Views from the Choir Loft

Intensely Powerful • “Requiem” Production (FSSP)

Jeff Ostrowski · April 7, 2017

By way of the FSSP blog in North America, we received this electrifying news:

From the press release:

Fr. Gerard Saguto, North American FSSP Superior, who also sang on REQUIEM, explains that the daily responsibilities of the priests entail shepherding its flock’s greatest joys and its deepest sorrows: from a marriage in the morning to a funeral in the afternoon. Saint Augustine’s sense of the sacred was a beauty “ever ancient, ever new.” This beautiful work—ancient, yet made anew whenever he and his confreres sing it—serves as a message of hope.

Click this image for all the details:

Excellent polyphonic works by Palestrina and Giovanni Battista Martini (one of Mozart’s teachers) are included along with traditional plainsong:

1. Antiphon Exsultábunt Dómino with Psalm 50
2. Tolling of the Bell
3. Responsory Subveníte Sancti Dei
4. Introit Réquiem ætérnam
5. Kýrie eléison
6. Gradual Réquiem ætérnam
7. Tract Absólve Dómine
8. Sequence Dies iræ
9. Offertory Dómine, Jesu Christe
10. Sanctus
11. Agnus Dei
12. Communion antiphon Lux ætérna
13. Responsory Líbera me
14. Antiphon In paradísum
15. Antiphon Ego sum with the Canticle of Zachary
16. Responsory Qui Lázarum
17. Responsory Dómine quando véneris
18. Responsory Peccántem me
19. Pie Jesu Dómine
20. Réquiem ætérnam

The program notes (SEE ABOVE) say that Fr. Zachary Akers currently serves as music director for the Fraternity in North America, which I did not realize. I’m proud to say he is an old friend of my brother, Mark. Fr. Akers visited our community in October, as these photographs show.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Michigan. —(Read full biography).

Dr. Mahrt explains the ‘Spoken’ Propers

In 1970, the Church promulgated a new version of the Roman Missal. It goes by various names: Ordinary Form, Novus Ordo, MISSALE RECENS, and so on. If you examine the very first page, you’ll notice that Pope Saint Paul VI explains the meaning of the ‘Spoken Propers’ (which are for Masses without singing). A quote by Dr. William P. Mahrt is also included in that file. The SPOKEN PROPERS—used at Masses without music—are sometimes called The Adalbert Propers, because they were created in 1969 by Father Adalbert Franquesa Garrós, one of Hannibal Bugnini’s closest friends (according to Yves Chiron).

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Music List” (1st Sunday of Advent)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 30 November 2025, which is the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is quite memorable, and the fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • Christ the King Sunday

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 23 November 2025, which is the 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. In the 1970 Missal, this Sunday is known as: Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Universorum Regis (“Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe”). As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the magnificent feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Translations Approved for Liturgical Use”

According to the newsletter for USSCB’s Committee on Divine Worship dated September 1996, there are three (3) translations of the Bible which can be used in the sacred liturgy in the United States. You can read this information with your own eyes. It seems the USCCB and also Rome fully approved the so-called NRSV (“New Revised Standard Version”) on 13 November 1991 and 6 April 1992 but this permission was then withdrawn in 1994.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

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