Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Andrew Leung · October 13, 2016

The New Feature on the Organ of King’s College

Check out this newest feature on the restored organ in the Chapel of King’s College!

Dr. Lucas Tappan · October 11, 2016

Wonderful Things are Happening in Detroit!

Even more exciting were two developments I learned of while in Detroit.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 10, 2016

Choirmaster’s Life: “A Life of Sacrifice”

Due to human nature, I believe most of us won’t reach our potential—unless we’re forced to do so!

Jeff Ostrowski · October 7, 2016

I Got Caught!

I hardly ever watch internet videos, but this one I could not resist.

Richard J. Clark · October 7, 2016

Vocation Directors Immersed in Chant—Immersed in Prayer

This isn’t about chant. This isn’t about a style of music. It is about the urgency we face with vocations.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 7, 2016

Musical Resources • 21st Sunday after Pentecost

“All things are in Thy will, O Lord, and there is none that can resist Thy will…”

Andrew Leung · October 6, 2016

St. Francis and Sacred Music

St. Francis of Assisi is not a “liturgical hippie.” He is a lover of the Roman liturgy and might have sung polyphony…

Jeff Ostrowski · October 4, 2016

What Should A Church Look Like?

I have no idea which cathedral this is, but architects should take note!

Jeff Ostrowski · October 3, 2016

Cardinal Sarah’s Missing Paragraph…

This article includes live recordings from a conference (“Society for Catholic Liturgy”) in Los Angeles.

Fr. David Friel · October 2, 2016

New Collection of Propers from GIA

The growing market for Mass propers is a sign of promise.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 29, 2016

Why Did Vatican II Happen?

These might not constitute the most perfect way to assist at Mass, but they’re very nice (German) hymn tunes!

Jeff Ostrowski · September 28, 2016

Twenty Minutes That Changed My Life Forever

I might be able to memorize that Chopin etude, but there’s no way I could memorize that 5-voice Bach fugue today.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 27, 2016

Where do you obtain your Psalms?

Download these Breviary files and keep them as our little secret!

Fr. David Friel · September 25, 2016

Turning Off the Air Conditioning

Taking Advantage of the Natural Beauty that Surrounds Us

Richard J. Clark · September 23, 2016

The Choir Isn’t Everything

The priest’s musical role is enormously influential. This can not be emphasized enough.

“Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.

—Jeff Ostrowski

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Music Director Job • $80,000 per year

Our readers will be interested in this job offering for Music Director at Saint Adalbert’s Basilica, located 40 minutes from where I live. My pastor was recently elevated to this basilica. He is offering $80,000 per year, plus benefits. I’m told Saint Adalbert’s Basilica is utterly gorgeous and contains one of America’s most magnificent pipe organs. It would be fantastic to have a colleague nearby!

—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

“The following few hints on the selection of voices may be useful: (1) Reject all boys who speak roughly, or sing coarsely; (2) Choose bright, intelligent-looking boys, provided they have a good ear; they will much more readily respond to the choirmaster’s efforts than boys who possess a voice and nothing more; therefore, (3) Reject dull, sulky, or scatter-brained boys, since it is hard to say which of the three has the most demoralizing effect on his more willing companions.”

— Sir Richard Runciman Terry (1912)