Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Dr. Lucas Tappan · May 24, 2016

Teaching the Very Young

I have received a number of emails of late from such musicians with questions regarding the musical training of the very young…

Jeff Ostrowski · May 24, 2016

O Salutaris Hostia • Do You Like This Version?

Download this 47-page booklet … and please pardon any typos!

Cynthia Ostrowski · May 23, 2016

Los Angeles: Less Than A Week Away!

A phenomenal event which involves our District Superior & Archbishop Gomez.

Fr. David Friel · May 22, 2016

Guide for Large-Scale Celebrations

10 Points from a Newly Translated Document

Richard J. Clark · May 20, 2016

Composing Saves My Life

By shear will I chip away at the wretched dumpster fire of incongruence on the page. Then a purpose languidly surfaces with each revised note: Composing is a form of prayer.

Andrew Leung · May 19, 2016

Summer Sacred Music Workshop 2016

Southeastern Sacred Music presents Summer Sacred Music Workshop 2016.

Jeff Ostrowski · May 18, 2016

May Crowning • The Official Antiphon

Do you agree this is a dark antiphon?

Dr. Lucas Tappan · May 17, 2016

Video • Most Pure Heart of Mary Schola Cantorum

Our program continues to expand, and we look forward to working with more than 60 students next year!

Jeff Ostrowski · May 16, 2016

The Terrifying “But” Of Vatican II

Only four (4) bishops voted against the Vatican II document on liturgy.

Jeff Ostrowski · May 15, 2016

Blast From The Past!

What did the Traditional Latin Mass look like sixteen years ago?

Veronica Brandt · May 14, 2016

Veni Creator Chant Plus Polyphony by Couturier

Getting more mileage out of a beautiful hymn by alternating 4 part verses with the chant.

Jeff Ostrowski · May 13, 2016

Musical Resources • Pentecost Sunday

“O God, Who on this day didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit…”

Andrew Leung · May 12, 2016

Feast of Bl. Álvaro del Portillo

Blessed Álvaro del Portillo, the successor of St. Josemaría Escrivá and Prelate of Opus Dei.

Jeff Ostrowski · May 11, 2016

Rehearsal videos • “Come, Holy Ghost” (SATB)

Pentecost is coming—are you ready?

Jeff Ostrowski · May 10, 2016

Fox News • “Rise of the Latin Mass”

“To be honest, I wasn’t a fan at first…but now I love it.” —Brenda DiGirolamo

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

Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published

Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.

—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

“Much more serious was the problem, what to do about ‘thou’ and ‘you.’ I confess I would have liked to go the whole hog, and dispense with the use of ‘thou’ and ‘thee’, even where the Almighty was being addressed. They do these things in France, but I felt sure you could not get it past the British public. Why not, then, have ‘thou’ for God and ‘you’ for man? That is Moffatt’s principle; but it seems to me to break down hopelessly in relation to our Incarnate Lord…”

— Monsignor Ronald A. Knox