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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

Vespers

Jeff Ostrowski · October 20, 2025

“Can Choral Music Survive?” • 3 Reasons It Will

You may think I’m crazy, but I have a belief when it comes to choral music.

Jeff Ostrowski · May 13, 2024

Organ Accomp. • “Ascension Hymn at Vespers”

The soul-stirring hymn used on ASCENSION THURSDAY at Vespers—and also used on the Sunday which follows the Ascension—was called in the 7th century: “Jesu Nostra Redemptio.” After 1631AD, the title of that hymn was changed to “Salutis Humanae Sator.” The melody assigned by the Vatican Commission on Gregorian Chant is rather mournful (and very difficult […]

Jeff Ostrowski · February 20, 2023

PDF Download • “Quinquagesima Sunday” Organ Accompaniment Booklet (25 pages)

The word “Alleluia” changes to: “Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of eternal glory.”

Jeff Ostrowski · January 15, 2023

PDF Download • “Organ Accompaniment Booklet” (25 pages) — Vespers, 2nd Sunday after Epiphany

The internet is putting good people in touch with one another.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 17, 2022

Available Now! • 4th Sunday of Advent

Those who so desire may now download this organ accompaniment booklet (25 pages) for the 4th Sunday of Advent, including the “O ANTIPHON” for 18 December 2022.

Jeff Ostrowski · December 7, 2022

PDF Download • “Organ Accompaniment Booklet” • Vespers (3rd Sunday of Advent) — 23 pages

Were Pothier and Mocquereau homeless? The answer might surprise you.

Jeff Ostrowski · July 12, 2022

PDF Download • “Sunday Vespers” (22 pages)

In spite of its imperfections, creating this (draft) booklet required much more effort than I had anticipated.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 12, 2022

PDF Download • Trinity Sunday (22 pages)

Feel free to download this Organ Accompaniment Booklet for Trinity Sunday (Second Vespers). Notice how the modes progress by number. Psalm 1 is mode 1; Psalm 2 is mode 2; Psalm 3 is mode 3; Psalm 4 is mode 4; Psalm 5 is mode 5. I am told by an expert that other feasts (such […]

Jeff Ostrowski · June 5, 2022

PDF Download • (Organ Accompaniment)

I created this organ accompaniment booklet for organists who will accompany Vespers on Pentecost Sunday. Feel free to download it; it might give you some ideas or inspiration. Be warned: It looks pretty sloppy. (The organist is the only one who sees it.)

Jeff Ostrowski · May 17, 2022

PDF Download • 2022 “Vespers Booklet” (99 Pages)

If you spot typos, please let us know!

Jeff Ostrowski · January 19, 2022

100% Scrolling Score • “What Exactly Is Vespers?”

For those who have never experienced Vespers, an answer like that comes across as “gobbledygook.”

Jeff Ostrowski · December 12, 2021

PDF Download • Vespers Organ Accompaniment — “Our Lady of Guadalupe” (12 December)

Vatican II said: “Pastors must see to it that Vespers is celebrated in parishes on Sundays and the more solemn feasts” (SC §100).

Dr. Charles Weaver · October 24, 2021

PDF Download • Commemorating Dr. Fayrfax

A massively underrated composer died 500 years ago today.

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Jeff Ostrowski · August 14, 2021

PDF Download • “Vespers Booklet” (15 August, Assumption) — 20 pages

Also included, an organ accompaniment (23 pages) for this booklet.

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Jeff Ostrowski · August 2, 2021

“What is Vespers?” • Live Rec. + 100% Scrolling Score

After more than a year of Vespers having been forbidden (due to Covid-19) we’re back!

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    ‘Bogey’ of the Half-Educated: Paraphrase
    Father Adrian Porter, using the cracher dans la soupe example, did a praiseworthy job explaining the difference between ‘dynamic’ and ‘formal’ translation. This is something Monsignor Ronald Knox explained time and again—yet even now certain parties feign ignorance. I suppose there will always be people who pretend the only ‘valid’ translation of Mitigásti omnem iram tuam; avertísti ab ira indignatiónis tuæ… would be “You mitigated all ire of you; you have averted from your indignation’s ire.” Those who would defend such a translation suffer from an unfortunate malady. One of my professors called it “cognate on the brain.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Father Cuthbert Lattey • “The Hebrew MSS”
    Father Cuthbert Lattey (d. 1954) wrote: “In a large number of cases the ancient Christian versions and some other ancient sources seem to have been based upon a better Hebrew text than that adopted by the rabbis for official use and alone suffered to survive. Sometimes, too, the cognate languages suggest a suitable meaning for which there is little or no support in the comparatively small amount of ancient Hebrew that has survived. The evidence of the metre is also at times so clear as of itself to furnish a strong argument; often it is confirmed by some other considerations. […] The Jewish copyists and their directors, however, seem to have lost the tradition of the metre at an early date, and the meticulous care of the rabbis in preserving their own official and traditional text (the ‘massoretic’ text) came too late, when the mischief had already been done.” • Msgr. Knox adds: “It seems the safest principle to follow the Latin—after all, St. Jerome will sometimes have had a better text than the Massoretes—except on the rare occasions when there is no sense to be extracted from the Vulgate at all.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 9 Nov. (Dedic. Lateran)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 9 November 2025, which is the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. 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 sensational feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Reminder” — Month of November (2025)
    On a daily basis, I speak to people who don’t realize we publish a free newsletter (although they’ve followed our blog for years). We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and refuse to run annoying ads. As a result, our mailing list is crucial to our survival. Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Gospel Options for 2 November (“All Souls”)
    We’ve been told some bishops are suppressing the TLM because of “unity.” But is unity truly found in the MISSALE RECENS? For instance, on All Souls (2 November), any of these Gospel readings may be chosen, for any reason (or for no reason at all). The same is true of the Propria Missæ and other readings—there are countless options in the ORDINARY FORM. In other words, no matter which OF parish you attend on 2 November, you’ll almost certainly hear different propers and readings, to say nothing of different ‘styles’ of music. Where is the “unity” in all this? Indeed, the Second Vatican Council solemnly declared: “Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community.”
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Our Father” • Musical Setting?
    Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“I vividly remember going to church with him in Bournemouth. He was a devout Roman Catholic and it was soon after the Church had changed the liturgy (from Latin to English). My grandfather obviously didn’t agree with this and made all the responses very loudly in Latin while the rest of the congregation answered in English. I found the whole experience quite excruciating, but my grandfather was oblivious. He simply had to do what he believed to be right.”

— Simon Tolkien (2003)

Recent Posts

  • ‘Bogey’ of the Half-Educated: Paraphrase
  • Father Cuthbert Lattey • “The Hebrew MSS”
  • Re: The People’s Mass Book (1974)
  • They did a terrible thing
  • What surprised me about regularly singing the Gloria in Latin

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