WESTMINSTER ABBEY MISSION (British Columbia, Canada). In 1984 he published an article called “Chanting in the Vernacular.” Twenty years later, it was republished by ADOREMUS—and that’s how it came to my attention. In that article, Dom Foote makes a claim I consider somewhat outlandish. At the very least, his statement with regard to the Latin accent needs some sort of citation. He has served on the Music Sub-Committee of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL).
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Time and Again We Are Asked…
    John Baptist Singenberger (d. 1924) was a central figure of Catholic Church music. In this utterly fascinating excerpt (Single-Page PDF), Singenberger writes: Time and again we are asked: “Is the Gregorian chant to be accompanied by the organ?” As a young student in Saint Gall, Singenberger befriended SEBASTIAN GEBHARD MESSMER, the future Archbishop of Milwaukee (Wisconsin). The two graduated together in 1861. The school they attended (Saint George’s Seminary) was a “seminary”—but in the older European sense. In other words, it provided a classical education without necessarily leading to ordination. Singenberger remained a layman his whole life, but Messmer was eventually made archbishop—by Pope Saint Pius X—of the very archdiocese in Wisconsin where Singenberger would spend his American career, giving him a powerful ecclesiastical ally.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Reminder” — Month of June (2026)
    On a daily basis, I speak to people who don’t realize we publish a free newsletter (although they’ve followed our blog for years). Since we were founded in 2006, not one of our board members has ever accepted any remuneration whatsoever—not a penny. We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and refuse to run annoying ads. As a result, our mailing list is crucial to our survival. It couldn’t be easier to subscribe! Just scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Thee” + “Thou” + “Thine”
    Few musicians realize that various English translations of Sacred Scripture were granted formal approval by the USCCB and the Vatican for liturgical use in the United States of America. But don’t take my word for it! Here are four documents proving this, which you can examine with your own eyes. Some believe the words “Thine” and “Thou” and “Thee” were forbidden after Vatican II—but that’s incorrect. For example, they’re found in the English translation of the ‘Our Father’ at Mass. Moreover, the Revised Standard Version (Catholic Edition) mentioned in those four documents employs “Thine” and “Thou” and “Thee.” It was published with a FOREWORD by Westminster’s Roman Catholic Archbishop (John Cardinal Heenan).
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Those who teach Latin must know how to speak to the hearts of the young, know how to treasure the very rich heritage of the Latin tradition to educate them in the path of life, and accompany them along paths rich in hope and confidence.”

— Pope Francis (7 December 2017)

Recent Posts

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  • PDF Download • 23 Harmonizations for “Daily, daily, sing to Mary” (The Famous Hymn)

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