Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Jeff Ostrowski · March 30, 2016

“Hail, Holy Queen Enthroned Above” • Nine Organ Accompaniments

Why do we love descants so much?

Jeff Ostrowski · March 29, 2016

Mother Angelica, How Bad Was It?

“To preside, a person must live from the rich ambiguity of symbolic reality.”

Jeff Ostrowski · March 28, 2016

PDF Download • Monsignor Ronald A. Knox “The Trials Of A Translator” (1949)

Your Easter present has arrived!

Jeff Ostrowski · March 27, 2016

True Meaning Of Easter?

After all the work we musicians do to make Holy Week special…

Andrew Leung · March 25, 2016

Funeral March for Jesus

Annual Good Friday Funeral March in Macau.

Jeff Ostrowski · March 24, 2016

Musical Resources • Holy Thursday (1962 Missal)

“By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples: if you have love one for another.”

Andrew Leung · March 24, 2016

Tantum Ergo by a French Composer

A setting of Tantum Ergo by Déodat de Sévérac.

Jeff Ostrowski · March 21, 2016

A Church Music Issue Nobody Will Touch

Numerous articles have been written about Cardinal Sarah’s “foot washing” communique.

Fr. David Friel · March 20, 2016

Baptisms in the Extraordinary Form

Reflections on a Recent Experience

Jeff Ostrowski · March 19, 2016

PDF Download • “Chants Abrégés des Graduels, des Alleluias, et des Traits”

Simplified according to ancient psalm tones.

Jeff Ostrowski · March 19, 2016

Footage From 1968 • Pope Paul VI Giving Out Palms

The Cardinals don’t need to wear red—they have it on already!

Richard J. Clark · March 18, 2016

As the Tension Grows

As Holy Week approaches, the tension is palpable.

Andrew Leung · March 17, 2016

Holy Week — A Week of Love

How can we practice charity during Holy Week?

Jeff Ostrowski · March 16, 2016

Sean McDermott’s “Virgo Dei Genitrix”

Do you agree this “live” recording is sung with excellence?

Jeff Ostrowski · March 16, 2016

Printable Passion Booklets (PDF)

These might be helpful to some!

Music List • (Palm Sunday, 2026)

Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for Palm Sunday—a.k.a. “Dominica in palmis de Passione Domini”—which is 29 March 2026. Please feel free to download it as a PDF file if such a thing interests you. The OFFERTORY (Impropérium exspectávit cor meum) is quite moving. Even though the COMMUNION ANTIPHON is relatively simple, the Fauxbourdon makes it sound outstanding.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Easter • Would You Sing This Hymn?

He who examines Laudes Dei: a hymnal for Catholic congregations (St. Louis, 1894) will discover this pairing of a hymn for Easter. For the record, this isn’t the only Catholic hymn book to marry that text and melody; e.g. Saint Mark’s Hymnal for Use in the Roman Catholic Church in the United States (Peoria, 1910) does the same thing. Sometimes an unexpected pairing—chosen with sensitivity—can be superb, forcing singers to experience the text in a ‘fresh’ and wonderful way. On the other hand, we sometimes encounter something I’ve called “PERNICIOUS HYMN PAIRINGS.” If you find the subject in intriguing, feel free to peruse an article I published in May of 2023. As always, my email inbox is open if you have a bone to pick with my take.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Pipe Organ “Answers” in Plainsong?

In 2003, I copied a book by Félix Bélédin (d. 1895), who was titular organist—from 1841 to 1874—at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Lyon (France). In 2008, we scanned and uploaded the book to the Lalande Online Library. Nobody knows for sure when the book was published; some believe it first appeared in the 1840s. In any event, one who examines this excerpt, showing GLORIA IX might wonder why it says the organ answers in plainsong. However, the front of the book explains, telling the organist explicitly when to “respond in plainchant.” This is something called organ alternatim. Believe it or not, the pipe organ would take turns with the choir, playing certain texts instrumentally instead of having them sung. I’m not very well-versed in this—pardon the pun—but if memory serves, ORGAN ALTERNATIM was frowned upon by the time of Pope Saint Pius X. Nevertheless, French organists kept doing it, even after it was explicitly condemned as an abuse.

—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

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