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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Jeff Ostrowski · July 13, 2023

PDF Download • 3-Voice “Agnus Dei” + Suggestions to Improve Music at Ordinary Form Masses

Should music at the Ordinary Form be identical to music at the Extraordinary Form?

Patrick Williams · July 12, 2023

Gregorian Rhythm Wars • “Williams Responds to Weaver” (12 July 2023)

“What is to be gained from outdated scholarship and an anachronistic aesthetic that cannot be better accomplished by a return to the oldest sources?” —Patrick Williams

Dr. Charles Weaver · July 8, 2023

In Praise of Adaptability

A proposal: if we are going to study something as important and mysterious as Gregorian chant, we ought to be able to perform it convincingly in several different ways.

William J. Fritz · July 7, 2023

EWTN Broadcast • Sacred Music by MacMillan + Eight Emerging Composers

This coming Saturday (8 July) at 7:00pm, EWTN will be broadcasting …

Dr. Lucas Tappan · July 6, 2023

William Byrd: Quatercentenary of Death

“And yet I may live and die a true and perfect member of his holy Catholic Church without which I believe there is no salvation for me.” —William Byrd

Jeff Ostrowski · July 5, 2023

“A Patriotic Hymnal” • (Not Kidding!)

“Hymns for the Use of the Catholic Church in America” was published in Baltimore more than 200 years ago.

Dr. Charles Weaver · July 5, 2023

The Golden Rule and Mocquereau’s Method

Dom Mocquereau’s editions are a compromise between tradition and paleography. This explains his sometimes surprising semiological conclusions.

Patrick Williams · July 4, 2023

Gregorian Rhythm Wars • “Patrick’s Fourth Reply to Jeff” (4 July 2023)

“It is disingenuous and ludicrous to inject the notion of hallucination and magic into the historical narrative.” —Patrick Williams

Jeff Ostrowski · June 30, 2023

“Six Suggestions” • Working with Volunteer Choirs

One priest on this committee said something I’ll never forget…

Dr. Charles Weaver · June 29, 2023

Some Thoughts on Gregorian Modal Ethos

You should memorize this list.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 29, 2023

“The Use of Plainsong in Heretical Worship” • (Letter by Dom Gregory Murray)

“Unless Catholic musicians (especially priests) are careful, they may easily encourage non-Catholics in the belief that the differences between Catholics and non-Catholics are of minor importance.” —Dom Murray

Patrick Williams · June 28, 2023

Gregorian Rhythm Wars • Video: “Introduction to Mensuralism” (28 June 2023)

“If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video has to be worth at least 1.8 million words.” —Dr. James McQuivey

Richard J. Clark · June 28, 2023

Saint Cecilia and an Angel Orazio Gentileschi and Giovanni Lanfranco

CRCCM Repertoire Project Released!

The Conference of Roman Catholic Cathedral Musicians (CRCCM) has just launched a remarkable free resource offering recommendations of choral music, antiphons, propers, and more for all Sundays of the liturgical calendar, solemnities, and Ritual Masses.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 27, 2023

PDF Download • Extremely Rare! • “Liber Cantus Gregoriani” (1950) — 1,864 pages!

Church musicians ought not proceed in a frenzied, panic-stricken manner.

Corpus Christi Watershed · June 19, 2023

“We’re In Financial Trouble!” • (June 2023)

We must avoid placing our website behind a paywall.

