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Corpus Christi Watershed

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Views from the Choir Loft

President's Corner

Jeff Ostrowski · May 12, 2020

Does Gregorian Chant ever skip a 7th?

I’ve really been enjoying singing from the Père Daniel Kyriale (126 pages), which is a fabulous little book. I had no idea it would turn out so nicely—incredibly useful, and the printing is super crisp. I noticed something quite strange the other day: Kyrie X (an extremely ancient chant) contains a skip of a seventh. […]

Jeff Ostrowski · May 12, 2020

We love getting messages like this one…

“I am a 25-year-old organist and cantor from the mountains of Northern Colorado. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you and your friends for working hard to bring excellent content to your website and my inbox. I have found many, many awesome resources to help me stay faithful to the Church’s stance and […]

Jeff Ostrowski · May 6, 2020

What is the “Ordinary” of the Mass?

A few years ago—during the Sacred Music Symposium—I suggested to the audience that the “Our Father” and the “Alleluia” should be considered part of the Ordinary of the Mass (for the Ordinary Form). In my own settings, such as Mass of the English Martyrs, I treated the “Our Father” accordingly—and here in Los Angeles, we […]

Jeff Ostrowski · May 2, 2020

Being Too Hard On Priests?

I’m usually a stickler when it comes to making sure priests sing their chants correctly, especially when priests often substitute a Perfect Fourth for the Minor Third in the famous Triple Alleluia on Holy Saturday. But I just found out the 1575AD Missale Romanum has a skip of a Perfect Fifth! So perhaps I need to […]

Jeff Ostrowski · April 22, 2020

Dealing With Calumny

All of us have probably been the victim of calumny. Calumny can be especially painful if the person telling lies is someone you helped. Next time this happens in your life, try an experiment: Write the person’s name on an Index card, place it on your shoulder, and flick it to the ground—meaning you will […]

Jeff Ostrowski · April 20, 2020

From “Vexilla Christus Inclyta”

Non ille regna cládibus, | Non vi metúque súbdidit: | Alto levátus stípite, | Amóre traxit ómnia.—“It is not by combat or force or fear that Christ subdues nations but lifted up upon the tree, he draws all things to himself by love.” Servat fides connúbia, | Juvénta pubet íntegra, | Pudíca florent límina | […]

Jeff Ostrowski · April 6, 2020

“Daily I sat in the temple, close to you…”

Fulton J. Sheen always said the “very best translation” of Sacred Scripture was the version by Monsignor Ronald Knox, and here’s what Knox had for the Passion read today (Pre-1955 Palm Sunday): “And Jesus said to the multitude at that hour, You have come out to my arrest with swords and clubs, as if I […]

Jeff Ostrowski · March 31, 2020

Sacred Music Symposium • “What We Avoid”

I wish we had to time to discuss artwork at the Sacred Music Symposium, but there’s just not enough time. At this year’s conference in June, we will sing an absolutely incredible Magnificat setting by Father Francisco Guerrero (d. 1599). If you examine the part books, you will notice a marvelous aesthetic desire to avoid […]

Jeff Ostrowski · March 29, 2020

“Abraham” • Guerrero Imitates His Teacher

Father Francisco Guerrero (d. 1599) studied music with Father Cristóbal de Morales circa 1545. He taught himself the organ. On 3 April 1542 he was engaged as a contralto by Seville Cathedral at an annual salary of 12,000 maravedís. He remained there until 1546, when, at the age of only 17, he was invited—on the […]

Jeff Ostrowski · March 26, 2020

Too much music!

Choosing music for the Sacred Music Symposium requires careful consideration.  We make sure (always) to have great variety. Because the schedule is so full, there’s never sufficient time to discuss the music fully—indeed, we could easily do a month-long seminar on each piece!  For example, last year Dr. Calabrese conducted a setting of the Magnificat […]

Jeff Ostrowski · March 20, 2020

“Sharing Is Caring”

I would like to share a message from a highly respected scholar.  (His articles appear in distinguished journals such as Études grégoriennes and Oxford’s Early Music.) He wrote as follows: The Brébeuf Hymnal is very tastefully done. Your team has exquisite literary and musical taste. I see from my copy of the hymnal that you […]

Jeff Ostrowski · March 20, 2020

What Frightens Me

The world’s experts have been releasing contradictory statements Re: Covid-19. I am neither a doctor nor a scientist, so I won’t comment; but I have something to say about the spine-tingling predictions made by certain politicians. When I was growing up, they told us “within ten years” we would starve due to overpopulation. The next […]

Jeff Ostrowski · March 18, 2020

Official Statement on Coronavirus

The 2020 Sacred Music Symposium “Official Statement” on Coronavirus has been posted; I encourage everyone to read it. I would like to share some advice: (1) avoid excessive amounts of “cable news” reporting on the pandemic, similar to how we diligently avoid immoral magazines and pornography; (2) let us pray for God’s mercy, and let […]

Jeff Ostrowski · March 17, 2020

The Ability To Say “I Don’t Know”

Father Valentine Young, OFM, always spoke about people incapable of saying “I don’t know.”  Such people have an answer for everything—as if saying “I don’t know” would cause them physical pain.  That’s how I acted growing up, but I stopped when I reached maturity.  Another thing I did as a kid was insist that I […]

Jeff Ostrowski · March 17, 2020

Disturbing Trend

Have you noticed how many people these days don’t know what an analogy is?  If I say to John Doe, “that’s the pot calling the kettle black,” frequently John Doe will go around telling everybody I called him an ugly pot.  It’s quite disturbing.  I’ve also noticed that many Americans believe the definition of “possible” […]

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    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

Random Quote

“What really matters in life is that we are loved by Christ and that we love Him in return. In comparison to the love of Jesus, everything else is secondary. And, without the love of Jesus, everything is useless.”

— Pope John Paul II (1979)

Recent Posts

  • Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
  • Bishop François Charrière Vs. Hannibal Bugnini
  • 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • “My First Year with the Latin Mass” • A Music Director’s Perspective
  • Boston Auxiliary Bishop: “In offering the Traditional Mass for the first time, after removing the vestments, I knelt in the back pew and wept.”

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