Views from the Choir Loft

David Haas Composer GIA

Jeff Ostrowski · February 20, 2025

PDF Download • “Music List” for the 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

“One may well wonder what the origin is of this new way of thinking and this sudden dislike for the past.” —Pope Saint Paul VI

Andrea Leal · January 13, 2023

New Lectionary for the USA • Coming in 2028?

“Work hasn’t even begun on the next Lectionary, and there’s nothing definite about 2028 as a date.” — Father Andrew V. Menke, director of the USCCB liturgical committee

Jeff Ostrowski · April 27, 2021

Paul Inwood Attacks Jeff Ostrowski’s Harmonies

Paul Inwood has unwittingly committed a rookie’s error here…

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Jeff Ostrowski · January 12, 2021

Lies, Lies, Lies

“Narrative lies” cannot exist without a storyteller.

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Corpus Christi Watershed · April 17, 2017

G.I.A. Publications President: “Statement on Composer David Haas”

Alec Harris (President of GIA Publications) “can’t overestimate the profound impact” that David Haas had on “everyone at GIA Publications.”

Jeff Ostrowski · January 26, 2016

Not Your Grandmother’s Creed

Composer David Haas posted a striking proclamation on his Facebook page.

“Music List” • 21st in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Our choir returns on Sunday, 24 August 2025. Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for it, which is the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the feasts website.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Entrance Chant” • 21st Sunday Ordin. Time

You can download the ENTRANCE ANTIPHON in English for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) which is coming up on 24 August 2025. Corresponding to the vocalist score is this free organ accompaniment. It’s set in a melancholy mode, but if you heard my choir’s female voices singing it your soul would be uplifted beyond belief. If you’re someone who enjoys rehearsal videos, this morning I tried to sing it while simultaneously accompanying my voice on the pipe organ.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • 19th in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (10 August 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the feasts website.

—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