What if we just said, "Unaccompanied, please."
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    Whereas, Jeff Ostrowski is among the finest composers of contemporary vernacular plain-song for Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite; and
    whereas, plainsong is traditionally and most perfectly performed without accompaniment of any kind; and
    while acknowledging the excellence of his organ accompaniment for the same and
    further acknowledging that the writer of this petition is doing at best a passable parody of petition-style language for humorous effect:
    let it be resolved and publicly stated that we, the undersigned do request and petition Jeff Ostrowski to record and release unaccompanied vocal renditions of his various new settings of the forthcoming corrected English translation of the Roman Missal, including especially his Mass in Honor of St. Ralph Sherwin, along with any other Mass settings (in full or in part) he has or will compose.

    (Pretty please).




    Signed....


    -Adam Wood
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,937
    The fact that he writes organ accompaniments is a strong reason why I use his music. I don't see unaccompanied chant as any kind of ideal. Organs have been approved for liturgy for what, a thousand years now? Almost sounds like tradition. I like his most excellent music just the way it is. Leave out the accompaniment if you don't like it.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    His accompaniments are excellent.
    I just would like to hear more unaccompanied recordings from him.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,937
    I have never met him, but I like him already because of his music.
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    To paraphrase the late Senator Bentley, "I've met JMO, I've studied and chanted unter JMO, I've been dazzled by his speed of light intellect at JMO breakouts, and I've endured JMO's stink-eye when the schola made a boo-boo. Adam, you're no JMO!"
    Adam, completely in jest, you're a stud and I hope you keep the open minded mantle going for decades, young lad.
    I have to decline your offer. JMO's little manual of bass note movement in chant accompaniments had me at "movement." I particularly think the accompaniment to the "Sherwin" is exquisite. I suspect JMO'd like you to record his chants unaccompanied and post them on the WorldWideInterlinkWebSatan'sPlayground to which the chant world would sing "Huzzah!" And, if you do that, I'll post recordings of me singing the Weber Ordinary accompanied by, gasp....wait for it......OMGosh.....a classsical guitar! (Noel just quivered in fear!)
    Now that I'm passed my 60th B-day, I'm downright cheery. Obnoxious and disliked still*, but cheery!

    *see, "1776", John Adams to Abigail.
  • ClemensRomanusClemensRomanus
    Posts: 1,023
    I'm still new to all this plainchant stuff, and I agree that JMO is an amazing composer, especially for organ accompaniment, but I, like Adam, would like "unaccompanied vocal renditions". I'd do it, but I definitely don't have the skill.
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