Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Gwyneth Holston · January 9, 2013

Gwyneth Holston

Gwyneth is a sacred artist who works to provide and promote good quality Catholic art…

Fr. David Friel · January 8, 2013

Warring Gods

The Ancient Worldview

David J. Hughes · January 8, 2013

David J. Hughes

David is Organist & Choirmaster at St. Mary Church in Norwalk . . .

Fr. David Friel · January 7, 2013

Little Christmas

Gift of Self

Jeff Ostrowski · January 7, 2013

Baptism of our son

Our son was baptized by Most Rev. Bishop René H. Gracida.

Dr. Peter Kwasniewski · January 6, 2013

Peter Kwasniewski

Peter has held posts with the International Theological Institute in Austria . . .

Andrew R. Motyka · January 4, 2013

Biography • Andrew R. Motyka

Andrew is Director of Liturgical Music for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis . . .

Andrew Leung · January 4, 2013

Biography • Andrew Leung

Andrew holds a degree in Sacred music from the Franciscan University of Steubenville…

Christopher Mueller · January 3, 2013

Biography • Christopher Mueller

Christopher is a church musician, conductor, and composer…

Cynthia Ostrowski · January 3, 2013

Extraordinary Form Hymnal

A brand new Latin Mass book—992 pages long—went to print on 12/24/2012.

Cynthia Ostrowski · January 2, 2013

Biography • Cynthia Ostrowski

Cynthia holds a bachelor’s degree in Geographic Information Science . . .

Fr. David Friel · January 1, 2013

Recipe for A Happy 2013

Honor Thy Father & Mother

Jeff Ostrowski · December 30, 2012

Introduction To “Views From The Choir Loft”

We are excited to announce a new Blog dedicated to Sacred Music & Liturgy!

Fr. David Friel · December 24, 2012

Midnight Mass

A Timeless Tradition

Jeff Ostrowski · December 24, 2012

Biography • Jeffrey M. Ostrowski

Jeff holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas . . .

The End Is Coming!

As we approach the end of each liturgical year, something remarkable happens. A preponderance of the INTROITS—a.k.a. Entrance Chants—are set in the rather “spooky” or “haunting” Mode iii or Mode iv. I can’t help but wonder if this is Holy Mother Church reminding us of our own end.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Music List • (27th Sund. Ordinary Time)

This coming Sunday—6 October 2024—is the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B. Some have expressed interest in seeing my “ORDER OF MUSIC.” If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“In Feriis Per Annum” • Kýrie Eléison

For years I’d been meaning to harmonize the famous KYRIE SIMPLEX—but I never got the opportunity until today. Feel free to download the PDF score if you wish. It is “Kyrie XVI,” which in the old books bore the title In Feriis Per Annum.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Finding New Motets

It strikes me that many of the best motets my choir sings are ones I found by accident. These are motets that popped up as YouTube suggestions, or that someone mentioned in a Facebook thread and I casually gave them a listen. The lesson? Be open to finding good sacred music even when you're not desperately searching for something to sing at Christmas.

—Keven Smith

Mass • “Singing” Vs. “Reciting”

This past week, as I was cantoring one morning, I forgot to turn on the microphone which delayed the “Holy, Holy” about 2-3 seconds. The congregation started to recite the text and made it about halfway through while I was still singing the third Holy. Once everyone realized I was chanting, they joined in, but one thing stuck out very profoundly: singing the Mass slows us down and lets us savor the words of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We went from routine & rote to reverent & rapt instantly. That single change made clear that those present were able to enter more deeply into the reality of the Mass itself—and isn't that one of our highest callings as musicians?

—William J. Fritz

This Coming Sunday’s Resp. Psalm

Visit the feasts website and examine the Responsorial Psalm REFRAIN for this coming Sunday [6-OCT-2024] which is the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B. Compare the official text (in Latin) to the “translation” given in the Spanish Lectionary. You’ll see the translators got it completely wrong. The 1970s “translations” by ICEL were notoriously heinous. Are those responsible for translating the Lectionary into Spanish striving to outdo them? Almost every psalm I’ve examined contains at least one major error.

—Jeff Ostrowski

To end an impropriety, noticed particularly at orchestral Vespers, when two or three Psalms are sung with full orchestra, and then the other Psalms and the Hymn are rapidly hurried through with organ accompaniment only […] we order that at Mass all portions of the text, including “Agnus Dei,” be sung with orchestral accompaniment. […] Moreover, the musicians are not allowed to put the instruments away and leave their places before the conclusion of the sacred function.

— Cardinal Patrizi (18 November 1856)