Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Fr. David Friel · December 21, 2014

Progressive Solemnity

A Reverse Concept?

Corpus Christi Watershed · December 20, 2014

Sixteen (16) Christmas Carols … In Latin!

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer … Hark! The Herald Angels Sing … Jingle Bells … White Christmas … and more!

Jeff Ostrowski · December 19, 2014

Musical Resources • 4th Sunday of Advent

Christmas draws nigh!

Richard J. Clark · December 19, 2014

I am a fraud: A Life of Service

The richness of liturgical worship is what draws may of us in –- for life.

Dr. Peter Kwasniewski · December 18, 2014

A Fond Farewell

Changes in my personal life have made it necessary for me to curtail my blogging activity, and so this blog will be my last—at least for a time.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 18, 2014

PDF Download: Dominican Breviary From 1967

The book is so large, it must be downloaded in sections.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 18, 2014

Solemn High Christmas Midnight Mass • Hollywood

Oh, please help us spread this exciting news!

Jeff Ostrowski · December 17, 2014

PDF Download: Hymns of the Dominican Missal & Breviary • Fr. Aquinas Byrnes (1943)

Containing literal and poetic translations, author biographies, meter explanations, and much more!

Jeff Ostrowski · December 17, 2014

How Well Did Your Parents Know The Mass?

PDF Download: Order of Mass (Latin & English) printed in THE CROWN HYMNAL of 1911.

Cynthia Ostrowski · December 16, 2014

Catholic Line Art, Black and White • Installment #62

Today’s installment is a rare image of the Last Supper.

Aurelio Porfiri · December 15, 2014

Risuoni La Mia Bocca

Liturgical song composed in honor of Saint Cecilia and performed in Rome.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 15, 2014

“The Gloves Are Off” — Jonathan Gruber & The Traditional Mass

“The faith of many was quite infantile, I would say.” —Paul Inwood, talking about preconciliar Catholics

Veronica Brandt · December 13, 2014

Knitted thuribles and other toys

Something I unvented (thank you Elizabeth Zimmerman) and also something else.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 13, 2014

“The Experience After The Council Was So Strong And In Some Cases Violent…” —Cardinal Burke

6 December 2014 interview with Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke by GloriaTV.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 13, 2014

Musical Resources • 3rd Sunday of Advent

Including “Creator Alme Siderum” with English Translation by Rev. Adrian Fortescue.

Luis Martínez Must Go!

Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]

—Jeff Ostrowski

Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!

A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)

I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.

—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