Views from the Choir Loft

Contemporary Sacred Music

Fr. David Friel · July 24, 2022

Free Folio of New Sacred Music for Parish Liturgies

A gift from The Catholic Sacred Music Project and the Benedict XVI Institute

Fr. David Friel · May 9, 2021

Virtual Sacred Music Colloquium 2021

Alongside many familiar faces, several new presenters are joining the faculty this year.

Follow the Discussion on Facebook

Fr. David Friel · December 16, 2019

Liturgica • Interview with Chris Mueller on the Release of New CD

Mueller discusses his recently released recording of original compositions and Renaissance masterworks.

Fr. David Friel · October 24, 2019

“Mass of the Americas” • Solemn Pontifical High Mass in DC

Archbishop Cordileone will offer Mass November 16, 2019 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Jeff Ostrowski · September 15, 2017

“O Sanctissima” • SATB Contemporary Setting!

I bet you haven’t heard this arrangement!

Jeff Ostrowski · November 22, 2016

Resplendent Christmas Piece for Two Voices!

This gem by Fr. Nicolas du Peron (d. 1963) incorporates Christmas carols in a most ingenious way.

Jeff Ostrowski · July 6, 2016

Sensational Hymn for St. Joseph … with Modern Polyphony!

We’ll be singing this piece a lot because our priest has a special devotion to St. Joseph.

Jeff Ostrowski · March 5, 2016

“Ave Maris Stella” • Take II

Have you ever changed your mind with regard to tempo?

Jeff Ostrowski · January 14, 2016

Staggering Canonic Setting • “Gloria” from Mass III

By the French Roman Catholic composer, Raphaël Mercier (d. 1953).

Jeff Ostrowski · October 30, 2015

“Te Saeculorum” • Simple, Sensational, SATB

Were you aware of this amazing piece by Raphaël Mercier?

Jeff Ostrowski · July 7, 2015

Short, Fresh, & Beautiful • SATB “Ave Maris Stella”

This piece by Fr. Antonin Lhoumeau will knock your socks off!

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