Views from the Choir Loft

Cantus Varii

Jeff Ostrowski · December 24, 2022

PDF Download • “What Child Is This?” • Jeff’s Arrangement of This Carol … in Latin!

This morning I sat down and arranged what—in my view—is one of the beautiful Christmas carols.

Jeff Ostrowski · October 15, 2022

USCCB • “Principal Music Books for the Eucharist”

The principal books of music for the Eucharist were recently (re-)confirmed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Jeff Ostrowski · November 19, 2020

PDF Download • Several Useful Plainsong Books

“Variae Preces” (1892) — “Cantus Varii” (1902) — “Cantus Varii” (1928) — “Cantus Selecti” (1957)

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Jeff Ostrowski · January 15, 2020

What Palestrina Did With Kyrie II (“Fons Bonitatis”)

Many erroneously believe the Kyrie was the only thing troped, but that’s not even close to true.

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Jeff Ostrowski · February 21, 2017

PDF Download • “Cantus Varii” (469 Pages)

The revolution continues!

The “Secret” Prayer

It would be difficult to imagine more holy prayers than the “orations” at Mass: i.e. the Collect, Secret, and Post-Communion. Consider the Secret Prayer for Trinity Sunday: “Hallow, we pray thee, Lord our God, by our invocation of thy holy name, this sacrificial offering, and work upon us until we too become an eternal offering to thee: through our Lord.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • 4th Sunday of Lent

Some have expressed interest in perusing the “ORDER OF MUSIC” I prepared for the 4th Sunday of Lent (30 March 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The Propers are particularly beautiful, especially the INTROIT (“Lætare Jerúsalem”).

—Jeff Ostrowski

Communion Chant (4th Sunday of Lent)

You can download the Communion Chant for the 4th Sunday of Lent (Year C). Its opening phrase calls to mind the authentic version. I have created a rehearsal video to assist volunteer choirs.

—Jeff Ostrowski

The Funeral Rites of the Graduale Romanum

Lately I have been paging through the 1974 Graduale Romanum (see p. 678 ff.) and have been fascinated by the funeral rites found therein, especially the simply-beautiful Psalmody that is appointed for all the different occasions before and after the funeral Mass: at the vigil/wake, at the house of the deceased, processing to the church, at the church, processing to the cemetery, and at the cemetery. Would that this “stational Psalmody” of the Novus Ordo funeral rites saw wider usage! If you or anyone you know have ever used it, please do let me know.

—Daniel Tucker

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).

—Corpus Christi Watershed

The Lofty Nature of This Goal

It is important above all that we never lose sight of our true goal as church musicians: the right worship of Almighty God. This is not a pious sentiment that should cause us to be lax about technical elements of music. Rather, the lofty nature of this goal is should motivate and inspire us to pursue the techne of musicianship with even greater zeal.

—Dr. Samuel Backman