Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Jeff Ostrowski · November 1, 2015

Musical Resources • Feast of All Saints (November 1st)

“…most humbly we pray that—since so great is the number of thine elect pleading in our behalf—we may partake, in all their fulness, of thine abounding mercies…”

Fr. David Friel · November 1, 2015

Should Priests Trinate on All Souls’ Day?

Whether the Permission to Do So Constitutes an Encouragement to Do So

Veronica Brandt · October 31, 2015

Guinea Pigs and the Old Sequence for All Souls Day

Dies Irae – day of wrath and day of mourning. Our pets’ passing provided a poignant reminder of our mortality.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 30, 2015

“Te Saeculorum” • Simple, Sensational, SATB

Were you aware of this amazing piece by Raphaël Mercier?

Richard J. Clark · October 30, 2015

Text and Emotion • Our Pastoral Responsibility

Treat the Word of God carelessly, and we will lose our orientation towards the Divine. It is therefore, a pastoral responsibility to ensure the God’s Word reaches the faithful.

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · October 29, 2015

It’s All About The Players

The social construct of a choir should be like an inverted pyramid.

Andrew Leung · October 28, 2015

An American Requiem

A Funeral Guide for helping Catholic pastors, choirmasters and families in America honor our beloved dead.

Corpus Christi Watershed · October 27, 2015

Gregorian Chant for All Saints (November 1st)

“Gaudeamus” is a wonderful Gregorian chant.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 26, 2015

PDF Download • “Story of Redemption” for Children (1952) • With Audio Recordings!

“I’m sure you’ll enjoy the beautiful poems, songs, and pictures…” —Very Rev. Norbert M. Shumaker

Corpus Christi Watershed · October 26, 2015

VIDEO • Cardinal Pell On The Synod

“The text has certainly been significantly misunderstood…”

Fr. David Friel · October 25, 2015

Catholic Artists Society 1

The Art of the Beautiful Lecture Series 2015-2016

Veronica Brandt · October 24, 2015

How to do Marian Hymns

Listen to a young group drawing together many different styles of sacred music into new collection.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 23, 2015

Musical Resources • Feast of Christ the King (Extraordinary Form)

“And all the kings of the earth shall adore Him; all nations shall serve Him…”

Richard J. Clark · October 23, 2015

The Seraphim Singers • World Première of work by Adam Wood and Richard J. Clark

World Premiere of my collaboration with poet, Adam Wood

Andrew Leung · October 22, 2015

4 Choral Combinations that would Help Develop You Music Program

4 combinations of voices that would help develop your parish music program.

“What Martin Luther Said…”

My pastor asked me to write little columns for the bulletin each week. The article for 20 July 2025 has been posted, and it’s called: “What Luther Said…” Martin Luther (an ex-priest and apostate) was an infamous heretic whose ignorance of JESUS CHRIST was only exceeded by his filthy and disgusting vulgarity.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“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

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