Armory of English Vernacular Hymns “Native” to the Roman Rite (Katholische Kernlieder)
  • Help me, if you please, compile a list of commonly sung (plus minusve) English vernacular hymns, preferably with a characteristic tune that is *not* the plainsong, that are actually translations or close paraphrases of sung texts native to the Roman Rite. These have always seemed to me especially appropriate for liturgical use in certain contexts.

    I’ll start by taking the easy ones:

    Come, Holy Ghost (Veni Creator) LAMBILLOTTE
    All Glory, Laud, and Honor (Gloria, Laus, et Honor) ST THEODULPH
    Hail, Holy Queen (Salve Regina) SALVE REGINA CAELITUM
    Be Joyful, Mary (Regina Caeli) REGINA CAELI JUBILA
    Blessed Feasts of Blessed Martyrs (O Beata beatorum) IN BABILONE
    Holy God, We Praise Thy Name (Te Deum) GROSSER GOTT
    God, We Praise You (Te Deum) NETTLETON
    Sing, My Tongue [both] (Pange lingua [both]) ST THOMAS and PICARDY
    Hark! A Thrilling Voice (En Clara Vox) MERTON
    Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Christians Haste... (Victimae Paschali) VICTIMAE PASCHALI

    In my opinion, these (and their like) should, for any Catholic musician working in a primarily vernacular milieu, function in the same way as the Kernlieder of the Reformation function in a Lutheran context, anchors and guides for the assembly’s song.
    Thanked by 2oldhymns CHGiffen
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 685
    I would recommend "A Catholic Book of Hymns" this is an excellent resource of good Catholic hymns, mystogically sound text, and good musical arrangements.
    https://www.sacredmusiclibrary.com/product/a-catholic-book-of-hymns/

  • davido
    Posts: 873
    The Strife is o’er (finita jam sunt proelia) VICTORY
    At the lambs high feast (ad Regis’s agni dapes) SALZBURG
    Down in adoration falling (tantrum ergo) ST THOMAS
    O saving victim (o salutaris) DUGUET
    O come emmanuel (veni emmanuel) VENI EMMANUEL
    All you who seek a comfort sure (quicumque certum queritis)
    The glory of these forty days (clarum decis) ERHALT UNS HERR
    Again we keep this solemn fast (ex more docti mystico)
    Some translation of Adoro te (there are so many out there, varies by hymnal)
    Ye sons and daughters (o filii et filiae) O FILII ET FILIAE


    In the Anglican tradition there are lots more, but I don’t think you could say that they are “commonly sung” in our parishes.
  • fcbfcb
    Posts: 331
    William Bright's "And now, O Father, mindful of the love" is kind of sort of a very loose paraphrase of parts of the second half of the Canon.