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Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • “Hymns Ancient & Modern”

Jeff Ostrowski · August 7, 2017

OOGLE HAS UPLOADED a complete copy of HYMNS ANCIENT & MODERN, and I’ve included the PDF (41MB) toward the end of this article. HYMNS A&M is a famous Anglican hymn book containing many praiseworthy melodies and texts later adopted by Catholic hymnals. Number 145, for example, is an English translation of “Rex Sempiterne Coelitum,” a Roman Catholic hymn. (Orby Shipley has reminded us that the majority of Anglican hymns are ancient Catholic hymns translated into English.) I’m part of a team creating the St. Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal, and the marvelous hymns we’ve uncovered along the way are bewildering—to say nothing of the many contemporary works we’ve commissioned.

We love exploring hymns sung in two parts, for choirs who struggle with SATB. 1 Here is a glorious example:

    * *  PDF Download • “Rex Sempiterne” (English & Latin)

REHEARSAL VIDEOS for each individual voice await you at #4736.

That link (#4736) also contains a version totally in English—in case your choir is scared of seeing Latin!

EARLIER, I MADE REFERENCE to Number 145 in HYMNS A&M, which uses a translation by the compilers beginning with “O Christ the Heaven’s Eternal King.” There’s nothing wrong with that translation; indeed, about fifteen other translations might have been chosen. My choice, however—as shown above—was the excellent English translation by Fr. Fitzpatrick. Make sure to download Google’s scan of HYMNS A&M (1904 edition). The 1972 edition is also worth obtaining, but isn’t available online.

The hymn above (“Rex Sempiterne”) is actually a Renaissance revision of the ancient hymn “Rex Aeterne Domine.” This hymn can be sung at any time during the liturgical year. Indeed, we have made a special effort in the St. Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal to include pieces suitable for use throughout the year. We believe many hymnals fall short in this area, yet provide abundant choices for Advent, Christmas, Easter, and so on. Those hymnals would be adequate if church musicians only worked on major feasts—but the reality is, choirmasters must choose music throughout the entire year.

Consider two literal translations of this hymn:

    * *  PDF Download • REX AETERNE DOMINE (Two Literal Translations)

Do you know a more beautiful hymn? I do not.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   Unfortunately, many choirs—both Catholic and Protestant—feel they are “good enough” to sing SATB, but the results are unsatisfactory. SATB singing is supposed to sound good. If it’s not sounding good, the choirmaster should switch back to unison or 2-voice.

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

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Michigan. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

“Another cathedral functionary, a compañero named (coincidentally!) Francisco Guerrero, departs for the New World sometime before June 8, on which date the benefice held by him comes up for a split among three former choirboys whose voices have changed.”

— Chapter Resolution: 14 February 1562

Recent Posts

  • Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
  • Bishop François Charrière Vs. Hannibal Bugnini
  • 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • “My First Year with the Latin Mass” • A Music Director’s Perspective
  • Boston Auxiliary Bishop: “In offering the Traditional Mass for the first time, after removing the vestments, I knelt in the back pew and wept.”

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