Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Jeff Ostrowski · March 22, 2015

Musical Resources • 5th Sunday of Lent “Passion”

The “Gloria Patri” is not said at the Introit from this day until Easter Sunday, except on Feasts.

Fr. David Friel · March 22, 2015

Adoremus & the Way Forward

Continuing the Work of Helen Hull Hitchcock

Andrew Leung · March 21, 2015

Video • “A House Divided”

“We must not allow ourselves to become judgmental with our brothers and sisters who don’t appreciate what we appreciate.” —Archbishop Sample

Jeff Ostrowski · March 21, 2015

Professional Recording • “Salve Festa Dies”

Including a video demonstration: “What makes polyphony so beautiful?”

Richard J. Clark · March 20, 2015

St. Joseph, Fatherhood, and Inclusive Language

This is a hot-button topic I should not touch with a 100-foot pole. But what is not at debate is the inclusive nature of the message of the Gospel.

Andrew Leung · March 19, 2015

Are your Triduum booklets ready?

Don’t be the Pharisees and scribes. Help people to pray and understand the music!

Dr. Lucas Tappan · March 19, 2015

Bertalot’s 5 Wheels (Part 2 of 2)

Steer the Car!

Jeff Ostrowski · March 18, 2015

Video • Nuns At Work (1965)

“The Catholic nun works with zest and a sense of fun along with her devotion…”

Andrew R. Motyka · March 18, 2015

Garbage in, Garbage out

“Lex orandi, lex credendi” works both ways.

Aurelio Porfiri · March 17, 2015

The Real Enemy: Mediocrity

“Real liturgy is for daring hearts, not for uninspired mediocrities.” —Aurelio Porfiri

Jeff Ostrowski · March 17, 2015

Improve Your Parish Liturgy … Instantly!

Have you noticed the change in atmosphere when people dress fancy, as opposed to tank tops with jeans?

Jeff Ostrowski · March 16, 2015

Hillary Clinton’s Emails & Mass Propers

Are you confused yet? You ought to be!

Jeff Ostrowski · March 16, 2015

Rare Video • Karol Cardinal Wojtyła In Cappa Magna

Extraordinary footage of Pope St. John Paul II wearing the Cappa Magna.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · March 16, 2015

Most Pure Heart of Mary Schola Cantorum To Sing At Papal Mass

The Schola Cantorum will join the Sistine Chapel Choir, along with a number of other children choirs, to sing for Pope Francis’ Mass on January 6.

Fr. David Friel · March 15, 2015

The Future of the Pipe Organ

“The manifold possibilities of the organ remind us of the immensity and the magnificence of God.” (Pope Benedict XVI)

‘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