Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Jeff Ostrowski · September 22, 2016

SATB • “Come Holy Ghost, Who Ever One” — John Henry Cardinal Newman

This tune will get stuck in your head, and the words by Cardinal Newman are splendid.

Corpus Christi Watershed · September 22, 2016

“For Immediate Release” • Re: Society for Catholic Liturgy Conference in Los Angeles

Archbishop Gomez will still speak, but the venue for Saturday has changed.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 20, 2016

Catastrophic Results of USCCB “Interpretation”

“Peace, peace, peace on earth; peace to God’s people, all people on earth.”

Dr. Lucas Tappan · September 20, 2016

Problems Encountered Teaching Rhythms

Well, today I decided to buck the system (in spite of my general LOVE of tradition) and simply referred to the various notes by their Takadimi syllables.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 19, 2016

Musical Resources • 19th Sunday after Pentecost

“Let Thy healing power, O Lord, in mercy deliver us from our waywardness…”

Fr. David Friel · September 18, 2016

Improving the Liturgy

Reflections on the Status of the Liturgical Movement

Jeff Ostrowski · September 16, 2016

Musical Resources • 18th Sunday after Pentecost

“Let the operation of Thy mercy, we beseech Thee O Lord, direct our hearts…”

Andrew Leung · September 15, 2016

The Power of Sacred Music

True Sacred Music brings hope and joy to those suffering.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 14, 2016

Do You Recognize This Hymn Tune?

One man’s hymn sensitivities are another man’s…

Cynthia Ostrowski · September 14, 2016

“Matri Divinæ Gratiæ” • 3-voice Motets (SAB)

Kevin Allen has released a collection every Roman Catholic choir will treasure!

Jeff Ostrowski · September 13, 2016

A Blemish On Hymnody Printing?

The word “Thy” is used in the Lord’s Prayer at every Mass, yet nobody struggles to understand it.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 12, 2016

Greatest Church Music Book Ever Written?

This volume by Paul Hume is supremely addictive!

Fr. David Friel · September 11, 2016

Composition Contest

Submissions Sought by the Conference of Roman Catholic Cathedral Musicians

Jeff Ostrowski · September 10, 2016

Chief Reasons For Mass “Facing The People”

Are you being rude to people sitting in pews behind you?

Jeff Ostrowski · September 9, 2016

A Serious Question About Vatican II

Vatican II spoke of “useless repetitions” in the liturgy, and said these should be examined…

Music List • (3rd Sunday of Lent)

Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for this coming Sunday, which is the 3rd Sunday of Lent (8 March 2026). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. This feast has magnificent propers. Its stern INTROIT (“Óculi mei semper ad Dóminum”) is breathtaking, and the COMMUNION (“Qui bíberit aquam”) with its fauxbourdon verses is wonderful. I encourage all the readers to visit the feasts website, where the Propria Missae may be downloaded completely free of charge.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Samaritánæ” (3rd Sunday of Lent)

With regard to the COMMUNION for the 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year A), the Ordo Cantus Missae—which was published in 1969 by the Vatican, bearing Hannibal Bugnini’s signature and approbation in its PREFACE—inexplicably introduced a variant melody and slightly different words, as you can see by this comparison chart. When it comes to such items, they’re always done in secrecy by unnamed people. (Although it is known that Dom Eugène Cardine collaborated in the creation of the GRADUALE SIMPLEX, a book considered by some to be a travesty.)

—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

PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”

For vigil Masses on Saturday (a.k.a. “anticipated” Masses) we use this simpler setting of the “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989), a Belgian priest, organist, composer, and music educator who ultimately succeeded another ‘Jules’ (CANON JULES VAN NUFFEL) as director of the Lemmensinstituut in Belgium. Although I could be wrong, my understanding is that the LEMMENSINSTITUUT eventually merged with “Catholic University of Leuven” (originally founded in 1425). That’s the university Fulton J. Sheen attended.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Grotesque Pairing • “Passion Chorale”

One of our rarest releases was undoubtably this PDF scan of the complete Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959) by Father Joseph Roff, a student of Healey Willan. One of the scarcest titles in existence, this book was provided to us by Mr. Peter Meggison. Back in 2018, we scanned each page and uploaded it to our website, making it freely available to everyone. Readers are probably sick of hearing me say this, but just because we upload something that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wonderful or worthy of imitation. We upload many publications precisely because they are ‘grotesque’, interesting, or revealing. Whereas the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal had an editorial board that was careful and sensitive vis-à-vis pairing texts with tunes, the Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959) seems to have been rather reckless in this regard. Please take a look at what they did with the PASSION CHORALE and see whether you agree.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Extreme Unction

Those who search Google for “CCCC MS 079” will discover high resolution images of a medieval Pontificale (“Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 079”). One of the pages contains this absolutely gorgeous depiction of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction.

—Corpus Christi Watershed