Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Jeff Ostrowski · January 8, 2016

The Miraculous Rise Of The Traditional Latin Mass

A puzzling article appeared in the National Catholic Register by Msgr. Charles Pope.

Richard J. Clark · January 8, 2016

Communion Antiphons for Lent • RCIA and Scripture

Propers for Lent and their relationship with RCIA and the scriptures

Andrew Leung · January 7, 2016

A Faithful Bishop

I am very thankful that I get to know Bishop Roger Foys of Covington, KY, who wrote a great letter and decree about the Mass back in 2011.

Jeff Ostrowski · January 7, 2016

Bishop René H. Gracida On Internet Porn

“Parents, love your children and do your best to shield them from exposure to pornography.” —Bishop Gracida

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · January 7, 2016

The Theology of a C-sharp Minor Chord

Every time I listen to this piece I’m still shocked.

Christopher Mueller · January 6, 2016

On Catholic Art

It’s time to renovate and reoccupy our own tradition!

Jeff Ostrowski · January 5, 2016

Church Music: True Diversity Vs. False Diversity

Liturgical progressives constantly praise the “stylistic diversity” of the Ordinary Form, but the truth is surprising.

Jeff Ostrowski · January 5, 2016

| Part 2 of 3 | • “Kyrie Eleison” (SATB) within the reach of any choir!

By the mighty Francisco Guerrero!

Andrew Leung · January 5, 2016

Catholic Service to be Celebrated in the Chapel Royal

What exciting news! The first Catholic service in centuries is to be celebrated in the Chapel Royal!

Veronica Brandt · January 2, 2016

Mental Prayer through Hymns

The big misunderstanding about mental prayer illuminated by two different hymns and what you can do about it.

Fr. David Friel · January 1, 2016

Chesterton on the Value of New Beginnings

Thoughts on New Year’s Day

Richard J. Clark · January 1, 2016

Unprecedented • Orthodox Rabbinic Statement on Christianity

I urge you to read this astonishing statement more than once to absorb its magnitude.

Jeff Ostrowski · January 1, 2016

Update • “Graduale Parvum” (English & Latin)

They have now posted Advent for double-sided printing in book form.

Jeff Ostrowski · January 1, 2016

PDF Download • New Composition By Kevin Allen

This SATB setting of “Jesu Dulcis Memoria” will help you start 2016 on the right foot!

Andrew Leung · December 31, 2015

Te Deum Laudámus

Listen to Herbert Howells’s Te Deum to start the new year!

Music List • (5th Sund. Ordinary Time)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for this coming Sunday, 8 February 2026, which is the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. You will probably notice it isn’t as ‘complete’ or ‘spiffy’ as usual, owing to some difficulties which took place this week.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Communion” (5th Sunday in Ordin.)

The COMMUNION ANTIPHON for this coming Sunday, 8 February 2026—which is the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)—is truly delightful. You can download the musical score completely free of charge. This text will be familiar to altar boys, because it’s PSALM 42. The Feder Missal makes the following claim about that psalm: “A hymn of a temple musician from Jerusalem: he is an exile in a heathen land, and he longs for the holy city and his ministry in the Temple there. The Church makes his words her own.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Funeral Music “Template” • For Families

Many have requested the MUSICAL TEMPLATE for funerals we give to families at our parish. The family of the deceased is usually involved in selecting Number 12 on that sheet. This template was difficult to assemble, because the “Ordo Exsequiarum” has never been translated into English, and the assigned chants and hymns are given in different liturgical books (Lectionary, Gradual, Order of Christian Funerals, and so on). Please notify me if you spot errors or broken links. Readers will be particularly interested in some of the plainsong musical settings, which are truly haunting in their beauty.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reminder” — Month of Febr. (2026)

On a daily basis, I speak to people who don’t realize we publish a free newsletter (although they’ve followed our blog for years). We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and refuse to run annoying ads. As a result, our mailing list is crucial to our survival. It couldn’t be easier to subscribe! Just scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Chart • “Plainsong Rhythm”

I will go to my grave without understanding the lack of curiosity so many people have about the rhythmic modifications made by Dom André Mocquereau. For example, how can someone examine this single sheet comparison chart and at a minimum not be curious about the differences? Dom Mocquereau basically creates a LONG-SHORT LONG-SHORT rhythmic pattern—in spite of enormous and overwhelming manuscript evidence to the contrary. That’s why some scholars referred to his method as “Neo-Mensuralist” or “Neo-Mensuralism.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “O Come All Ye Faithful” (Simplified)

I admire the harmonization of “Adeste Fideles” by David Willcocks (d. 2015), who served as director of the Royal College of Music (London, England). In 2025, I was challenged to create a simplified arrangement for organists incapable of playing the authentic version at tempo. The result was this simplified keyboard arrangement (PDF download) based on the David Willcocks version of “O Come All Ye Faithful.” Feel free to play through it and let me know what you think.

—Jeff Ostrowski