Looking for a Traditional Catholic Hymnal
  • NathanPandohieNathanPandohie
    Posts: 2
    Hello everyone,

    I've recently started listening to Catholic music, especially while driving, and I'm really enjoying it. The music I currently listen to is more contemporary, with a Caribbean flair similar to OCP or GIA, and it comes from a church I used to attend when I lived in Trinidad and Tobago. Now, I'm looking for something more traditional.

    I'm interested in finding a hymnal with traditional Catholic songs—ideally a physical one, as I enjoy the tactile experience of physical books. However, if you think a list of songs would be more suitable for me, I'd also appreciate that. I could eventually compile these songs into my own custom hymnal, if I choose the list of songs option.

    I've seen discussions here about some Protestant hymnals, like the English Hymnal or Hymnal 1940, which are often considered by some to be of higher quality than Catholic hymnals. If you believe one of these is worth recommending, I'm open to suggestions, provided the hymnal contains a minimal amount of songs with theological issues from a Catholic perspective. I've also come across mentions of the St. Gregory Hymnal, and it seems to be regarded similarly to the Protestant hymnals I just mentioned. I'm open to considering something like that, even if it's quite old or out of print.

    Additionally, I'm hoping to record these hymns to listen to in my car and will try to find recordings on YouTube as well. I plan to start learning to play on my electric piano, which has an organ mode, but I'm just starting out. If you have any suggestions for resources that might help me, I would greatly appreciate it.

    Thank you all in advance for your recommendations!

  • MarkB
    Posts: 1,087
    For a free resource to start with, go here:

    https://sacredmusiclibrary.com/hymnal

    For tactile, you could print it out. There is also an option to purchase a physical, bound copy on the same website.

    Thanked by 2NathanPandohie Don9of11
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,897
    The Saint Michael Hymnal is one of the best options available at present.
    Thanked by 4trentonjconn NathanPandohie LauraKaz Brian Michael Page
  • trentonjconn
    Posts: 628
    You could find and buy an old Pius X hymnal.
    Thanked by 2NathanPandohie Brian Michael Page
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,217
    As a source for listening, you might like

    https://catholicdevotionalhymns.com/

    which has new recordings of classic hymns.

    Thanked by 2NathanPandohie Don9of11
  • NathanPandohieNathanPandohie
    Posts: 2
    chonak, thank you so much for your suggestion! It's really just a treasure trove of wonderful music. However, I do have one question for you: Do you know of any other websites that have songs that are older than 1850? Many great Catholic songs, like, for example, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, which are older than 1850, are not included in that website. I'm not complaining, just asking if you know of any other places where I can get older music. Thank you!
  • CGM
    Posts: 702
    I agree that the St. Michael Hymnal is your best bet as a printed product.

    There's a huge collection of free hymns here:
    https://musicasacra.com/music/english-hymns-in-the-commons/

    You can't print them all out at once, alas, but you can print out as many of them as you like.
  • RMSawicki
    Posts: 128
    If you can lay your hand on a copy of The Hymnal 1940 - grab it and never let go!
    ;-)

    Gaudete in Domino Semper!
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen M. Jackson Osborn
  • Magdalene
    Posts: 15
    I just finished my own parish hymnal! (except the SATB/accomp version. That's almost done)
    If you would like a link, let me know. It's primarily Public Domain hymns, with a few token pieces from the Dominican Liturgical Center in Kraków that I got permission to include.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen mmeladirectress
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,421
    ..lay your hand...
    The 1940, besides being still in print, can be had from Amazon.
    Also The English Hymnal (1906).
    The EH stands alone amongst all hymnals in its presentation of plainchant hymns in chant notation.
    (I would be happy to be proven mistaken.)
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • GerardH
    Posts: 468
    MJO, also its successors The New English Hymnal and The Revised English Hymnal.
    Thanked by 3M. Jackson Osborn CHGiffen Roborgelmeister
  • Jean67
    Posts: 2
    Hello,

    It's wonderful to hear about your growing interest in Catholic music.

    If you're looking for something deeply rooted in the Catholic tradition, I highly recommend exploring the Intégrale de Chant Grégorien. This comprehensive collection is a treasure trove of traditional Gregorian chant.

