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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

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).

Dr. Lucas Tappan · October 1, 2019

A *What* School ?!!

These are things a choir director needs to think about as he plans to build a successful choral foundation at his own cathedral or parish.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · September 24, 2019

So… You Can’t Visit a Choir School

Choir Schools would help to fill our parishes with congregations and choir members who would expect real sacred music sung to a high degree…

Dr. Lucas Tappan · September 19, 2019

Sense and Sensibility

This lesson is no less true in the realm of sacred music than it is in the realm of lovers.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · September 3, 2019

Let the Fun Begin

I have been searching for ways to bring more choristers into the choir…

Dr. Lucas Tappan · August 27, 2019

Mr. Pete Avendano and His Incredible Choir

Now back in Los Angeles, Avendano hopes to found a Catholic boys choir dedicated solely to singing the Church’s music.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · August 20, 2019

Five Suggestions • “Music in Our Schools”

If we desire to educate, we should keep our end in mind—to teach children what is good, and to love that good.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · August 13, 2019

Five Rules • “Successful Music Camps”

A choirmaster must always be recruiting…and a summer camp is a great recruiting tool.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · July 30, 2019

Announcing: Saint Rita Choral Academy!

The parish’s new venture, the St. Rita Choral Academy, is the brainchild of Dr. Alfred Calabrese.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · July 24, 2019

A Call to Educate Our Future Musicians

Most of these students, without ever having studied the Church’s documents on liturgical music, have an innate sense that our sacred mysteries require sacred music… and they WANT IT!

Dr. Lucas Tappan · July 9, 2019

In Support of the Choir School Tradition

St. Paul’s Choir School is one of only three Catholic choir schools in the United States, and provides an approach we might call the apprenticeship method.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · July 1, 2019

St. Paul’s Choir School Appoints New Director of Music

James Kennerley’s “rehearsal with the men and boys was brilliant as is his organ playing.”

Dr. Lucas Tappan · June 25, 2019

In Search of the Deeper Meaning

I have heard it said that magic shows up at every concert but usually goes home disappointed.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · June 18, 2019

Fr. Finn and the Catholic Choral Tradition in America

Nevertheless, we have had, and quite frankly still have, a number of fine choirs, conductors and organists that I would place on par and even above our European brethren.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · May 28, 2019

St. Mary's

St. Mary’s Cathedral Choir (Sydney, Australia)

If you are interested in the great English Cathedral music tradition, please consider listening to these podcasts.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · May 21, 2019

Further Thoughts on Westminster Cathedral

I am reminded of the care with which the Pieta was transported from the Vatican to New York City for the World’s Fair in 1964 and I hope and pray that the Westminster Cathedral Choir will be treated with as much veneration and respect.

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    ‘Bogey’ of the Half-Educated: Paraphrase
    Father Adrian Porter, using the cracher dans la soupe example, did a praiseworthy job explaining the difference between ‘dynamic’ and ‘formal’ translation. This is something Monsignor Ronald Knox explained time and again—yet even now certain parties feign ignorance. I suppose there will always be people who pretend the only ‘valid’ translation of Mitigásti omnem iram tuam; avertísti ab ira indignatiónis tuæ… would be “You mitigated all ire of you; you have averted from your indignation’s ire.” Those who would defend such a translation suffer from an unfortunate malady. One of my professors called it “cognate on the brain.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Father Cuthbert Lattey • “The Hebrew MSS”
    Father Cuthbert Lattey (d. 1954) wrote: “In a large number of cases the ancient Christian versions and some other ancient sources seem to have been based upon a better Hebrew text than that adopted by the rabbis for official use and alone suffered to survive. Sometimes, too, the cognate languages suggest a suitable meaning for which there is little or no support in the comparatively small amount of ancient Hebrew that has survived. The evidence of the metre is also at times so clear as of itself to furnish a strong argument; often it is confirmed by some other considerations. […] The Jewish copyists and their directors, however, seem to have lost the tradition of the metre at an early date, and the meticulous care of the rabbis in preserving their own official and traditional text (the ‘massoretic’ text) came too late, when the mischief had already been done.” • Msgr. Knox adds: “It seems the safest principle to follow the Latin—after all, St. Jerome will sometimes have had a better text than the Massoretes—except on the rare occasions when there is no sense to be extracted from the Vulgate at all.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 9 Nov. (Dedic. Lateran)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 9 November 2025, which is the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. 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 sensational feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Reminder” — Month of November (2025)
    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). 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. Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Gospel Options for 2 November (“All Souls”)
    We’ve been told some bishops are suppressing the TLM because of “unity.” But is unity truly found in the MISSALE RECENS? For instance, on All Souls (2 November), any of these Gospel readings may be chosen, for any reason (or for no reason at all). The same is true of the Propria Missæ and other readings—there are countless options in the ORDINARY FORM. In other words, no matter which OF parish you attend on 2 November, you’ll almost certainly hear different propers and readings, to say nothing of different ‘styles’ of music. Where is the “unity” in all this? Indeed, the Second Vatican Council solemnly declared: “Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community.”
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Our Father” • Musical Setting?
    Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“To treat harmony and rhythm in this matter was a difficult matter. Facing numerous problems both large and small—that arose constantly—we understood that a flawless harmonization of Gregorian chant cannot be created by improvisation, no matter the competence and ability of the organist or harmonist.”

— ‘Mons. Jules Van Nuffel, NOH Preface’

Recent Posts

  • ‘Bogey’ of the Half-Educated: Paraphrase
  • Father Cuthbert Lattey • “The Hebrew MSS”
  • Re: The People’s Mass Book (1974)
  • They did a terrible thing
  • What surprised me about regularly singing the Gloria in Latin

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