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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

Jeff Ostrowski • Article Archive

A theorist, organist, and conductor, Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He completed studies in Education and Musicology at the graduate level. Having worked as a church musician in Los Angeles for ten years, in 2024 he accepted a position as choirmaster for Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Michigan, where he resides with his wife and children. —Read full biography (with photographs).

Jeff Ostrowski · July 10, 2018

What Happens When A Choirmaster Gets Sad?

Our profession is not an easy one.

Jeff Ostrowski · July 9, 2018

(Video) • Closing Mass of Symposium 2018

…recorded on a device located at the very back of Church.

Jeff Ostrowski · July 5, 2018

iPhone Clip • “Sight-Reading Hymns”

Can you name this hymn melody?

Jeff Ostrowski · June 24, 2018

(Recorded Live) • “Agnus Dei” at the Symposium

About 450 people attended the Mass on Friday night

Jeff Ostrowski · June 19, 2018

iPhone Clip • From Sacred Music Symposium 2018

This year’s Symposium has begun…with a bang!

Jeff Ostrowski · June 12, 2018

“Come Holy Ghost” • Improvisation

Can you improvise?

Jeff Ostrowski · June 8, 2018

“No, I was taught that in school…”

The famous wit of William F. Buckley Jr. is quite conspicuous in this clip.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 5, 2018

Sanctus & Benedictus • “Ave Maris Stella” (Victoria)

We’ve released rehearsal videos for the Kyrie—today, we release the Sanctus & Benedictus!

Jeff Ostrowski · June 4, 2018

CCW Receives Praise … on Television!

An excellent series on Church music

Jeff Ostrowski · May 31, 2018

Is The Brébeuf Hymnal Too Scrupulous?

Why so much deliberation over every choice? Why so much discussion about a single stanza, or even a single word?

Jeff Ostrowski · May 28, 2018

How Serious Are They About The Accent?

Mode 7 is one of the “tricky” psalm tones.

Jeff Ostrowski · May 28, 2018

Can Plainsong Be Harmonized? • (Rehearsal Video)

I included several nasty “Medicæa” harmonizations from the 19th century…

Jeff Ostrowski · May 22, 2018

Rehearsal videos • Missa “Ave Maris Stella” (Victoria)

The Alto line goes down low a few times—but in those days, men might have sung this.

Jeff Ostrowski · May 16, 2018

“Outer Space Hymn” (1966) • In A Catholic Hymnal

Discussion of horrible things that have (sadly) appeared in Catholic hymnals, such as: “And as we float along through outer space, | Past galaxies aglow in dark’s embrace, | Toward other worlds where brothers may await, | Do care for us now in our weightless state.” (Imprimatur 1966)+

Jeff Ostrowski · May 9, 2018

Los Angeles • Audio Excerpts from Solemn Mass

Posting choral singing captured by a pocket recorder is always risky…

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Music List • (3rd Sunday of Lent)
    Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for this coming Sunday, which is the 3rd Sunday of Lent (8 March 2026). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. This feast has magnificent propers. Its stern INTROIT (“Óculi mei semper ad Dóminum”) is breathtaking, and the COMMUNION (“Qui bíberit aquam”) with its fauxbourdon verses is wonderful. I encourage all the readers to visit the feasts website, where the Propria Missae may be downloaded completely free of charge.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Samaritánæ” (3rd Sunday of Lent)
    With regard to the COMMUNION for the 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year A), the Ordo Cantus Missae—which was published in 1969 by the Vatican, bearing Hannibal Bugnini’s signature and approbation in its PREFACE—inexplicably introduced a variant melody and slightly different words, as you can see by this comparison chart. When it comes to such items, they’re always done in secrecy by unnamed people. (Although it is known that Dom Eugène Cardine collaborated in the creation of the GRADUALE SIMPLEX, a book considered by some to be a travesty.)
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Ubi Caritas” (SATB)
    I remember singing “Ubi Cáritas” by Maurice Duruflé at the conservatory. I was deeply moved by it. However, some feel Duruflé’s version isn’t suitable for small choirs since it’s written for 6 voices and the bass tessitura is quite low. That’s why I was absolutely thrilled to discover this “Ubi cáritas” (SATB) for smaller choirs by Énemond Moreau, who studied with OSCAR DEPUYDT (d. 1925), an orphan who became a towering figure of Catholic music. Depuydt’s students include: Flor Peeters (d. 1986); Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel (d. 1953); Arthur Meulemans (d. 1966); Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989); and Gustaaf Nees (d. 1965). Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #19705. When I came across the astonishing English translation for “Ubi Cáritas” by Monsignor Ronald Knox—matching the Latin’s meter—I decided to add those lyrics as an option (for churches which have banned Latin). My wife and I made this recording to give you some idea how it sounds.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Dies Irae” • A Monstrous Translation
    It isn’t easy to determine what Alice King MacGilton hoped to accomplish with her very popular book—A Study of Latin Hymns (1918)—which continued to be reprinted in new editions for at least 34 years. This PDF file shows her attempt to translate the DIES IRAE “in the fewest words possible.” There’s a place for dynamic equivalency, but this is repugnant. In particular, look what she does to “Quærens me sedísti lassus.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”
    For vigil Masses on Saturday (a.k.a. “anticipated” Masses) we use this simpler setting of the “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989), a Belgian priest, organist, composer, and music educator who ultimately succeeded another ‘Jules’ (CANON JULES VAN NUFFEL) as director of the Lemmensinstituut in Belgium. Although I could be wrong, my understanding is that the LEMMENSINSTITUUT eventually merged with “Catholic University of Leuven” (originally founded in 1425). That’s the university Fulton J. Sheen attended.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Grotesque Pairing • “Passion Chorale”
    One of our rarest releases was undoubtably this PDF scan of the complete Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959) by Father Joseph Roff, a student of Healey Willan. One of the scarcest titles in existence, this book was provided to us by Mr. Peter Meggison. Back in 2018, we scanned each page and uploaded it to our website, making it freely available to everyone. Readers are probably sick of hearing me say this, but just because we upload something that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wonderful or worthy of imitation. We upload many publications precisely because they are ‘grotesque’, interesting, or revealing. Whereas the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal had an editorial board that was careful and sensitive vis-à-vis pairing texts with tunes, the Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959) seems to have been rather reckless in this regard. Please take a look at what they did with the PASSION CHORALE and see whether you agree.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

I feel the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a direct war, a direct killing—direct murder by the mother herself. And we read in the Scripture, for God says very clearly: “Even if a mother could forget her child, I will not forget you: I have carved you in the palm of my hand.”

— Mother Theresa (11 Dec 1979)

Recent Posts

  • “Dies Irae” • A Monstrous Translation
  • PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”
  • Music List • (3rd Sunday of Lent)
  • “National Survey” (Order of Christian Funerals) • By the USCCB Secretariat of Divine Worship
  • “Samaritánæ” (3rd Sunday of Lent)

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