George Ratcliffe Woodward

Jeff Ostrowski · June 18, 2026

Indisputable ‘King’ Among Protestant Hymnals? • “Songs of Syon”—Transcribed (13,600 Words)

“I don’t know a more resplendent tune.” —Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski · March 16, 2026

Stumped by “Episcopalian Hymnal” (1910)

Some consider this 1910 tome the greatest Episcopalian Hymnal ever printed.

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Jeff Ostrowski · September 4, 2023

When Others Say You’re “Dumb”

I could give a zillion more examples of my disability.

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Music List • (15th Sund. Ordinary Time)

Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A), which is 12 July 2026. Please feel free to download it as a PDF file if that appeals to you. The hymns chosen are some of the most ‘traditional’ I have chosen (and were chosen by our pastor). The ENTRANCE CHANT radiates pure bliss, overflowing with joy.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Shortest Psalm In The Bible

The shortest chapter in the whole Bible—as well as the shortest psalm—is PSALM 116 (“Laudáte Dóminum ómnes géntes”), which consists of just two verses. German-speaking Catholics did something really splendid (PDF) with PSALM 116. I was alerted to this many years ago by none other than Monsignor Robert Alexander Skeris. Click here to download—from different Catholic hymn books—ten (10) different harmonizations for this fabulous hymn.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Oldest Latin Eucharistic Hymn

The Church’s oldest Latin Eucharistic hymn is featured in the Brébeuf Hymnal. Indeed, the legendary Father Adrian Fortescue made a translation of it—matching the original’s meter—which was elevated by the Brébeuf team. For years, we’ve been working on a Spanish hymnal: “Cantoral del Padre Antonio Daniel.” The progress has been slow but steady, and we encourage anyone fluent in Spanish to consider joining the proofreading team. A few days ago, my wife helped me record a rehearsal video for this Spanish version of the Church’s oldest Latin Eucharistic hymn.

—Jeff Ostrowski

‘Ould’ But Not Good

Dom Samuel Gregory Ould (note the spelling) was a Benedictine monk at FORT AUGUSTUS ABBEY in Scotland. As musician, organist, and composer, Dom Ould was highly regarded. Moreover, he was considered an authority on Gregorian Chant. But not everything found in an old book—or, in this case, an “Ould” book—is necessarily praiseworthy. Consider this page from Dom Ould’s hymnal. Do you see the rhymes? They offend severely by ABR (“Abuse By Reuse”) and are utterly predictable. In my recent article—Two Ways to Defile a Hymn—I addressed this topic.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reader Feedback” • 22 June 2026

A reader wrote to us from Virginia: “I really appreciate the 23 harmonizations that you posted on CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED for the Daily, Daily, Sing to Mary hymn. I hope to find willing voices in our small Schola Cantorum to try the three-voice version. Carry on, sir! You’re doing the Lord’s work.” While we don’t know this gentleman personally, we note that he earned a Ph.D. (which demonstrates that our blog has something for everybody). 😊

—Corpus Christi Watershed

Time and Again We Are Asked…

John Baptist Singenberger (d. 1924) was a central figure of Catholic Church music. In this utterly fascinating excerpt (Single-Page PDF), Singenberger writes: Time and again we are asked: “Is the Gregorian chant to be accompanied by the organ?” As a young student in Saint Gall, Singenberger befriended SEBASTIAN GEBHARD MESSMER, the future Archbishop of Milwaukee (Wisconsin). The two graduated together in 1861. The school they attended (Saint George’s Seminary) was a “seminary”—but in the older European sense. In other words, it provided a classical education without necessarily leading to ordination. Singenberger remained a layman his whole life, but Messmer was eventually made archbishop—by Pope Saint Pius X—of the very archdiocese in Wisconsin where Singenberger would spend his American career, giving him a powerful ecclesiastical ally.

—Jeff Ostrowski

George Ratcliffe Woodward

Indisputable ‘King’ Among Protestant Hymnals? • “Songs of Syon”—Transcribed (13,600 Words)

Stumped by “Episcopalian Hymnal” (1910)

When Others Say You’re “Dumb”

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