Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Fr. David Friel · July 19, 2015

Vesting Prayers • Part 3 of 9

The Amice

Jeff Ostrowski · July 18, 2015

Church Needs “Disposable Art” Created To Last “Not Centuries, But Weeks (Or Hours).”

Fr. Robert W. Hovda argues that “Little Green Apples” can be sung during Mass.

Veronica Brandt · July 18, 2015

Warm ups

Starting off choir practice with a game or two. Then a prayer before choir practice.

Andrew Leung · July 18, 2015

Summer Sacred Music Workshop 2015

Summer Sacred Music Workshop in Jasper, GA, on August 15.

Richard J. Clark · July 17, 2015

Carpeting Is the Enemy of Congregational Singing

The removal of carpeting is the most effective way to improve many aspects of the liturgy. Externally, what benefits most is congregational singing.

Andrew Leung · July 16, 2015

Afterthoughts on the Colloquium

Some afterthoughts on the Sacred Music Colloquium XXV

Jeff Ostrowski · July 16, 2015

Is Latin Impossible For Choirs?

When priests came into Bishop Trautman’s office asking permission, he would start speaking Latin to them.

Jeff Ostrowski · July 16, 2015

Musical Resources • 8th Sunday after Pentecost (Extraordinary Form)

“The master in this Gospel is praising, not the wrongful act of the unfaithful steward, but the peculiar astuteness with which he makes friends who will be useful when things go amiss.” (Maredsous N. T.)

Jeff Ostrowski · July 15, 2015

“Asperges Me” • Gregorian Chant

In the Extraordinary Form, the “Asperges Me” is only used on Sundays.

Jeff Ostrowski · July 14, 2015

1951 Solemn Pontifical Field Mass • With 100-Voice “Palestrina Cathedral Choir”

Following the Mass, Archbishop Joseph H. Schlarman was made an honorary Indian chief.

Jeff Ostrowski · July 13, 2015

SATB “Kyrie Eleison” • Henri Durieux

It’s extremely short and not difficult—yet fresh & gorgeous.

Jeff Ostrowski · July 13, 2015

The Day Fulton J. Sheen Made A Mistake

“Sheen told a friend of mine that anything he’d ever said of significance was taken from either Knox or Chesterton.” —Fr. George Rutler

Fr. David Friel · July 12, 2015

Vesting Prayers • Part 2 of 9

The Hand Washing

Veronica Brandt · July 11, 2015

Five ways to print the Propers

Printing copies of the propers is very handy for singers not yet confident with the Liber and other books.

Jeff Ostrowski · July 10, 2015

“You Will Now Feel These Interior Sentiments…”

Can you imagine a liturgical commentator standing at the front of Church declaring something like that?

“Reminder” — Month of December (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

Dr. Mahrt explains the ‘Spoken’ Propers

In 1970, the Church promulgated a new version of the Roman Missal. It goes by various names: Ordinary Form, Novus Ordo, MISSALE RECENS, and so on. If you examine the very first page, you’ll notice that Pope Saint Paul VI explains the meaning of the ‘Spoken Propers’ (which are for Masses without singing). A quote by Dr. William P. Mahrt is also included in that file. The SPOKEN PROPERS—used at Masses without music—are sometimes called The Adalbert Propers, because they were created in 1969 by Father Adalbert Franquesa Garrós, one of Hannibal Bugnini’s closest friends (according to Yves Chiron).

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Music List” (1st Sunday of Advent)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 30 November 2025, which is the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is quite memorable, and the fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Translations Approved for Liturgical Use”

According to the newsletter for USSCB’s Committee on Divine Worship dated September 1996, there are three (3) translations of the Bible which can be used in the sacred liturgy in the United States. You can read this information with your own eyes. It seems the USCCB and also Rome fully approved the so-called NRSV (“New Revised Standard Version”) on 13 November 1991 and 6 April 1992 but this permission was then withdrawn in 1994.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

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