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Corpus Christi Watershed

We’re a 501(c)3 public charity established in 2006. We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and run no advertisements. We exist solely by the generosity of small donors.

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Views from the Choir Loft

Dr. Tappan • Article Archive

Dr. Lucas Tappan is a conductor and organist whose specialty is working with children. He lives in Kansas with his wife and four children.—Read full biography (with photographs).

Dr. Lucas Tappan · May 12, 2015

The Ingredients of a Choir School (Part II)

A choir school can be an immense help toward our goal of establishing a liturgical choir worthy of its name.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · May 5, 2015

Choir School Ingredients

Now all you need are some children for the choir. Get started!

Dr. Lucas Tappan · April 27, 2015

St. Thomas Choir School, NYC

Perhaps if we invested in better music in our parishes the Good New would be spread more effectively.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · April 21, 2015

“Proper Of The Mass” (Ignatius Press) • Part 6 of 7

If I were to use English settings of the Propers of the Mass, this would be my go-to book!

Dr. Lucas Tappan · April 13, 2015

The Madeleine Choir School

This institution is truly forming Catholic musicians for the future.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · April 2, 2015

Sing One Note

When most singers receive a new motet, they focus on the words rather than the music.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · March 30, 2015

St. Paul’s Choir School, Harvard Square, Boston

Are you a priest, are you a music director? Perhaps God is calling YOU!

Dr. Lucas Tappan · March 23, 2015

Regensburger Domspatzen

I would still love to see a choir of this quality in every major Catholic church in America.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · March 19, 2015

Bertalot’s 5 Wheels (Part 2 of 2)

Steer the Car!

Dr. Lucas Tappan · March 16, 2015

Most Pure Heart of Mary Schola Cantorum To Sing At Papal Mass

The Schola Cantorum will join the Sistine Chapel Choir, along with a number of other children choirs, to sing for Pope Francis’ Mass on January 6.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · March 12, 2015

Bertalot’s 5 Wheels (Part 1 of 2)

I have personally reached the point where I am not willing to compromise on this issue with my choristers.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · March 9, 2015

Most Pure Heart of Mary Schola Cantorum

This fall, Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic School in Kansas will become the third Catholic Choir School in the United States.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · March 2, 2015

The Great Secret

Oh, what would it be like to give my choristers a new motet and then lift my hands and go? Oh wait, we already do that.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · February 24, 2015

Permission Needed to Replace the Propers?—(4 of 7)

This year one, a seminarian from our parish is being ordained. He requested that we sing the Propers for his first Mass.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · February 19, 2015

A Practical Secret

“Condition choirs so that you have to tell them only once.”

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

“A striking detail: at Solesmes, we remember hearing Justine Ward criticize accompaniment sometimes or seeing her cover her ears, especially when the organ accompanied a soloist, which is something she could not accept.”

— Dom Pierre Combe

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Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.

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President’s Message (dated 30 May 2025)

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