Adoremus Hymnal
Ignatius Press

This contains 149 Hymn tunes (Adoremus hymn tunes index), all of them traditional and beautiful. I believe the new edition also includes some additional hymns and the Latin Sequences. The new edition of Adoremus includes four new Mass settings (one each by Weber, Buchholz, Rice, and Haynes). It also has a "Missa Simplex," Mass I, Mass VIII, Mass IX, Mass XI, Mass XVII, and the Requiem Mass.

The Adoremus hymnal first appeared when I was six years old. When it appeared, it was basically the only hymnal available that contained no "sacro-pop," so it needs to be viewed with this fact in mind.

Potential flaws: The website for this book is the least advanced of any of the major hymnals. The typesetting does not compare to the Lumen Christi Missal, Vatican II Hymnal, or St. Michael's Hymnal (here is a sample page). Extremely limited content: no psalms, no readings, very few Gospel acclamations and settings of the Mystery of Faith, very few Mass settings, etc.

Vatican II Hymnal
Corpus Christi Watershed

This beautifully typeset book includes 131 hymn tunes (Vatican II index), organized in a very user friendly fashion. The first section gives numerous carefully chosen hymns for entrance and recessional. The second section gives more Communion hymns than I have ever seen in a Catholic hymnal, and the third section contains additional Communion hymns assigned by liturgical season (which can also sometimes be used for entrance/recessional). None of the sections repeat any hymn texts. The book also lays out the hymns very cleanly, and employs a single numbering system throughout, which congregations will appreciate.

Musical settings of the Mass (Roman Missal, 3rd Edition) are included in English: four complete Masses by Jeff Ostrowski, two Masses by Aristotle Esguerra, two Masses by Richard Rice, a Mass by Fr. Samuel Weber with numerous alternative movements, Mass settings by Bruce Ford, and a Mass by L. Columbkille Simms. Latin settings are also included: a setting by Kevin Allen, Gregorian Mass I, Mass VIII, Mass IX, Mass X, Mass XI, Mass XII, Mass XIII, Mass XVII, plus more than 25 additional selections (like Kyrie IV, Sanctus II, Agnus Dei, IV, etc.).

More importantly, this hymnal contains all the readings for years ABC (Sundays and major feasts) as well as all the Mass propers. Latin incipits allow the congregation to follow whether the propers are sung in Latin or English. The complete sung propers are used, so the choir can sing from Simple English Propers or Graduale and congregation can follow along with ease. This is the only hymnal I have seen that prints all the graduals in addition to the responsorial psalms and all the gregorian alleluias in addition to the gospel acclamations. The layout of the Mass ordinary in Latin/English is superb and clear. The line art is spectacular.

As a college student who is very much aware of iPads, iPhones, iPods, etc. what I really love about the Vatican II Hymnal is that all the organist scores, choir scores, practice videos, MP3 recordings, and so forth are provided on the website free of charge. For instance, I notice that the Adoremus hymnal even charges $6.00 for the accompaniment to the Mass by Fr. Haynes (through the St. John Cantius web store). I can tell you that these things are off-putting to my generation, and I feel that the Vatican II Hymnal has caught the zeitgeist by making every single harmonization for the Vatican II Hymnal available for free. The organist editions for all the Masses and hymns are also being sold in bound editions for obscenely low prices; e.g. the 196-page keyboard accompaniment for the hymns is less than $7.00 (softcover 8.5x11).

The scope of this review does not allow me to address all the other "add-ons" included in the Vatican II Hymnal, like six settings of the "Asperges me," five settings of the "Vidi Aquam," the ordinary in Latin/English of the Extraordinary form (true to Summorum Pontificum), the complete ICEL setting with its Latin counterparts, Esguerra's additional psalter, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and so on. Suffice it say that this hymnal is absolutely packed with good stuff, and the binding seems incredibly durable.

Potential flaws: Some may question why three metrical Masses were included, as the other 100+pages are all Gregorian chant inspired. Some may desire the Eucharistic Prayers of Reconciliation (the Vatican II Hymnal only included the four most commonly used Eucharistic prayers in Latin/English). Occasionally, a less known tune is given in one of the hymns (in an attempt to "educate" according to my reading of the author's Preface) and the more common tune is given as an "alternate." Some might prefer that the order be reversed.

