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 · June 27, 2015

Rebuild my Church

The Maternal Heart of Mary Church is a collegiate style church in Sydney, Australia and home to the only FSSP parish in the country.

Veronica Brandt · June 20, 2015

Wrapped in the Liber Usualis

A scarf adorned with pages from the Liber Usualis. Why not?

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Veronica Brandt · June 6, 2015

A hymnal in e-book format

100 pieces of Gregorian chant to carry around in your pocket, with English translations.

Veronica Brandt · June 1, 2015

Easy 3 part motet for the Sacred Heart of Jesus

A short 20th century motet by Fr Tom Luby, MSC with practice audio recordings.

Veronica Brandt · May 30, 2015

The Key for Singing an OF Mass for the EF Musician

It’s almost 5 years since the new translation came out, but some EF musicians still haven’t caught up. Here are some pointers for the musician who has been hiding under a musical rock for a decade.

Veronica Brandt · May 23, 2015

A little bit of fun

Heads and shoulders, knees and toes, in Latin with square note notation, to the tune well known in Australia.

Veronica Brandt · May 16, 2015

Memento Rerum Conditor

The hymn most frequently appearing in the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary has finally made it to youtube!

Veronica Brandt · May 9, 2015

The difference between Anything and Everything.

Where free choice can lead to chaos or paralysis.

Veronica Brandt · May 2, 2015

Taking the easy way out, relatively speaking

Starting a collection of easier propers for the Extraordinary Form. A pair of Alleluias and two Offertory antiphons to start the ball rolling.

Veronica Brandt · April 25, 2015

Lest we forget

Encouraging solemnity in a public space in Australia is no mean feat, but there are well known traditions which give the framework which elevates the simple, heartfelt speeches into a moving tribute to our fallen service men and women.

Veronica Brandt · April 18, 2015

“Proper Of The Mass” (Ignatius Press) • Part 3 of 7

We have the treasury of sacred music to steer us. We have computers to help adapt scores to suit our choirs. And now we have an excellent resource which provides ready made adaptations of the Propers.

Veronica Brandt · April 11, 2015

How did your Holy Week go?

Singing for the Sacred Triduum and Easter ceremonies is an awesome privilege. Coming out the other side can be very sweet indeed, even when things didn’t always go quite as planned.

Veronica Brandt · March 28, 2015

Scales and counterpoint

Two part choir exercises – one for every day of the year plus a few dozen to spare.

Veronica Brandt · March 14, 2015

Gems in Latin and English

Five books providing our treasured Latin hymns with English translations to help you sing with understanding.

Veronica Brandt · March 7, 2015

A Homely Slant on Bertalot’s Sight-Singing

Is sight-singing only for elite choirs? Do you need fancy resources?

Simplified Accompaniment (Easter Hymn)

Number 36 in the Brébeuf Hymnal is “At the Lamb’s high feast we sing,” an English translation for Ad Cenam Agni Próvidi (which was called “Ad Régias Agni Dapes” starting 1631). As of this morning, you can download a simplified keyboard accompaniment for it. Simple click here and scroll to the bottom. Many organists are forced to serve simultaneously as both CANTOR and ACCOMPANIST. In spite of what some claim, this can be difficult—which explains why choirmasters appreciate these simplified keyboard accompaniments. Sadly, many readers will click that link but forget to scroll to the bottom where the simplified PDF file is located.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Quasi Modo Sunday”

The Introit for “Quasi Modo Sunday” (12 April 2026) is particularly beautiful. The musical score can be downloaded as a PDF file, and so can the organ accompaniment. The official language of the Catholic Church is Latin (whereas Greek is our mother tongue). Vatican II said Gregorian Chant must be given “first place” under normal circumstances. As a result, some parishes will rightly sing the authentic version. On the other hand, because so many USA dioceses disobey the mandate of Vatican II, some musicians sing plainsong in the vernacular. I have attempted to simultaneously accompany myself on the pipe organ while singing the English version. Although very few take advantage of it, the complete Proprium Missae is posted at the flourishing feasts website.

—Jeff Ostrowski

‘German’ Introductions for Hymns

German organ books have an enchanting habit of including introductions for each and every hymn. For example, consider this snazzy example found in a German hymnal published in 1902. In the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal, that melody is called “Laudes Mariae” and was married to Omni Die Dic Mariae, with a popular English translation (“Daily, daily, sing to Mary”) by Father Henry Bittleston, an Oratorian priest. Notice they also added a ‘tailpiece’ or ‘playout’ or postlude at the end—a very German thing to do!

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Liturgical Law” (467 Pages)

On Good Friday during the middle ages, the pope privately recited THE ENTIRE PSALTER. If you don’t believe me, see for yourself by reading this passage by Dom Charles Augustine Bachofen (d. 1943). His famous book—called “Liturgical Law: A Handbook Of The Roman Liturgy”—was published by the Benjamin Herder Book Company, which was the American arm (operating out of St. Louis, Missouri) of one of the world’s most significant Catholic publishers. Dom Charles Augustine Bachofen was born in Switzerland but spent his career between the Benedictine monasteries at Conception (Missouri) and Mount Angel (Oregon). His 1931 masterpiece, Liturgical Law can be downloaded as a PDF file … 467 pages!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Gregorian Chant Quiz” • 24 March 2026

How well do you know your Gregorian hymns? Do you recognize the tune inserted into the bass line on this score? For many years, we sang the entire Mass in Gregorian chant—and I mean everything. As a result, it would be difficult to find a Gregorian hymn I don’t recognize instantly. Only decades later did I realize (with sadness) that this skill cannot be ‘monetized’… This particular melody is used for a very famous Gregorian hymn, printed in the LIBER USUALIS. Do you recognize it? Send me an email with the correct words, and I promise to tell everybody I meet about your prowess!

—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