Salve Festa Dies
  • Somebody asked me where they can obtain the score for this hymn in preparation for Easter. I can't seem to find it in the Liber. Any ideas?
  • Jscola30
    Posts: 116
    Summit Choir Book
  • I think it can be found in the Traditional Roman Hymnal, but I wonder which "Liber" contains this hymn as well, since this is a pretty familiar chant.
  • You can find both the chant and Vaughn Williams versions in The English Hymnal, circa 1936. You will also discover enough verses for a real Procession for each of the major feast - Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost - as well as another for the Dedication of a church. If you're looking for Latin, "Analecta Hymnica" has versions ranging fro 6 to 20+ verses for all the major Feast of both Jesus and Mary, and even some of the major Western saints. I have used the Vaughn Williams version a lot in the past. There is a version in "Songs of Praise" (from OUP, edited by RVW and Percy Dearmer) for regular Sundays. And I have authored a Doxology verse specifically for the musical verse with triplets.
  • 'Salve Festa Dies' is also in the old Solesmes book "Processionale Monasticum" dating from 1893, but reprinted by Solesmes. This slim book has processional chants for most Sundays of the year and many major feasts. It's listed by Paraclete Press (I just looked).

    Another useful book of chants (not propers) for use throughout the church year is "Cantus Selecti". (Unfortunately, it doesn't contain Salve Festa Dies).
  • If you can't find it, contact me (on this forum).
  • I mis-wrote earlier. It actually is in Cantus Selecti. Sorry about that.
  • It truly is in the SSPX Hymnal named "The Traditional Roman Hymnal."
  • Jscola30
    Posts: 116
    I shouldn't have been such a jerk...If you don't know about the Summit Choir Book, here it is: http://www.nunsopsummit.org/scb.html

    I highly reccomend this resource!
  • BachLover2BachLover2
    Posts: 330
    http://www.nunsopsummit.org/scb.html appears not to be working
    Thanked by 1Roborgelmeister
  • MarkThompson
    Posts: 768
    If anyone still needs a source for this, it's on p. 237 of Laudes Festivae (1940; ~10MB pdf), and p. 1928 of Mass and Vespers (1957; ~112MB pdf), both available from this site.
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    Re: the Salve Festa Dies, because it was never made part of the Editio Vaticana, I've noticed many variants (in both text and melody).

    Check out the SALVE FESTA DIES in the NOH (Nova Organi Harmonia) Volume 7 --- the melody is VERY different than the popular editions in America.

    I like the "typical" version, like the one sung by the Benedictine Monks of En Calcat.

    http://www.liturgica.com/htmlsite/musicInfo_catNo_AG008.html

    ...then again, I like everything those monks sing!
  • Donnaswan
    Posts: 585
    This hymn is found in GIA's Ritualsong- #588

    Donna
  • LarsLars
    Posts: 137
    Has anyone attempted to set english words to original melody? There is a strange version of it in the english hymnal 1906 but I don't like it at all.
    Thanked by 1Roborgelmeister
  • It was replaced in the Liber Hymnarius by a different text "Salve Dies"pg.210 Hebdomadae II & IV - Quando Officium Lectionis dicitur diurno tempore.

    I also have this version from a different hymnal
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  • Liber Hymnarius Version
    Screenshot 2026-03-05 132324.png
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    897 x 500 - 12K
  • @Lars ha- I didnt realize you were opening a new comment years later- I guess my versions are no good for you. Have you tried Fr. Samuel Weber? Even if he doesnt have it- he might do it for you for free- I have often asked him for help with such things and he does it in lightening speed.
    Thanked by 1Lars
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,942
    I have not looked at translations, but have found various latin texts,
    https://societyofstbede.wordpress.com/2024/04/14/salve-festa-dies/

    This hymn and its various parodies do not have a constant line length, Any good translator should produce a better text in translation that could be metrical /strophic.

    Translations could be found here,
    https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/20840/english-translations-of-latin-hymns
  • Hymns Ancient and Modern Revised (1950) has all of the processions covrved in the English Hymnal. Some might find these translations preferable to those in EH. The English Catholic Hymn Book (various publication dates, possibly most recently rev. in 1955), has a version for Corpus Christi. ECHB was produced for the Anglo-Papalists in the C of E who didn't find all they would have wished for in the EH.
    Thanked by 2Lars tomjaw