I attended a very fine vespers of Christ the King at Houston's Church of the Annunciation Sunday evening. Our friend, Felipe Gasper, is the new choirmaster there and treated us to some rare Catholic liturgical moments. There was quite a variety in the music, beautifully led by a guest professional choir of which Felipe is the director.

For an 'introit' was sung Weelkes' marvelous Alleluia, I heard a voice. The psalm CVL was in Latin to Anglican chant. This was all but stunning in pace, diction, and English nuance: one all but thought that he was attending evensong in Latin at Magdelene (pronounced 'Maudlin', if you please) College at Oxford. Magnificat was a seldom heard (or heard of!) polyphonic setting by J.J. Fux. (Felipe has a talent for presenting 'neglected' composers.) After the final Deo Gratias was sung 'Lo! he comes' to Helmsley, followed by an organ voluntary, Willan's prelude and fugue in c-minor. This latter was played on the currently-being-restored early XXth century Pilcher. The only jarring thing about this vespers was the continual changing to and from English this and Latin that. I must say, though, that the Latin psalm to Anglican chant was most scintillating. Try it!

So, what has this to do with 'Commendable Liturgical Music Publications', a general topic which we might want to explore as a break from the non-commendable things that often are deservedly excoriated here? Well, it is the hymnal which is being introduced at Annunciation. Many of you likely already know about this, and I am, admittedly, not really up on recent publications. The book to which I refer is an admittedly temporary one called Ignatius Pew Missal 2015. I would never commend to anyone any impermanent book, but knowing that many use such out of choice or necessity, I recommend this one to them because of some features that are, to my knowledge, unheard of in Catholic liturgical materials. The most daring thing it exhibits is a plethora of mass settings and hymnody, and responsories and alleluyas, all in chant notation. Several of the Gregorian masses are found here adapted to our new translation as well as in their original Latin form. The readings for Sundays and solemnities throughout the year are included, as are the responsorial psalms with their chant-like responsories in square notes. Hymnody? This is both a plus and a minus. There are only about two hundred-fifty or so hymns, but, except for a few surprising unfortunate ones, nearly all of them, texts and tunes, are exellent. The red and black layout is most pleasing and helpful. To me, it is most unhelpful that the hymns are arranged in alphabetical order of first line, rather than by season or feast. I find this an irritant. Most refreshing of all, though, is the profuse and unabashed presentation of chant notation for all plainchant ordinaries, hymns, alleluyas, and responsories, plus all the dialogues, etc. There are chant settings of all introits, psalms, alleluyas, and communion antiphons (while they were at it they should have provided the offertory antiphons as well!). It also has Willan's Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena adapted to the new Catholic translation.

I may be getting excited over something which most of you already know about, but thought it and the topic were worth discussion. There is, of course, the Vatican II Hymnal, and a few similar ones of which we are aware, but here is another one which should not be ignored... even if it does contain a bit of dross. Except for the fewer-than-needed number of hymns, one has to wonder with dropped jaw just what is the problem with the (names with held) publishers of our major hymnals!