Views from the Choir Loft

Veronica Brandt • Article Archive

Veronica Brandt holds a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering. As editor, she has produced fine publications (as well as valuable reprints) dealing with Gregorian chant, hymnody, Latin, and other subjects. These publications are distinguished on account of their tastefulness. She lives in the Blue Mountains near Sydney, Australia, with her husband Peter and six children.—Read full biography (with photographs).

Veronica Brandt · August 10, 2013

The Living Parish Hymn Book

Clearing up a mystery of childhood memories for certain Australians.

Veronica Brandt · August 3, 2013

What’s so good about growing up?

“I have the best job in the world, I get to see people grow.” from a nurse looking after young families.

Veronica Brandt · July 27, 2013

Comprehensive Conversation on Veils

An interior talk about why woman cover their heads at Mass.

Veronica Brandt · July 20, 2013

Here I owned Thy Presence

Owning up to the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Do hymns help?

Veronica Brandt · July 13, 2013

What’s new with the age old chant?

Gregorio has a wiki and ideas on typing up semiology.

Veronica Brandt · July 6, 2013

At home it doesn’t have to be perfect

Singing from the Liturgy of the Hours at home is beautiful treasure to share with your family.

Veronica Brandt · June 29, 2013

Of Singers and Drawers

Can’t sing, can’t draw, can type a little.

Veronica Brandt · June 22, 2013

Ut Queant Laxis time soon!

The hymn that gave us “Do Re, Mi” and how to type it. PDF score included.

Veronica Brandt · June 16, 2013

Try Illuminare Score Editor

Yet another training video, this time simpler than ever.

Veronica Brandt · June 15, 2013

Restoring Catholic Music in the Home

… one week at a time. Some families are keen to teach their children good hymns, but don’t know where to start.

Veronica Brandt · June 10, 2013

Setting propers to psalm tones with gregorio

Another training video showing another easy way to use gregorio online – this time while holding a 4 month old baby girl!

Veronica Brandt · June 8, 2013

GABC Transcription Tools

Computers making life easier for once. No, really!

Veronica Brandt · June 1, 2013

As easy as (G)ABC

Including newly typeset Gregorian chant in your booklets has never been easier.

Veronica Brandt · May 25, 2013

Top five resources for teaching chant to children

The staples in my bag for teaching Gregorian chant to an informal group of homeschoolers.

Veronica Brandt · May 18, 2013

Sharing sacred music online

Putting books and booklets together by cut and paste.

Luis Martínez Must Go!

Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]

—Jeff Ostrowski

Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!

A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)

I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.

—Jeff Ostrowski

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

Antiphons Don’t Match?

A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).

—Corpus Christi Watershed