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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

Chaumonot Composers Group

Jeff Ostrowski · September 26, 2025

PDF Download • Communion (26th Sn. Ord.)

This Communion antiphon sparkles with beauty.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 5, 2025

“Entrance Chant” • 23rd (Ordinary Time)

The Communion Chant includes gorgeous verses in fauxbourdon.

Jeff Ostrowski · August 11, 2025

“Entrance Chant” • 21st Sunday Ordin. Time

This “Entrance Chant” is used during liturgical years A, B, and C.

Jeff Ostrowski · May 6, 2025

Beginning a Men’s Schola

I feel like we have a great start…

Jeff Ostrowski · May 2, 2025

Communion (3rd Sunday of Easter)

This piece is sung by either all men or all women.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 15, 2025

PDF Download • Exceedingly Rare! — “The Torn Tunic” (122 pages) … published in 1967

Is Tito Casini correct that vernacular plainsong is a “sin against nature?”

Jeff Ostrowski · April 11, 2025

PDF Download • “Communion” (Holy Thursday)

Its verses are quite beautiful.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 9, 2025

PDF Download • “Offertory” (Palm Sunday)

Some believe that “joyful” texts sound happy in Gregorian Chant and “sad” texts sound mournful.

Jeff Ostrowski · January 24, 2025

Only Every Three Years…

Communion antiphon for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C).

Jeff Ostrowski · January 3, 2025

PDF Download • “Communion Chant” (Epiphany)

Fully harmonized, including fabulous (optional) verses from the New Testament.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 19, 2024

“Entrance Chant” • 4th Sunday of Advent

Like so many Advent antiphons, this one is in the first mode and comes from the prophet Isaiah.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 8, 2024

“Entrance Chant” • 3rd Sunday of Advent

This Introit is in the first mode.

Jeff Ostrowski · November 19, 2024

“Entrance Chant” • Christ the King

The feast of Christ the King—a completely modern feast—was added in 1925.

Jeff Ostrowski · November 12, 2024

“Entrance Chant” • Sunday (17 Nov. 2024)

This Introit is in the sixth mode (known as the “peaceful” mode).

Jeff Ostrowski · November 6, 2024

“Entrance Chant” for this Coming Sunday • Jeff Attempts to Accompany Himself on the Organ

Singing Gregorian Chant lifts one’s spirits. Agree or disagree?

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    PDF Download • Communion (26th Sn. Ord.)
    This coming Sunday, 28 September 2025, is the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). The COMMUNION ANTIPHON with Fauxbourdon verses in honor of William Couture sparkles with beauty. It comes Psalm 118 (the lengthiest psalm) which is an “alphabetical acrostic.” That means each verse begins with the successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?
    Choirs love to sing the famous & splendid tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1952, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. In other words, their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1952 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. I really like the groovy Germanic INTRODUCTION they added.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    PDF Download • “Side-By-Side Comparison”
    Pope Urban VIII modified almost all the Church’s ancient hymns in 1632AD. The team responsible for creating the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal spent years comparing the different versions of each hymn: “Urbanite” vs. “pre-Urbanite.” When it comes to the special hymn for the upcoming feast (9 November)—URBS BEATA JERUSALEM—Dr. Adrian Fortescue pointed out that “the people who changed it in the 17th century did not even keep its metre; so the later version cannot be sung to the old, exceedingly beautiful tune.” Monsignor Hugh Thomas Henry (d. 1946), a professor of Gregorian Chant at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary (Overbrook, Philadelphia), wrote: “Of this hymn in particular some think that, whereas it did not suffer as much as some others, yet it lost much of its beauty in the revision; others declare that it was admirably transformed without unduly modifying the sense.” You can use this side-by-side comparison chart to compare both versions. When it comes to its meaning, there’s little significant difference between the two versions: e.g. “name of Christ” vs. “love of Christ.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Karl Keating • “Canonization Questions”
    We were sent an internet statement (screenshot) that’s garnered significant attention, in which KARL KEATING (founder of Catholic Answers) speaks about whether canonizations are infallible. Mr. Keating seems unaware that canonizations are—in the final analysis—a theological opinion. They are not infallible, as explained in this 2014 article by a priest (with a doctorate in theology) who worked for multiple popes. Mr. Keating says: “I’m unaware of such claims arising from any quarter until several recent popes disliked by these Traditionalists were canonized, including John XXIII, Paul VI, and John Paul II. Usually Paul VI receives the most opprobrium.” Mr. Keating is incorrect; e.g. Father John Vianney, several centuries ago, taught clearly that canonizations are not infallible. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen would be another example, although clearly much more recent than Saint John Vianney.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Vatican II Changed Wedding Propers?
    It’s often claimed that the wedding propers were changed after Vatican II. As a matter of fact, that is a false claim. The EDITIO VATICANA propers (Introit: Deus Israel) remained the same after Vatican II. However, a new set of propers (Introit: Ecce Deus) was provided for optional use. The same holds true for the feast of Pope Saint Gregory the Great on 3 September: the 1943 propers (Introit: Si díligis me) were provided for optional use, but the traditional PROPRIA MISSAE (Introit: Sacerdótes Dei) were retained; they weren’t gotten rid of. The Ordo Cantus Missae (1970) makes this crystal clear, as does the Missal itself. There was an effort made in the post-conciliar years to eliminate so-called “Neo-Gregorian” chants, but (contrary to popular belief) most were retained: cf. the feast of Christ the King, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, and so forth.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

“After the Second Vatican Council, the impression arose that the pope really could do anything in liturgical matters, especially if he were acting on the mandate of an ecumenical council. Eventually, the idea of the givenness of the liturgy, the fact that one cannot do with it what one will, faded from the public consciousness of the West.”

— Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

Recent Posts

  • PDF Download • Communion (26th Sn. Ord.)
  • PDF Download • “Hymn by Father Thomas à Kempis” (arranged for 2 voices)
  • “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
  • Dr. Alfred Calabrese • “Three Recommendations for Children’s Repertoire”
  • Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?

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