St. Michael Hymnal
Schafer/O'connor

Beautifully typeset, this hymnal includes 255 hymn tunes (St. Michael index). Many of the hymn tunes are traditional and beautiful, while others employ a secular style. The fourth edition of St. Michael has attempted to purge many tunes that use a secular style (see this list), but some examples of questionable entries still remain, such as BALM IN GILEAD. The fourth edition includes a Mass by Richard Rice, four Masses by hymnal editor Brother Michael O'Connor, two Masses by James MacGregor, and four other Masses. A new edition to the fourth edition are musical settings of the entrance antiphons composed and harmonized by Richard Rice. The fourth edition seems to have added a whole bunch of Spanish hymns and also many hymns I have not heard before (link). I am not really sure about the admixture of Spanish hymns in an English hymnal as it seems to be "throwing a bone" to Spanish-speakers, while not really giving them anything substantive or, frankly, useful over the course of each liturgical year.

Potential flaws: In general, this is a very good hymnal because there is no shortage of hymns and they keep the traditional language (just like the Vatican II Hymnal and the Adoremus). However, the "ethos" of Catholic worship seems lacking. In other words, the emphasis is almost entirely on hymns. For the Catholic Mass, the emphasis should be on the Mass itself: graduals, communions, responsorial psalms, antiphons, readings, and so forth that actually make up the Mass. The advice of Pope Pius X is worth heeding: "Do not pray at Mass—pray the Mass!" If the Mass were a protestant service, the St. Michael hymnal would be perfect. Also, the organization of hymns in this book could be improved.

While I think that the Vatican II hymnal is probably the best of the group, I do wish that they would have included additional Lenten hymns. Much to my dismay, O Sun of Justice was missing. This was a huge caveat for me, as I wondered why they chose to exclude this beautiful hymn from the book.

I do wish that Lumen Christi would have some sort of a "happy medium" between the square notations and the modern notations.

I forgot to add that it was a good review, Daniel.

Worship IV is a terrible disappointment, indeed. It seems to me that solid, liturgical theology went out the door. I would rather go back to Worship II.

I use them quite a bit; a cursory review of worship aids posted on websites reveals that quite a few major cathedrals use them a lot too.

Humph! No one has mentioned the Hymnal 1940!
Now that the Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter is a reality, this is, I rather think, a hymnal that is unquestionably Catholic, it now being the Hymnal of Anglican Use Catholics. Of course, we of the ordinariate know full well that there are some, um, unfortunate items contained between its covers, but, we know what they are and avoid them. Otherwise, it is quite a Catholic hymnal with nearly impeccable contents and very, very little dross. It also has numerous psalms and canticles in the back set to a generous variety of Anglican chants, which many are incorporating into their repertories.I want to stress yet again that the 1940 IS now a Catholic book, used by the Anglican Ordinariate, and could be used, as well, by others.

Too, don't give short shrift to The Catholic Hymnbook (English), published by Grace Wing. Fine repertory. No dross.

I plan to do a similar comparison between the upcoming G I A bilingual hymnal and the revised OCP Flor y Canto book. Inasmuch as I reviewed the OCP sample CD, I am curious about the complete book.

Bravo, Jackson. In my diocese, several of us traditionally-minded musicians are Anglican converts (from before the Ordinariate; and one Anglican who is in the sights of a powerfully-praying octogenarian priest :-), and we all use The Hymnal 1940 regularly, both for the harmonizations and for good hymns unknown in Catholic circles.

At our diocesan evangelism conference this past weekend, I chose "Christ for the world we sing" as the recessional after Mass (which is sung to "Italian Hynn" aka "Moscow" in the 1940), and the attendees belted it out as if they had known it all their lives. A few of the musicians thought that perhaps I had written the text just for the conference! (I just did the harmonization, which melds what I think are the best parts of the 1940 harmonization and the 'standard' Catholic one).

Christ for the world we sing

There are just so many lovely hymns there. With it being Lent, I am particularly partial to "With broken heart and contrite sigh" to the Thomas Campion tune Babylon's Streams.

MJO, if you like the 1940, try the New English Hymnal. :) But what about the Catholic Truth Society? Didn't they also produce a Catholic hymn book? I think I looked into getting it, but it was over $50.00.

Speaking of the cover of the Vatican II Hymnal -- JMO, if you're reading -- the title *really* needs to be manually kerned (this applies to the spine as well). As it stands, the first A is scrunched up too close to the big V, then there's a yawning abyss between the I and the C, then the second A comes up too close on the C. The two I's in the Roman numeral look so far apart that there must be a whole space between them (and that little design that sits on top of them doesn't help matters either, since it make them look like columns or something instead of a numeral). Then in "HYMNAL" the Y is too close to the H and the A is too close to the N. A little practice with this kerning game wouldn't hurt. ;-)

Dear Gavin,

You probably saw the draft copy. The final copy has super high-quality, opaque, beautiful, THIN pages:

(ahem) ... so nobody has more info about the Catholic Truth Society Hymnal? How can I get a copy?

