“Gregorian Chant Not In Danger Pope Tells French”
Actual headline from 9 April 1964.
“If we do not love those whom we see, how can we love God, Whom we do not see?” Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
A theorist, organist, and conductor, Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004), and did graduate work in Musicology. He serves as choirmaster for the new FSSP parish in Los Angeles, where he resides with his wife and children.—Read full biography (with photographs).
If there’s a more beautiful setting of this text, I don’t know what it could be.
This year’s upcoming Sacred Music Symposium will demonstrate several ways to sing the CREDO at Mass. This is because—for many parishes—to sing a full-length polyphonic CREDO by Victoria or Palestrina is out of the question. Therefore, we show options that are halfway between plainsong and polyphony. You can hear my choir rehearsing a section that […]
As readers know, my choir has been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana. That is to say, the official rhythm which—technically—is the only rhythm allowed by the Church. I haven’t figured out how I want the scores to look, so in the meantime we’ve been using temporary scores that look like this. Stay tuned!
If there is a more beautiful book than Abbat Pothier’s 1888 Processionale Monasticum, I don’t know what it might be. This gorgeous tome was today added to the Saint John Lalande Online Library. I wish I owned a physical copy.
If his choir sounds terrible, why would you trust his advice?
1 June 1579: “The chapter passes a rule that anyone ascending to the new organ without official permission shall be fined a month’s pay.” 26 October 1579: “The altar boys remain always separate and distinct from choirboys—the one group learning only plainchant and assisting at the altar, the other living with the chapel-master and studying […]
Back in 2001, I created an arrangement of “O Filii Et Filiae” based on the work of Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel. You can access free rehearsal videos at #5909. Choirs absolutely love singing this piece. You can hear my volunteer choir singing a live recording.
The choir director’s vocation is chock-full of difficulties.
Corpus Christi Watershed has provided rehearsal videos to assist choir members who do not read music well.
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