Summit Choirbook
  • Gilbert
    Posts: 106
    Hey, does anyone know anything about the Summit Choirbook? It's published by the Dominican Sisters of Summit, New Jersey. Seems interesting.

    "Distinguished from other hymnals by its quality of text and quality of tune, its selections offer a breadth of classic sacred music, ranging from Gregorian chant to Eastern plainchants (Ukrainian, Russian, Polish), from translations of ancient texts to 20th Century compositions, and include as well ancient and modern poetry and folk carols."
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    would be interested to see it. never heard of it.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    I bought a copy last summer while driving to CMAA; it would be a good supplemental hymnal for a choir.

    Just to pick something at random, it has this at #401, for St. Stephen the protomartyr:

    tune: "Job" (as in "I heard the voice of Jesus say"):

    "When Stephen, full of power and grace,
    Went forth throughout the land,
    He bore no shield before his face,
    No weapon in his hand;
    But only in his heart a flame
    And on his lips a sword
    Wherewith he smote and overcame
    the foemen of the Lord."
    (Text by Jan Struther)
  • Adam Bartlett
    Posts: 533
    This really is a fascinating and very unique hymnal--I was unfamiliar with about 90% of the music in it, much of which is composed by the nuns, both text and music. There are some really great settings in it, though. I particularly like one of the settings of the Te Deum (in English). It's definitely not a "standard" hymnal, but is definitely worth having on the shelf.
  • urli
    Posts: 35
    There's more information about the Summit Choirbook and its editor, Sr. Maria of the Cross, here.

    Sr. Maria celebrated her golden jubilee of profession, and there are entries about her on the monastery's blog here and here. Check out the video on the last link, it's quite cool :)
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Just got my copy. Great resource. Thanks for the information about this hymnal. Like Adam says, it has a lot of music perhaps many of us have never seen before. Very cool.
  • G
    Posts: 1,397
    Growing up the Rosary Shrine was, for all intents and purposes, my parish.
    It was one of the reasons that I didn't know about, (and didn't really believe in,) the crisis in liturgy and liturgical music that has beset the Catholic church. (Mea culpa!)
    They have always conducted everything so reverently and well there.
    On top of that, they are a swell bunch of people. (They used to make killer apple butter and sell it... sigh.)
    I think anyone who has a blog, or other means of publicity, would be doing a great thing to advertise and suggest the purchase of the Summit Choirbook for Christmas presents -- after all this is NOT the year you want to be giving ephemeral junk.

    A Parish Book of Chant and a Summit Choirbook would make an ideal combo as a gift for a musician or cleric who doesn't have them, don't you think?

    (Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 993
    G - You're such a clever girl. I'm heading over to my blog right now.

    No apple butter, but they do make soap (less fattening).
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    The Dominican Nuns of Summit New Jersey
    http://www.nunsopsummit.org/

    I just visited the website.
    It says The Summit Choirbook is sold out, no longer available.
    I am stunned.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,499
    Sadly, the nun to whom we owe the hymnal has passed away.
    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    http://www.op.org/en/content/sr-maria-cross-1937-2012
    Thanked by 2Kathy CHGiffen
  • ghmus7
    Posts: 1,464
    I have a copy, and it is a superb Hymnal, maybe the best out there for the offices.
    Just a great wealth of hymody, edited with an introduction by none other that Eric Routley.
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