    You can purchase the Intégrale de Chant Grégorien online. Here’s a direct link for more details: https://www.musique-liturgique.com/boutique/chant-gregorien/integrale-de-chant-gregorien-a-40/
  • francis
    Posts: 10,835
    I have published a hymnal - Fleur-de-lis.

    It is a very concise hymnal (130 pages) containing a handful of masses from the Kyriale, numerous hymns of Gregorian chant, and about 100 of the best known hymns of all time appropriate for singing as bookends to the Latin mass. This is also the perfect hymnal to introduce more traditional Catholic music to a Novus Ordo community.

    The School Edition includes traditional folk songs and rounds, canons and catches which help fill out a music program at a Catholic school. It really is an optimal music compilation perfect for Catholic school music program. Being very lightweight, it’s easy for students to carry around.

    PM me for more information, photos of the hardbound edition, table of contacts and sample pages in a PDF format.

    FK
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,421
    The Catholic Hymn Book, an English Catholic hymnal, should not be overlooked. Published by Gracewing, it has no dross amongst its hymns and tunes.
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen tomjaw GerardH
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,934
    The Brebeuf Hymnal isn't bad. A little clumsy to navigate and some idiosyncratic tune choices, but still solid.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • DavidOLGCDavidOLGC
    Posts: 90
    Do the Ignatius Pew Missal and Source and Summit count?
    Thanked by 2Joseph Michael LauraKaz
  • francis
    Posts: 10,835
    Nathan inspired this web page for the hymnal I am now offering to the public.

    http://franciskoerber.com/fleur-de-lys-hymnal/
    Thanked by 3LauraKaz Chant_Supremacist DavidOLGC
  • RoborgelmeisterRoborgelmeister
    Posts: 176
    The Saint Michael Hymnal could be improved if the hymns were in liturgical categories, rather than alphabetical order: the least liturgical option.
    The Catholic Hymn Book, an English Catholic hymnal, published by Gracewing, is a largely good hymnal. Surprisingly, it has some of Westendorf's hymns from the 50s and early sixties, listed with his pseudonyms, which leads one to wonder if the copyrights were actually pursued. It has a few odd hymns that are historical relics connected to Brompton Oratory, and probably are sung nowhere else. And a few tunes are presented in non-standard form, but nearly every hymnal errs in this way.
    But CHB and the new Revised English Hymnal present hymn texts separately from the music, which has become very unpopular in the U.S. The Hymnal 1940 has some unusual layouts where text and tune are not in close proximity (approved in 1940, and actual publication after 1943, when wartime shortages demanded a VERY compact layout,
    The layout of the REH is spacious to a nearly ridiculous degree). St. Patrick's Breastplate takes eight pages. The accompaniment to plainsong hymns is often in very small type, which will certainly invite warming up the photocopier. There is an excellent selection of hymns for Corpus Christi and Benediction. Good for reference, and it can double as a door stop.
    Thanked by 1tomjaw
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,421
    The Lumen Christi hymnal hasn't been mentioned.
    It has a selection of fine hymns, and a separate selection of peerless office hymns with their plain chant tunes in modern note heads.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • davido
    Posts: 947
    Lumen Christi hymnal is no longer available, I do believe. It has been supplanted by the Source and Summit missal.
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 713
    If you are interested in learning more about the author and composer's of hymns please visit my website Mother of Mercy Catholic Hymns and click on the tab HYMN OF THE MONTH
  • Jeffrey Quick
    Posts: 2,092
    The Traditional Roman Hymnal (2nd ed.) from Angelus Press is worth a look. There's quite a bit of chant in it, which may not totally be your cuppa. And it's SSPX, but it doesn't have sede cooties. If you find a cheap used 1st edition, it might meet your requirements, but the music editing is terrible.

    The Episcopal 1940 hymnal is obviously not Catholic, but the texts are generally pretty non-protestant, and it may be the best single collection of traditional hymns ever compiled.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,835
    NOTE: I used the content in The Traditional Roman Hymnal as the basis for the Fleur De Lys Hymnal... very much the same content, but in a different format, more condensed, and in a pew edition with melody alone. Still have to create the choir edition.
    Thanked by 1oldhymns
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