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Music List • (Palm Sunday, 2026)
    Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for Palm Sunday—a.k.a. “Dominica in palmis de Passione Domini”—which is 29 March 2026. Please feel free to download it as a PDF file if such a thing interests you. The OFFERTORY (Impropérium exspectávit cor meum) is quite moving. Even though the COMMUNION ANTIPHON is relatively simple, the Fauxbourdon makes it sound outstanding.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Easter • Would You Sing This Hymn?
    He who examines Laudes Dei: a hymnal for Catholic congregations (St. Louis, 1894) will discover this pairing of a hymn for Easter. For the record, this isn’t the only Catholic hymn book to marry that text and melody; e.g. Saint Mark’s Hymnal for Use in the Roman Catholic Church in the United States (Peoria, 1910) does the same thing. Sometimes an unexpected pairing—chosen with sensitivity—can be superb, forcing singers to experience the text in a ‘fresh’ and wonderful way. On the other hand, we sometimes encounter something I’ve called “PERNICIOUS HYMN PAIRINGS.” If you find the subject in intriguing, feel free to peruse an article I published in May of 2023. As always, my email inbox is open if you have a bone to pick with my take.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Pipe Organ “Answers” in Plainsong?
    In 2003, I copied a book by Félix Bélédin (d. 1895), who was titular organist—from 1841 to 1874—at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Lyon (France). In 2008, we scanned and uploaded the book to the Lalande Online Library. Nobody knows for sure when the book was published; some believe it first appeared in the 1840s. In any event, one who examines this excerpt, showing GLORIA IX might wonder why it says the organ answers in plainsong. However, the front of the book explains, telling the organist explicitly when to “respond in plainchant.” This is something called organ alternatim. Believe it or not, the pipe organ would take turns with the choir, playing certain texts instrumentally instead of having them sung. I’m not very well-versed in this—pardon the pun—but if memory serves, ORGAN ALTERNATIM was frowned upon by the time of Pope Saint Pius X. Nevertheless, French organists kept doing it, even after it was explicitly condemned as an abuse.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Gregorian Chant Quiz” • 24 March 2026
    How well do you know your Gregorian hymns? Do you recognize the tune inserted into the bass line on this score? For many years, we sang the entire Mass in Gregorian chant—and I mean everything. As a result, it would be difficult to find a Gregorian hymn I don’t recognize instantly. Only decades later did I realize (with sadness) that this skill cannot be ‘monetized’… This particular melody is used for a very famous Gregorian hymn, printed in the LIBER USUALIS. Do you recognize it? Send me an email with the correct words, and I promise to tell everybody I meet about your prowess!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Ubi Caritas” (SATB)
    I remember singing “Ubi Cáritas” by Maurice Duruflé at the conservatory. I was deeply moved by it. However, some feel Duruflé’s version isn’t suitable for small choirs since it’s written for 6 voices and the bass tessitura is quite low. That’s why I was absolutely thrilled to discover this “Ubi cáritas” (SATB) for smaller choirs by Énemond Moreau, who studied with OSCAR DEPUYDT (d. 1925), an orphan who became a towering figure of Catholic music. Depuydt’s students include: Flor Peeters (d. 1986); Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel (d. 1953); Arthur Meulemans (d. 1966); Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989); and Gustaaf Nees (d. 1965). Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #19705. When I came across the astonishing English translation for “Ubi Cáritas” by Monsignor Ronald Knox—matching the Latin’s meter—I decided to add those lyrics as an option (for churches which have banned Latin). My wife and I made this recording to give you some idea how it sounds.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”
    For vigil Masses on Saturday (a.k.a. “anticipated” Masses) we use this simpler setting of the “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989), a Belgian priest, organist, composer, and music educator who ultimately succeeded another ‘Jules’ (CANON JULES VAN NUFFEL) as director of the Lemmensinstituut in Belgium. Although I could be wrong, my understanding is that the LEMMENSINSTITUUT eventually merged with “Catholic University of Leuven” (originally founded in 1425). That’s the university Fulton J. Sheen attended.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Yet, with all its advantages, the new Missal was published as if it were a work put together by professors, not a phase in a continual growth process. Such a thing never happened before. It is absolutely contrary to the laws of liturgical growth, and it has resulted in the nonsensical notion that Trent and Pius V had “produced” a Missal four hundred years ago.

— Josef Cardinal Ratzinger (1986)

Recent Posts

  • Fulton J. Sheen • “24-Hour Catechism”
  • Music List • (Palm Sunday, 2026)
  • Easter • Would You Sing This Hymn?
  • “Priest Saying Mass” • Medieval Illumination
  • From Sentiment to Sacrament: Reclaiming Sacred Music for the Wedding Mass

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