Daniel, not a problem at all. Expect an E-mail from me.

Quite simply, The Hymnal 1940 is one of the greatest hymnals (if not the greatest hymnal) of all time for English speaking Christians generally - and Anglicans and English-speaking Catholics, particularly.

Even in the early days post Vatican II, with a dearth of vernacular hymnody, Catholic hymnals made extensive borrowings from the 1940, at least until folksongs and the like infected Catholic musical culture.

While there are commendable additions that appear in The Hymnal 1982, the sad thing is that the 1982 also has unfortunate omissions as well as questionable addtions that render it (to the minds of many) as inferior to the 1940.

While one may debate whether a hymnal should include extra "bells and whistles" in the form of "worship aids" and the like, the fact remains that The Hymnal 1940 represents a treasure and ideal for its hymns and service music. Of course, those extra "bells and whistles" are, for the Anglican, properly contained in the Book of Common Prayer (or Book of Divine Worship in the Anglican Ordinariate).

I understand, Daniel. It's just that with the new Anglican Ordinariate, the use of the 1940 becomes relevant to many Catholics of the Anglican Use.

Mr. Osborn, I am interested in The Hymnal. I believe that this is a case where such mutual enrichment between the Anglican-Use Rite and the Ordinary Form would really come into play. Having been to Mass at Our Lady of Walsingham, I was greatly impressed and enthralled with the music. It certainly deepened the spirituality and the sacredness of the Mass.

By the way, my article was recently published on the CCW Blog:

http://www.ccwatershed.org/blog/2012/mar/1/roman-missal-third-edition-3rd-mass-accompaniment/

- Dan

The Gracewing was the hymn book I mentioned above. I confused the CTS with the Brompton Oratory. Does anyone know how to obtain a copy? Gracewing says the organ accompaniment edition may not be available until May. It is being reprinted.

JMO,

How does one go about getting the pdf files of the Marier? I worked with this book during the time I was in Worcester, MA back in the late 90's. I always thought it would be reprinted!

Daniel, you are correct. That's a bizarre way to notate a pew book. Can any of our UK friends tell us the reason for this ? Is it to help when melodies are shared for more than one text ?

Randolph said:

The Brits do this for an obvious reason: to instill and preserve a sense of poetic structure and unity of text. They might rest their case by pointing to the American Catholic inability to grasp the sense of poetic meaning and form while singing. Why else would those congregations end a hymn after only a couple of verses with a textual idea left incomplete? They might also question why contemporary Americans often seem willing to accept second rate hymn writers while the verse of someone like John Henry Newman remains unsung.

So perfectly sad and true. America, the unbeautiful... will you ever return to that which is truly beautiful and holy?

PS. The 1940 is absolutely stunning in every way. We claim back our Anglican rite as the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Keep 'em coming Holy Father!

Thanks, JMO!

I appreciate it... Hope it helps lots of musicians!!

200 does seem small. But each and every hymn in there is USABLE and UNIQUE! As opposed to buying a 800 hymn GIA hymnal, with 600 terrible texts set to "ODE TO JOY".

200 does seem small. But each and every hymn in there is USABLE and UNIQUE! As opposed to buying a 800 hymn GIA hymnal, with 600 terrible texts set to "ODE TO JOY".

Gavin, thank you so much for communicating clearly in a few words what I tried (with limited success) to communicate in this article.

I'm with Fr. Jim. We all have our preferences. I think we can do without the snarkiness. No hymnal is perfect but I think Worship IV is a very well put together hymnal. Is every text or tune to my liking? No, but on balance, there is much strong hymnody-texts old and new set to many, many venerable old tunes, as well as some delightful new ones. I do agree that more could have been done with propers, but then again, a hymnal is just that- a hymnal. To include everything would make the hymnal prohibitively expensive to produce, and too heavy to handle!

We must face the reality, especially in larger parishes, that we are here to SERVE. That means serving our ENTIRE community. I'm at a very large suburbarn parish. Not every piece of music I program puts me in a state of ecstasy, nor is it supposed to do that! I make progress by meeting the community where it is, stretching their boundaries, teaching them of the wonderful treasury of sacred music, including the use of propers! We've had a terrific response. The extensive use of hymnody is a reality that is not going away in most places. There is much music of the past 40 years is not going away any time soon, either. Do I really love "On Eagles Wings or Be Not Afraid?" Absolutely not. Is it important to some in the community I serve? You better believe it. As we teach and stretch our communities, charity comes first. Let's remember to check our egos at the door.