Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Jeff Ostrowski · April 7, 2015

Photographs • FSSP Holy Triduum in Los Angeles (2015)

Notice how the priest, dressed in cope, is engulfed in darkness at the beginning of the Easter Vigil—except for candles burning.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 7, 2015

It Has Arrived! • “Proper of the Mass” (Ignatius)

You will notice that Fr. Weber’s version sounds quite similar to the authentic Latin chant.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 6, 2015

Can You Love Liturgy Too Much?

Should we assume malice on the part of those who denigrate the Traditional Mass?

Jeff Ostrowski · April 6, 2015

Jaw-Dropping Liturgical Manuscripts (7,055 Pages)

Catholics can now *see with their own eyes* the antiquity of our liturgy.

Fr. David Friel · April 5, 2015

All Nine Readings

Celebrating the Easter Vigil in Its Fullness

Jeff Ostrowski · April 4, 2015

Rough PDF • Rubrics & Music, Holy Saturday (1962)

I don’t usually release “rough cut” PDF files, but this one is so valuable…

Corpus Christi Watershed · April 4, 2015

Foyle’s War • Best Clips

Foyle’s War excerpts

Jeff Ostrowski · April 4, 2015

PDF Download: Organ Accompaniment to “Et Valde Mane” • 1955 Easter Vigil

A thing desired by many!

Jeff Ostrowski · April 3, 2015

Rubrics • Good Friday (Pius XII Holy Week Revisions)

Even Solesmes makes errors from time to time.

Richard J. Clark · April 3, 2015

“O Sacred Head Surrounded” | Buxtehude

Dieterich Buxtehude was a direct influence on Johann Sebastian Bach—and for good reason.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 2, 2015

An Essential & Unique Thing For Holy Thursday

…and a look at Holy Thursday from the 1965 Missal.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · April 2, 2015

Sing One Note

When most singers receive a new motet, they focus on the words rather than the music.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 1, 2015

Judas Iscariot & Religious Freedom

Some have criticized Christ for making Judas part of his special group of friends.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 1, 2015

Musical Resources • Holy Thursday (1962)

Bells are rung and the organ played at the “Gloria”—but then stay silent until the Easter Vigil “Gloria.”

Jeff Ostrowski · March 31, 2015

What Happened To Our Catholic Artists?

From what I can tell, a trend toward *ugly* artwork in Church publications began in the late 1950s.

Simplified Accompaniment (Advent Hymn)

Many organists are forced to simultaneously serve as both CANTOR and ACCOMPANIST. In spite of what some claim, this can be difficult. I invite you to download this simplified organ accompaniment (PDF) which in the Father Brébeuf Hymnal is hymn #661: “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” (for ADVENT). I’m toying with the idea of creating a whole bunch of these, to help amateur organists. The last one I uploaded was downloaded more than 2,900 times in a matter of hours—so there appears to be interest.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Music List” (Immaculate Concep.)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 8 December 2025, the feast of OUR LADY’S IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. In Latin, the title of this feast is: In Conceptione Immaculata Beatae Mariae Virginis. 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

“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

Pope Leo XIV on Sacred Music

On 5 December 2025, Pope Leo XIV made this declaration with regard to liturgical music.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“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