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“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Dr. Tappan • Article Archive

Dr. Lucas Tappan is a conductor and organist whose specialty is working with children. He lives in Kansas with his wife and four children.—Read full biography (with photographs).

Lucas Tappan · June 8, 2022

“Chorister Summer Camp” • Eight Ideas

Every choirmaster should place a high priority on recruitment, otherwise in time he commits a form of “choral contraception”…

Lucas Tappan · June 1, 2022

Another Incredible Opportunity in Kansas City!

St. John Paul II Catholic Church joins a growing number of parishes (including the Cathedral) in our archdiocese committed the renewal of both the Sacred Liturgy and Music.

Lucas Tappan · July 3, 2021

A “Must Read” for Choir School Enthusiasts

I also feel this is the reason that many church musicians in England don’t matriculate into doctoral programs—their choir schools imparted more than a doctoral program could ever give.

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Lucas Tappan · November 23, 2020

Inspiration for Organ Improvisation

Organ improvisation is on the mind of many organists these days as they cope in the absence of choirs and other musicians.

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Lucas Tappan · November 10, 2020

(Installment #13) “Catholic Hymnals” • Lucas Tappan

We can sometimes be so caught up in advancing Gregorian chant that we fail to remember that every single age in the history of the Catholic Church has seen forms of popular religious music…

Lucas Tappan · July 14, 2020

Obsequies for Msgr. Georg Ratzinger (1924-2020)

I doubt the Divine Office in the vernacular could have been more beautifully sung.

Lucas Tappan · June 25, 2020

Six Points • The Church and Patronage of the Arts

If we want great artists, we must have places to train them in the best of the tradition and be able to crown their studies with a deeply imbued Catholic ethos.

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Lucas Tappan · June 2, 2020

The Art of Improvisation

In all my life I don’t think I have ever heard it mentioned that the art of improvisation, done well, ranks alongside the greatest works of Palestrina or Mozart.

Lucas Tappan · May 26, 2020

Broadcasting Holy Mass During Covidtide

The most problematic genre for use in broadcasting is the English setting of the Mass Ordinary since all of the major settings are currently under copyright.

Lucas Tappan · May 20, 2020

Of Shepherds and Sheep

This image of Christ as the Good Shepherd constitutes the supreme model for all pastors, clerical or (in a broader and unordained sense) lay—anyone leading others into the Sheepfold of the Church. It is, therefore, crucial to understand the various nuances of pastor, or shepherd.

Lucas Tappan · May 12, 2020

How Do the Greats Approach the Science of Choral Conducting?

Michelangelo, without training and in wont of the best paints and plaster, would have struggled to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

Lucas Tappan · May 5, 2020

What Makes a Great Conductor?

At the heart of the great conductor is one who is born in wonder, one who stands in awe and amazement of heaven’s divine gift of music.

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Lucas Tappan · April 28, 2020

Audiation for Choristers

The reality in any great liturgical choir is that there is simply too much music to learn by rote.

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Lucas Tappan · April 14, 2020

The Overtone Series (Truly) Explained

While other musical scales and musical traditions find their origin in the overtone series, only western civilization has developed nature’s original gift into one of the world’s great achievements: Western music.

Lucas Tappan · March 26, 2020

Repeating Repertoire? • Dr. Tappan

“The tunes and ditties of the radio will be meaningless in the magnitude of one’s final moments; only the psalms can bear the weight of the moment.” —Barry Rose

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Lucas Tappan · March 3, 2020

The Institution as Formator (Part II)

Once we realize how high that standard for accepting a chorister is, it becomes easier to understand the boy’s rapid musical progress in the choir.

Lucas Tappan · February 25, 2020

Vaughan Williams’ Sage Advice for Those Appointing Martin Baker’s Successor

A comment on the importance of the role of director of music a Westminster Cathedral, following the resignation of Martin Baker, offered by Gregory Treloar.

Lucas Tappan · February 12, 2020

Incredible Opportunity In Kansas City

Educators who seek to shape students in both wisdom and virtue, and who share the belief that music and aesthetics play an integral part in the content of a Catholic liberal arts education should apply.

Lucas Tappan · February 7, 2020

Westminster Cathedral Choir School: Update

Jeff’s recent post made me think that perhaps a recap of all the events so far at Westminster Cathedral would be helpful to readers.

Lucas Tappan · February 4, 2020

The Institution as Formator (Part I)

Everyone is searching for a silver bullet. Perhaps it’s a certain education method, a special book or a technique. Standing somewhat in opposition to all of these various techniques and methods is the English choir school, where the director stands in front of the boys and says “that’s an A, now sing it!”

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Quick Thoughts

PDF • “Organ Interludes” (Manuals Only)

In graduate school, one is taught a valuable lesson: if you emphasize everything, nothing is emphasized. In other words, putting every other word in bold or italic (or both) wrecks your paper. I never to use the word “best”—but today I make an exception. The book of organ interludes released today by my colleague is without question the best I’ve ever seen. Including Dom Gregory Murray, Flor Peeters, Jacques Lemmens, John Lee, C. H. Rinck, Dom Alphege Shebbeare, Oreste Ravanello, Louis Niedermeyer, Eugène Gigout, Luigi Bottazzo, Johann Sebastian Bach, and many others. Learn more by clicking here.

—Jeff Ostrowski
For the Upcoming Choir Season!

Last week, I posted an SATB choral setting of the SANCTUS in a ‘contemporary’ style. You might want to consider this piece for two reasons: (1) It’s extremely brief; (2) Free rehearsal videos are available for each individual part. The piece is by Father Lhoumeau.

—Jeff Ostrowski
PDF Download • “Sunday Vespers” (22 pages)

When an organist accompanies Vespers, there is no time to think. It’s one thing after another: Bam – Bam – Bam. And that’s what makes Vespers difficult to accompany; there’s hardly even time to check the key signature for each piece! Therefore, although it’s far from perfect, I’m releasing this 22-page booklet:

PDF Download • SUNDAY VESPERS ACCOMPANIMENT

As time goes on, I will explain why I believe this booklet is important, my hopes for it, and why I selected the official edition, directly from the Vesperale Romanum. In spite of its imperfections, creating this (draft) booklet required much more effort than I had anticipated.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Worse, composers are now setting the introits of the missal [instead of the Graduale] to music, even to chant, though these texts were explicitly for spoken recitation only.”

— ‘Dr. William Mahrt (Fall, 2015)’

Recent Posts

  • Faculty Members on Sacred Music Symposium 2022
  • PDF Download • Extremely Rare! — 1913 “Vesperale” by Schwann (954 pages)
  • PDF • “Organ Interludes” (Manuals Only)
  • PDF Download • Organ Interludes Based on Plainsong (Manuals Only) — 104 pages!
  • “Wild Accompaniment” • Flor Peeters (Kyrie VIII)

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