PDF Download • “Münster Hymnal” (Harmony Edition) — 123 pages!
“As the organ plays, so does the congregation sing!” —From the Foreword
“PPG” • Plainsong Progress by Girls
You can listen to this ‘live’ recording of females singing the INTROIT (“Pópulus Sýon”) last Sunday, which was the Second Sunday of Advent. I accompanied them softly on the pipe organ. I would like to remind everyone who listens: 100% of the singers in my choir are volunteers recruited from the congregation. Indeed, the two […]
New Hymn By Father Dylan Schrader
That’s not an easy hymn to sing 𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 but my volunteer choir attempted it. If you think it’s easy, please send me a recording of your choir singing it!
(Advent, 2nd Sunday) • Introit “Pópulus Sion” Sung According to the Official Rhythm
We can hardly do better than to join in the same melodies sung by Catholic saints throughout history.
Schola Director Posts ‘Live’ Recording
As I explained in my article posted earlier today, Nun Komm Der Heiden Heiland is actually a Catholic tune (in spite of what some have claimed). The volunteer choir I direct sang that beautiful ADVENT melody last Sunday, and I invite you to listen to the live recording. It will get better the more we […]
PDF Download • “Lo! He comes with clouds descending” (Advent Hymn) — A Catholic Version!
Some days, Fulton J. Sheen received as many as 30,000 letters.
1963 Photograph • Original Lyrics for Fr. Hellriegel’s “To Jesus Christ Our Sovereign King”
Photograph from 1963, the year Monsignor Hellriegel published his 𝐻𝑜𝑙𝑦 𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝐻𝑦𝑚𝑛𝑎𝑙.
Message from the Vice-President!
The Vice-President of the Church Music Association of America, Dr. Horst Buchholz (who also serves as Director of Sacred Music for the Archdiocese of Detroit) sent us an email yesterday regarding the harmonizations (PDF) I composed for the Gregorian Chant psalm tones. Dr. Buchholz says: “Those settings are absolutely exquisite, as I’m used to when […]
My Response to Dr. Weaver’s Latest Article
Is it fair to forever bind Dom Guéranger to what he wrote about “barbarous archaisms” in 1855?
Requesting Our Advent Eucharistic Hymn
A young lady named Agnes wrote to us: “Dear Mr. Ostrowski, do you have the PDF score for Ave Corpus Domini set to the ADVENT melody? Last year, we sang the hymn tune “Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland” quite a bit using your contrafactum technique. My choir appreciates the Latin hymns and practice videos, especially […]
PDF Download • “Eight Gregorian Psalm Tones” (Harmonized by Jeff Ostrowski)
Yesterday, I recorded a video demonstration of each Gregorian Chant tone.
Four (4) Excellent Hymns for Catholic Funerals
With a brief digression on certain “nasty” traditionalists.
Seven (7) Hymn Verses for November!
In the month of November, we remember in a special way the souls in purgatory. The BRÉBEUF HYMNAL often includes text alone versions for its hymns; why is that? The short answer is: flexibility. The “text only” version allows each choirmaster to employ a myriad of melodies. For example, I recently set the English translation […]
Worst Hymn Pairing Of All Time?
Are there sickening examples of hymn pairings? Oh, most certainly!
Jeff Ostrowski’s Performance of Plainsong Attacked as “Inartistic”
The special Vigil of Christmas “Alleluia” sung according to the official rhythm of the Catholic Church.