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Views from the Choir Loft

How many tunes should we use?

Veronica Brandt · September 19, 2015

o saslutaris 15 SK SOMEONE THEIR FAVORITE Latin hymn, they’re likely to say Ave Maria, Ave verum or Panis Angelicus. Ask them which one and you may be met with a blank stare. Maybe they know of a few versions of the Ave Maria – the Schubert and the Bach-Gounod, for instance, but you can bet the Ave Verum is going to be by Mozart and Panis by Cesar Franck.

One thing about delving into hymnbooks is finding how many different ways there are to do things. It seems particularly strong with Latin hymns. Vernacular verses are forever mutating and multiplying, but Latin texts are fairly static. If you can’t modify the words, then that creative energy can flow into new musical arrangements.

Noel Jones, in his Catholic Choirbook Series makes good use of this feature by giving a variety of settings for each text. The choir may start with Adoramus Te Christe in unison accompanied by the organ and then move on to a polyphonic setting more easily once the words are known.

Many old (and not-so-old) Catholic hymnbooks have a surprising number of tunes for the standard hymns at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Growing up I was lucky enough to be aware of two tunes for Tantum Ergo or Down in Adoration Falling. Now I see that possibilities are much more rich and varied.

Hymnbook Settings of
O salutaris
Settings of
Tantum ergo
Liber Usualis 2 4
St Gregory Hymnal 7 10
St Basil 1918 6 7
Arundel Hymns 15 14
Eucharistic Hymns, Benediction, Hymns to Mary 9 8
A Treasury of Catholic Song 8 8
Cantuale Romano-Seraphicum 5 16


The Westminster Hymnal gives no tunes at all for Benediction, with the footnote:

To provide music for Benediction throughout the year is outside the scope of a hymnal. A selection of tunes for “O Salutaris” can be made from those headed “Long Meter” in the metrical index. “Tantum ergo” can be sung to any tune headed 878787 in the metrical index.

Using different settings helps broaden a choir’s repertoire. The congregation can at least be familiar with the words while becoming accustomed to new music. Different music may suit different seasons and circumstances.

So, maybe next time someone seems bored with the traditional hymns, maybe try a new tune before throwing out the old words.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Hymnbooks Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Veronica Brandt

Veronica Brandt holds a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering. She lives near Sydney, Australia, with her husband and six children.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    “Glory To God” • (For Choir + Congregation)
    I wish to thank everyone for the nice comments I received vis-à-vis my Glory To God setting for Choir & Congregation. A gentleman with a musical doctorate from Indiana University wrote: “Love this setting so much. And I will pray, as you asked, for your return to composition more fully. You are very very good.” A female choir director wrote: “I love your harmonizations, your musicality, and the wonderful interplay you have with dissonance and consonance in your music. So fun to listen to, and great for intellect, heart, and soul!” A young woman from California wrote: “Thank you for releasing your new Glory To God in honor of Saint Noel Chabanel. I'm enjoying reading through the various parts and listening to your recordings.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    William Byrd • “Mass for Five Voices”
    Our volunteer choir is learning the “Sanctus” from William Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices. You can hear a short excerpt (recorded last Sunday) but please ignore the sound of babies crying: Mp3 recording. We still have work to do—but we’re on the right track. Once we have some of the tuning issues fixed, I desire to use it as an example proving volunteers can sing complicated polyphony.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Baptism” • A Unique Hymn
    Father Christopher Phillips is the founding Pastor of Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church. One of his hymns is unique and (in my humble opinion) quite beautiful. His hymn is basically a prayer to the Holy Trinity but also speaks of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. It would be an ideal Communion hymn on Trinity Sunday or the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. You can hear live recording from last Sunday by clicking here.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The Pope is not an absolute monarch whose thoughts and desires are law. On the contrary: the Pope’s ministry is a guarantee of obedience to Christ and to his Word. He must not proclaim his own ideas, but rather constantly bind himself and the Church to obedience to God’s Word, in the face of every attempt to adapt it or water it down, and every form of opportunism.”

— ‘His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI (11 May 2005)’

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