“Hymns for Small Choirs” • The Season of Epiphany
Destroying the season of Epiphany was in direct disobedience to Vatican II.
“Is it not true that prohibiting or suspecting the extraordinary form can only be inspired by the demon who desires our suffocation and spiritual death?” —The Vatican’s chief liturgist from 2014-2021; interview with Edw. Pentin (23-Sep-2019)
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).
Destroying the season of Epiphany was in direct disobedience to Vatican II.
The musical style is totally secular; similar to what one might hear on the radio.
This was posted in 2013, but you’ll want to bookmark it.
Those who direct small choirs are always looking for great repertoire.
A smaller group sings for the 9:00am Mass; a large chorus sings for the 11:00am Mass.
My brother immediately said: “I would never use this; it’s terrible, Jeff.” — And he was correct!
They were: (1) Cardinal Palazzini; (2) Cardinal Stickler; (3) Cardinal Mayer; (4) Cardinal Oddi; (5) Cardinal Casaroli; (6) Cardinal Gantin; (7) Cardinal Innocenti; (8) Cardinal Ratzinger; (9) Cardinal Tomko.
A short version of the INTROIT for the feast of the Epiphany has been added to the Saint René Goupil Gregorian Chant Website.
Only fellow choirmasters know how much work choirmasters do “behind the scenes.”
Whether one considers the Missale Vetustum or the post-conciliar calendar—or even the 1908 calendar—the feasts which follow Christmas are very confusing. Last year I created this comparison chart. I hope you find it helpful. As far as I can tell, my chart is the first effort to carefully detail the changes made to post-Christmas feasts […]
In a 14th century manuscript, I found some alternate melodies for the “Dóminus vobíscum” and “Et cum spíritu tuo.” I’m not sure we could ever use these at Mass; most priests have a hard enough time with the Editio Vaticana melodies!
Archbishop Roche says the ‘true’ parishioners are supposed to make it clear the EF people are lowest on the totem pole.
Vatican II said: “The treasury of sacred music is to be preserved and fostered with great care” (SC §114).
Archbishop Roche, current head of the CDW, stated during his video interview as follows: “The Church has given us the celebration of the Mass in two forms. The Ordinary Form is the Mass that was developed under blessed Pope Paul VI in the 1960s. […] The Extraordinary Form is another expression, which is older than […]
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