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: 1,110
    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: 2,994
    The Saint Michael Hymnal is one of the best options available at present.
    Thanked by 5trentonjconn NathanPandohie LauraKaz Brian Michael Page Mattspmusic0320
  • trentonjconn
    Posts: 692
    You could find and buy an old Pius X hymnal.
    Thanked by 2NathanPandohie Brian Michael Page
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 8,980
    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: 733
    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.
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
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  • RMSawicki
    Posts: 129
    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 3CHGiffen M. Jackson Osborn jhpainter
  • Magdalene
    Posts: 22
    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 3CHGiffen mmeladirectress ServiamScores
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,433
    ..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: 526
    MJO, also its successors The New English Hymnal and The Revised English Hymnal.
    Thanked by 3M. Jackson Osborn CHGiffen Roborgelmeister
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  • 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: 10,964
    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: 8,433
    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 4CHGiffen tomjaw GerardH Brian Michael Page
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,940
    The Brebeuf Hymnal isn't bad. A little clumsy to navigate and some idiosyncratic tune choices, but still solid.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen ServiamScores
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  • DavidOLGCDavidOLGC
    Posts: 111
    Do the Ignatius Pew Missal and Source and Summit count?
    Thanked by 3Joseph Michael LauraKaz Brian Michael Page
  • francis
    Posts: 10,964
    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: 214
    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: 8,433
    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: 1,030
    Lumen Christi hymnal is no longer available, I do believe. It has been supplanted by the Source and Summit missal.
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 754
    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: 2,130
    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.
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • francis
    Posts: 10,964
    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 2oldhymns tomjaw
  • ghmus7
    Posts: 1,486
    St. Michael Hymnal is vety hard to beat.
  • Cantus67Cantus67
    Posts: 210
    This one is finally out.
    https://osjustipress.com/products/our-lady-of-mount-carmel-hymnal
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,994
    I’m going to be reviewing this one very soon. I’ve been compiling notes. In terms of content, the Os justi is nice, but in terms of editing it is a dumpster fire. I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m genuinely shocked it has made it to press. It is not ready for prime time.
    Thanked by 6AnimaVocis irishtenor CHGiffen MatthewRoth … Expand
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,232
    Editing is a fading art, and good editors are an endangered species.
    Thanked by 5mattebery CHGiffen OMagnumMysterium tomjaw Elmar
  • AnimaVocis
    Posts: 169
    Serviam is right, sadly... I was rather let down by what I saw....
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,232
    From the New York Herald during the U.S. Civil War:

    “The world has seen its…silver age, its golden age….This is the age of shoddy. The new brown-stone palaces on Fifth Avenue, the new equipages at the Park, the new diamonds which dazzle unaccustomed eyes…the new people who live in the palaces, and ride in the carriages, and wear the diamonds and silks—all are shoddy. From devil’s dust they sprang, and unto devil’s dust they shall return….Six days in the week they are shoddy businessmen. On the seventh day they are shoddy Christians.”
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 2,679
    I look forward to the review. I was let down by just the preview, and they need feedback from likeminded or sympathetic people. I have somewhat different views from some here as to how one can achieve not only the right music in a parish but high-quality sacred music (everything has tradeoffs of course), but careful editing of everything and thoughtful design matter a lot in being convincing, or at least taken more seriously. The PrayTell folks aren't going to buy this hymnal, but they can't dismiss it if it is as error-free as possible, to include doing things "normally", like not following the Liber Usualis with spondees also having accent marks — that's always the accent, so it's redundant and time-consuming. (In fact, I once thought that the LU method was better, until I realized how much time it took me when I could have been doing other things on my projects.) So that was certainly a choice.
    Thanked by 2Liam CHGiffen
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,994
    In short: the editing is egregious. There are literally more collisions than I can count. Half the hymns do not have proper attribution. Simple things (like verse numbers) don't even always line up. Fonts don't match; 2 page hymns require page turns rather than laying open as spreads... the list goes on for quite some time. I desperately *wanted this to be a success*, and thought it might be nice to purchase a number of them as choral supplements at the very least, but in its current implementation, I lament the money I already spent on a single copy. It is a true pity. So many mistakes could have been very easily avoided. To be clear: I am criticizing presentation, rather than content. (Although, it must be admitted that even content is a bit funny; the hymnal cannot *quite* decide what it wants to be. Choral book? Pew book? St. Gregory Hymnal reincarnated? Kyriale? All of the above!)
    Thanked by 7Liam CHGiffen tomjaw StimsonInRehab OMagnumMysterium … Expand
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  • AgnusDei1989
    Posts: 24
    There's always the Traditional Roman Hymnal, published by Angelus Press. It comes in a two-voice "pew edition" and a four-part "choir edition". Well-bound, clearly printed (with translations!) and has a nice selection of repertoire, particularly in the way of chant. No accompaniments for the chant, unfortunately, but if you're good at working out harmony from square notes it's fine (and of course one can always sing them a cappella!) The choir version has an appendix of beautiful extra motets for various occasions. All the Mass ordinaries and Credos are included, along with the responses for the simple, solemn and Solemnior Prefaces.
  • SponsaChristi
    Posts: 484
    There's always the Traditional Roman Hymnal, published by Angelus Press.

    It’s out of print. It’s also rather sparse when it comes to hymns, especially for congregational singing. It get monotonous after awhile. It’s great for seasonal music, but anything that falls in the “after epiphany” or “after Pentecost” it gets a bit dry.

    There’s the St. Michael Hymnal.
    https://www.stmichaelhymnal.com/5th-edition/index-of-first-lines-and-titles/
    Thanked by 1StimsonInRehab
  • AgnusDei1989
    Posts: 24
    It’s out of print
    I hadn't realized that, sorry! Hopefully they'll do another printing soon.
  • Jeffrey Quick
    Posts: 2,130
    The Choir Edition of TRH is listed as "out of stock" at Angelus Press. The spiral bound edition (for the organist) is still available. They aren't listing the melody-only ed. at all.
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