Views from the Choir Loft

Father Friel • Article Archive

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.—(Read full biography).

Fr. David Friel · September 28, 2014

Married Couples at the Synod

Celibates have something to offer married couples, just as married couples have lessons to teach celibates.

Fr. David Friel · September 14, 2014

The Meaning of Marriage 1

Does This Mean That Cohabitation Is Okay Now?

Fr. David Friel · September 7, 2014

Bishop Sheen Speaks

Pointers on Public Speaking

Fr. David Friel · August 31, 2014

Liturgy vs. Social Justice

A Classic Case of the Catholic “Both/And”

Fr. David Friel · August 17, 2014

Hippolytus of Rome & Eucharistic Prayer II

What’s the Connection?

Fr. David Friel · August 13, 2014

Assumption Mass

Msgr. Andrew Wadsworth will celebrate a Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form this Friday evening in Philadelphia.

Fr. David Friel · August 10, 2014

Important Resources for Liturgical Reform (3 of 7)

Public Domain Scores & Published Resources

Fr. David Friel · August 3, 2014

The 15th Station?

The 9/11 Memorial and Conveying Catharsis through Art

Fr. David Friel · July 27, 2014

Is Recorded Music Okay for Children?

There is a prevalent notion that young people somehow need to be accommodated in the work of divine worship. As a former child, I find this to be an errant hankering.

Fr. David Friel · July 20, 2014

Basic Steps To Improve Music At Your Parish — Part 5

Silence is one of the most important sounds of the liturgy.

Fr. David Friel · July 13, 2014

The “Children’s Liturgy of the Word”

Are We Past This Yet?

Fr. David Friel · July 8, 2014

Colloquium Roundup

How to Experience Colloquium XXIV Belatedly and From Afar

Fr. David Friel · July 6, 2014

Colloquium Update IV

The Glories of A Single Proper

Fr. David Friel · July 5, 2014

Colloquium Update III

“Minding the Gap” — Organ Improvisation

Fr. David Friel · July 4, 2014

Colloquium Update II

Resources for Accompanying Gregorian Chant

Lectionary Errors

If you look at the official Responsorial Psalm (PDF) for this coming Sunday, you’ll notice the current Lectionary has the wrong refrain. Why is this a big deal? Why even mention such a thing? Everybody makes mistakes, right? Here’s why it matters. The USCCB—which makes money by selling the sacred liturgical texts—has historically been ruthless when it comes to such matters. When various publishers point out errors to them, their response has been: “If you dare to correct the error, we’ll sue you.” These errors are not a matter of nuance; e.g. sometimes the previous (English) edition of the Lectionary got them right! Bottom Line: mandatory, indulgenced, liturgical texts shouldn’t be sold; they should be freely available to all Catholics.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • SABT Enhancement (“Our Father”)

If you direct music in the ORDINARY FORM, you’ll want to download this free PDF as fast as humanly possible. While in Europe last summer, Veronica discovered this breathtaking “polyphonic enhancement” for the Lord’s Prayer. The congregation sings their part as normal, while the choir “weaves” SATB harmonies around them. My choir is definitely going to use this!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Entrance Chant” • Sunday (17 Nov. 2024)

Download the Entrance Antiphon in English for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (17 November 2024). It’s in mode 6—which some consider the “mode of peace”—and mimics the authentic version in a splendid and gorgeous way. Corresponding to the vocalist score is this free organ accompaniment. If you’re someone who enjoys rehearsal videos, I attempted to sing it while simultaneously accompanying my voice on the pipe organ.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Liquescent Notes in the Official Edition

The official edition—the EDITIO VATICANA itself—is somewhat inconsistent when it comes to liquescent notes. If you wish to see a perfect “apples-to-apples” comparison, click here. Such “inconsistency” was not owing to ignorance on the part of Abbat Pothier: the manuscripts themselves are inconsistent when it comes to liquescent notes.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Final Sundays after Pentecost

For those of us at a traditional Latin Mass, it’s that time of year when the sung propers for each Sunday repeat until the end of the liturgical year. What to do with the portion of your mid-week rehearsal that you normally devote to the next Sunday’s propers? I like to get a head start on propers for upcoming December feasts. We always sing Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12 because she’s co-patroness of our diocese, and we sing a Rorate Mass in addition to Immaculate Conception. There’s also the first Sunday of Advent; it often follows Thanksgiving by a few days and we don’t rehearse on Thanksgiving. In short, there’s no reason to get bored at this time of year!

—Keven Smith

Parallel Fifths In Plainsong Accompaniment?

Parallel 5ths are forbidden in Baroque music and Classical music. However, plainsong accompaniment has its own rules and modal style. The great masters sometimes even wrote parallel sevenths! Instances of parallel fifths are too numerous to list in the Nova Organi Harmonia by the LEMMENSINSTITUUT. For example, consider this one. But one must possess a certain expertise to employ them properly. By the way, if you wish to see double parallel fifths, click here.

—Jeff Ostrowski