Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Fr. David Friel · April 22, 2018

Spanish Missal Chants Now Available

A collection of fine resources are available from the Domenico Zipoli Institute

Richard J. Clark · April 20, 2018

Listening and Mission

All that matters is God’s call of service—God’s agenda. This mission of service is primary. Service is a form of love.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · April 17, 2018

Teaching Gregorian Chant to Boys with Changed Voices

The boys encountered the same learning curves the adult men had previously, but their facility in solfege speed up the learning process.

Guest Author · April 16, 2018

What does Cicero have to do with the Breviary?

A proposal for “mutual enrichment”

Andrew Leung · April 12, 2018

Photos • Two Recent Solemn Masses in Hong Kong

This wasn’t my first time serving as a subdeacon, but it was a trembling experience.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · April 10, 2018

Tone Quality and Your Singers

Ultimately it doesn’t matter if your choir resonates well and sings beautiful vowels but can’t communicate via the music…

Fr. David Friel · April 8, 2018

The Turns at Benediction

To the Right or to the Left?

Jeff Ostrowski · April 5, 2018

“ Dissonance? ” • Gregorian Accompaniment

Nothing could be further from the truth!

Fr. David Friel · April 3, 2018

Ratzinger’s 1987 Letter to a Former Catechism Student

The Pope Emeritus presents church music as something central to life.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 2, 2018

I Was Wrong to Dread the “Pre-1955” Holy Week

Five (5) differences between the ancient rites of Holy Week (“Pre-1955”) and the Pius XII version.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 2, 2018

“Crotalus” • How Does It Sound?

Holy Thursday pew version from a pocket recorder.

Fr. David Friel · April 1, 2018

Summer Chant Courses—Dunwoodie

Two course offerings from the St. Cecilia Academy for Pastoral Musicians

Corpus Christi Watershed · March 29, 2018

FSSP Palm Sunday (2018) • “Pre-1955 Rubrics”

Rome gave permission this year to a few parishes to use the “Pre-1955” Holy Week.

Veronica Brandt · March 28, 2018

Ratchets instead of Bells for your Electric Angelus

Remember to change any electronic bells this Friday and Saturday! Links to some good ratchet sounds included.

Jeff Ostrowski · March 27, 2018

PDF Download • Organ Accompaniment for “Vexilla Regis” (Hymn) by Fr. Adrian Fortescue

When I saw this page, my opinion of Fortescue went down—but then I remembered…

“Reminder” — Month of December (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

Dr. Mahrt explains the ‘Spoken’ Propers

In 1970, the Church promulgated a new version of the Roman Missal. It goes by various names: Ordinary Form, Novus Ordo, MISSALE RECENS, and so on. If you examine the very first page, you’ll notice that Pope Saint Paul VI explains the meaning of the ‘Spoken Propers’ (which are for Masses without singing). A quote by Dr. William P. Mahrt is also included in that file. The SPOKEN PROPERS—used at Masses without music—are sometimes called The Adalbert Propers, because they were created in 1969 by Father Adalbert Franquesa Garrós, one of Hannibal Bugnini’s closest friends (according to Yves Chiron).

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Music List” (1st Sunday of Advent)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 30 November 2025, which is the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is quite memorable, and the fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Translations Approved for Liturgical Use”

According to the newsletter for USSCB’s Committee on Divine Worship dated September 1996, there are three (3) translations of the Bible which can be used in the sacred liturgy in the United States. You can read this information with your own eyes. It seems the USCCB and also Rome fully approved the so-called NRSV (“New Revised Standard Version”) on 13 November 1991 and 6 April 1992 but this permission was then withdrawn in 1994.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

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