What Happens When A Choirmaster Gets Sad?
Our profession is not an easy one.
“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).
The famous wit of William F. Buckley Jr. is quite conspicuous in this clip.
We’ve released rehearsal videos for the Kyrie—today, we release the Sanctus & Benedictus!
Why so much deliberation over every choice? Why so much discussion about a single stanza, or even a single word?
I included several nasty “Medicæa” harmonizations from the 19th century…
The Alto line goes down low a few times—but in those days, men might have sung this.
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)+
Posting choral singing captured by a pocket recorder is always risky…
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