Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

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.

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

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…”

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.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 21, 2015

PDF Download • “Christ The King Hymnal” (1955)

An extremely rare Canadian hymnal produced by Rev. Aloysius Knauff.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 19, 2015

Beautiful Photo Of Blessed Pope Paul VI

The entrance procession from his coronation.

Cynthia Ostrowski · October 19, 2015

Catholic Bulletin Art • Installment #70

The feast of Christ the King approaches!

Corpus Christi Watershed · October 19, 2015

VIDEO • “Were The Dark Ages Really Dark?”

An interesting video by Anthony Esolen.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 19, 2015

Watershed Turns Nine Today!

Talking about perennial truths doesn’t get as many “clicks” as provocative headlines or character assassination.

‘Bogey’ of the Half-Educated: Paraphrase

Father Adrian Porter, using the cracher dans la soupe example, did a praiseworthy job explaining the difference between ‘dynamic’ and ‘formal’ translation. This is something Monsignor Ronald Knox explained time and again—yet even now certain parties feign ignorance. I suppose there will always be people who pretend the only ‘valid’ translation of Mitigásti omnem iram tuam; avertísti ab ira indignatiónis tuæ… would be “You mitigated all ire of you; you have averted from your indignation’s ire.” Those who would defend such a translation suffer from an unfortunate malady. One of my professors called it “cognate on the brain.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Father Cuthbert Lattey • “The Hebrew MSS”

Father Cuthbert Lattey (d. 1954) wrote: “In a large number of cases the ancient Christian versions and some other ancient sources seem to have been based upon a better Hebrew text than that adopted by the rabbis for official use and alone suffered to survive. Sometimes, too, the cognate languages suggest a suitable meaning for which there is little or no support in the comparatively small amount of ancient Hebrew that has survived. The evidence of the metre is also at times so clear as of itself to furnish a strong argument; often it is confirmed by some other considerations. […] The Jewish copyists and their directors, however, seem to have lost the tradition of the metre at an early date, and the meticulous care of the rabbis in preserving their own official and traditional text (the ‘massoretic’ text) came too late, when the mischief had already been done.” • Msgr. Knox adds: “It seems the safest principle to follow the Latin—after all, St. Jerome will sometimes have had a better text than the Massoretes—except on the rare occasions when there is no sense to be extracted from the Vulgate at all.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • 9 Nov. (Dedic. Lateran)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 9 November 2025, which is the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the sensational feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reminder” — Month of November (2025)

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. Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Gospel Options for 2 November (“All Souls”)

We’ve been told some bishops are suppressing the TLM because of “unity.” But is unity truly found in the MISSALE RECENS? For instance, on All Souls (2 November), any of these Gospel readings may be chosen, for any reason (or for no reason at all). The same is true of the Propria Missæ and other readings—there are countless options in the ORDINARY FORM. In other words, no matter which OF parish you attend on 2 November, you’ll almost certainly hear different propers and readings, to say nothing of different ‘styles’ of music. Where is the “unity” in all this? Indeed, the Second Vatican Council solemnly declared: “Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community.”

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Our Father” • Musical Setting?

Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?

—Jeff Ostrowski