Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Veronica Brandt · June 20, 2015

Wrapped in the Liber Usualis

A scarf adorned with pages from the Liber Usualis. Why not?

Follow the Discussion on Facebook

Richard J. Clark · June 19, 2015

Bigger Fish to Fry

Weddings, with all of their challenges offer an important chance to evangelize. God calls us to be fishers of women and men. That’s the most important catch of all.

Andrew Leung · June 18, 2015

“Battles” in the Church (Part 2 of 2)

2 “Liturgical Battles” that should not be fought

Jeff Ostrowski · June 17, 2015

Does Having Children Preclude Service As A Catholic Musician?

Here are some thoughts, but I can’t promise they make sense.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · June 17, 2015

A Musical Diet

I realize what I propose seems like moving forward at a snail’s pace, but considering how long the average parishioner has been in the liturgical and musical desert, anything more would cause the musical equivalent of refeeding syndrome.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 17, 2015

SATB “Agnus Dei” by Verdelot with Rehearsal Videos

Who wouldn’t welcome a brief-but-beautiful piece like this?

Jeff Ostrowski · June 16, 2015

Top Six Liturgical Quotes By Robert Cardinal Sarah

Is the “Reform of the Reform” dead? Bishop Serratelli and many others disagree!

Fr. David Friel · June 14, 2015

OFFERTORY: Chant Propers in Three Parts for Sundays & Feasts

Exciting New Collection of Simple English Propers!

Aurelio Porfiri · June 13, 2015

Optimists & Pessimists

There was a standard commonly accepted, so what was strange and of out of place felt that way.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 12, 2015

Musical Resources • External Solemnity of the Sacred Heart (1962 Missal)

Some EF communities will celebrate the “External Solemnity” of the Most Sacred Heart on Sunday.

Richard J. Clark · June 12, 2015

BENEDICTA: Marian Chant from Norcia ~ Number 1 on the Billboard Charts

Perhaps the recent commercial success of sacred music is indicative of humanity’s natural hunger for transcendent union with the Divine.

Andrew Leung · June 11, 2015

“Battles” in the Church (Part 1 of 2)

3 common “Liturgical Battles” that we see in the Church nowadays

Jeff Ostrowski · June 10, 2015

Solesmes Monastery & Latin Accents

I suspect that in a long melisma it’s hard to know “where you are”…

Jeff Ostrowski · June 10, 2015

Video • “Three Approaches To A Catholic Hymn”

Including a special version of the “Tantum Ergo” by Fr. Adrian Fortescue.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 9, 2015

Video • Disrespect For God’s House

Is Consecration by the words of Institution “de fide” ??

Music Director Job • $80,000 per year

Our readers will be interested in this job offering for Music Director at Saint Adalbert’s Basilica, located 40 minutes from where I live. My pastor was recently elevated to this basilica. He is offering $80,000 per year, plus benefits. I’m told Saint Adalbert’s Basilica is utterly gorgeous and contains one of America’s most magnificent pipe organs. It would be fantastic to have a colleague nearby!

—Jeff Ostrowski

Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published

Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.

—Jeff Ostrowski

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.

—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