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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 23, 2021

Copyright Problems! • Vernacular Readings + “Traditionis Custodes”

Locations which celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass tend to be the marginalized groups, given “leftovers” that nobody else wants.

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Jeff Ostrowski · July 23, 2021

Traditionis Custodes • An “Attack” On The Traditional Latin Mass?

Now is certainly not the time for sensationalist language. However…

Jeff Ostrowski · July 20, 2021

“Traditionis Custodes” • Five (5) Brief Reflections

“Deliver us, Lord, from every evil: past, present, and to come.”

Jeff Ostrowski · July 19, 2021

PDF Download • The “1965 Missal” (1,785 pages)

“Truly Perplexing” • Pope Francis’ Motu Proprio

Jeff Ostrowski · July 18, 2021

Restricting the Extraordinary Form? • Cardinal Ratzinger’s Video Interview

“We are today not another Church as 500 years ago; it’s always the same Church.” —Cardinal Ratzinger on EWTN

Jeff Ostrowski · July 17, 2021

Important Reminder from Pope Saint John XXIII

People are talking about “liturgy wars” again…

Jeff Ostrowski · July 17, 2021

“Let Us Take Courage!” • In Spite of Today’s News

“Serve God in that charity and love which cast out fear; such love does not regard merit.” —Saint Bernard

Jeff Ostrowski · July 13, 2021

Hymn Lyrics Which Don’t Fit

If we grow up singing hymns, we’re incapable of judging them—because we’re “too close” to them. People who know and love “Abide with me, fast falls the eventide” probably never realized the first word is one of the most egregious examples of incorrect accentuation. (The correct accent for “abide” is on the second syllable, not […]

Jeff Ostrowski · July 12, 2021

12 July 2021 • FEEDBACK

A reader from Chicago writes: “Your work is exemplary, and these past 15 months have put into clear focus for me just how important Corpus Christi Watershed is as an evangelizing voice in the Church. During this pandemic, we have moved away from the ‘big publisher’ psalters, employing nearly exclusively your settings, which (in my […]

Jeff Ostrowski · July 8, 2021

PT Barnum, Henri Herz, + 1,000 candles

In the annals of pianism, there were some fakers: Vladimir de Pachmann, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Leopold de Meyer, and Henri Herz. A hilarious story is told by Harold C. Schonberg about Henri Herz, his manager (Bernard Ullman), and 1,000 candles. I think you will enjoy reading it.

Jeff Ostrowski · July 7, 2021

7 July 2021 • “Getting Soft at the End”

We tried something last Sunday. On the final stanza of this Eucharistic hymn, we got softer. I’d love to know your thoughts—does it sound good, or contrived?

Jeff Ostrowski · July 7, 2021

[Live Rec.] • “Do You Know This Eucharistic Hymn?”

Including seven (7) examples of musical diversity.

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Jeff Ostrowski · July 4, 2021

We Urgently Require Funds! • Can You Give $5.00 Per Month?

An urgent letter from the president … please read this!

Jeff Ostrowski · July 3, 2021

PDF Download • “Polyphonic Creed Extension” (Perfect Canon Between Soprano & Alto)

This fabulous technique is common in Germanic countries…

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Jeff Ostrowski · July 2, 2021

Free Online Movie! • “Scarlet and the Black” (1983)

Telling the true story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, a Catholic priest who saved thousands of lives during WW2.

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Music List • (4th Sunday of Lent)
    Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for this coming Sunday, which is the 4th Sunday of Lent (15 March 2026). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. This feast has sublime propers. It is most often referred to as “Lætare Sunday” owing to its INTROIT. I encourage all the readers to visit the feasts website, where the Propria Missae may be downloaded completely free of charge.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • Communion (4th Snd. Lent)
    The COMMUNION ANTIPHON for this coming Sunday, which is the Fourth Sunday of Lent (Year A), is particularly beautiful. There’s something irresistible about this tone; it’s neither happy nor sad. As always, I encourage readers to visit the flourishing feasts website, where the complete Propria Missae may be downloaded free of charge.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Good Friday Flowers
    Good Friday has a series of prayers for various parties: the pope, catechumens, pagans, heretics, schismatics, and so forth. In the old liturgical books, there was no official ‘name’ for these prayers. (This wasn’t unusual as ‘headers’ and ‘titles’ for each section is a rather modern idea.) The Missal simply instructed the priest to go to the Epistle side and begin. In the SHERBORNE MISSAL, each prayer begins with a different—utterly spectacular—flower. This PDF file shows the first few prayers. Has anyone counted the ‘initial’ drop-cap flowers in the SHERBORNE MISSAL? Surely there are more than 1,000.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Stumped by “Episcopalian Hymnal” (1910)
    Some consider Songs of Syon (1910) the greatest Episcopalian hymnal ever printed. As a Roman Catholic, I have no right to weigh in one way or the other. However, this particular page has me stumped. I just know I’ve heard that tune somewhere! If you can help, please email me. I’m talking about the text which begins: “This is the day the Lord hath made; In unbeclouded light array’d.” The book is by George Ratcliffe Woodward, and its complete title is: Songs of Syon: A Collection of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. Back in 2016, Corpus Christi Watershed scanned and uploaded this insanely rare book. For years our website was the sole place one could download it as a PDF file.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “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

Random Quote

“The authority of the Pope is not unlimited. It is at the service of Sacred Tradition. Still less is any kind of general ‘freedom’ of manufacture, degenerating into spontaneous improvisation, compatible with the essence of faith and liturgy. The greatness of the liturgy depends—we shall have to repeat this frequently—on its lack of spontaneity.”

— Josef Cardinal Ratzinger (2000)

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