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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

The Most Popular Hymn Tunes? • A List

Jeff Ostrowski · December 18, 2018

Y COMPUTER CURRENTLY contains hundreds of “hymn tune folders” allowing me to conveniently compare all the different harmonizations of a particular hymn. For example, if we are talking about EISENACH, I can see how it was harmonized in the New Westminster Hymnal, Ted Marier’s hymnal, the Mediator Dei Hymnal, the London Oratory hymnal, the New Saint Basil Hymnal, and so on. Sometimes, I have as many as 15 different harmonizations for a single hymn tune. You see, my primary involvement with the Brébeuf Hymnal had to do with the melodies.

Which melodies were the most popular? The following come from THE NINE. (Nine hymnals I judged to be the finest and most important.) When you see “11” or “10” that means certain hymnals used a melody more than once. A computer generated this list:

11 – AVE VIRGO VIRGINUM
11 – REGENT SQUARE
11 – SALZBURG
11 – WINCHESTER NEW
11 – WAREHAM
11 – OLD HUNDREDTH
11 – PASSION CHORALE
11 – PUER NOBIS NASCITUR
11 – LASST UNS ERFREUEN
11 – ELLACOMBE
10 – VULPIUS
10 – ST THOMAS (Webbe)
10 – ST FLAVIAN
10 – SONG 34
10 – EISENACH
10 – DULCE CARMEN
10 – AUSTRIA
9 – STUTTGART
9 – VENI EMMANUEL

9 – TALLIS CANON
9 – STABAT MATER
9 – ST THEODULPH
9 – ROCKINGHAM
9 – ORIENTIS PARTIBUS
9 – ORIEL
9 – OLD 112TH
9 – MELCOMBE
9 – INNSBRUCK
9 – DUNDEE
8 – ST COLUMBA
8 – O FILII ET FILIAE
8 – NUN DANKET
8 – HYFRYDOL
8 – GROSSER GOTT
8 – EASTER HYMN
8 – DIVINUM MYSTERIUM
8 – DEUS TUORUM MILITUM
8 – BRESLAU

I was thrilled to see this list. All those melodies are prominently featured in the Brébeuf Hymnal, with the exception of DUNDEE.

A new hymn tradition? Nope.

The Brébeuf Hymnal committee did not attempt to create a brand new tradition of hymn singing. The majority of tunes are known and loved by Catholics. Consider the following hymns—published with an 1876 IMPRIMATUR—which appeared in Boston:

    * *  PDF • Excerpts from a Catholic Hymn Book (1877)

Every single melody in that PDF was included in the Brébeuf hymnal. For example, the melody found on page 34:


Fun Fact: Do you remember what Archbishop Fulton Sheen said about Heaven? He said if we make it there, two things will surprise us: (1) people we thought would be in Heaven won’t be; (2) people we didn’t think would make it there will be. During this project, two things surprised us. On the one hand, we encountered people who bragged loudly about their knowledge—but, in fact, knew virtually nothing about hymnody (and what they did “know” was erroneous). 1 On the other hand, some approached us claiming to know very little about hymns—yet these often turned out to be incredibly knowledgeable. I guess the lesson is: Don’t be intimidated by people who talk a big game; and don’t dismiss the humble.

Can A Melody Be Catholic?

There is no debate regarding whether a text is Catholic. When you open up the Brébeuf Hymnal, you will see that every page contains Catholic texts—Pange Lingua, Sancti Venite, Christe Redemptor, Auctor Beate Saeculi, Rex Sempiterne, and so on—translated by Catholic priests and bishops. We did make exceptions for a few Protestant texts (e.g. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing) but such texts constitute a tiny, inconsequential percentage. We had no problem finding rich and powerful Catholic texts; e.g. Analecta Hymnica by Fr. Dreves contains 10,000 ancient hymns!

But can a melody be Catholic?

Can something inherent in a pattern of notes make it Catholic or Protestant? Such a question has no easy answer. Generally speaking, there are three schools of thought:

1. Guido d’Arezzo Approach

Guido d’Arezzo is credited with formulating the notes of the scale: DO, RE, MI, FA, SOL, LA, TI. Some argue that any melodies using the scale tones—pretty much every hymn ever written—is de facto a Catholic melody. There is logic here, but the Brébeuf Hymnal committee did not take this approach.

2. Melodic Fragment Approach

Many hymn melodies are falsely attributed to Protestant composers. Some say “Martin Luther” or “J.S. Bach”—but many of these are, in fact, plainsong melodies which Martin Luther or Bach (or whoever) took from the Catholic church. Indeed, the vast majority of hymn tunes consist of melodic phrases which can be found in plainsong, whether Solesmes or Nivers, although the rhythm is not always the same. The “melodic fragment approach” is based on sound logic. After all, when a Protestant denomination adopts Veni Creator Spiritus or Pater Noster or Ad Coenam Agni, those prayers don’t become Protestant—they remain Catholic.

3. Brébeuf Approach

The Brébeuf Hymnal committee built upon the “melodic fragment approach”—except for melodies strongly associated with the Protestant Revolution, such as Amazing Grace or Ein feste Burg, which we excluded. However, certain tunes have become neutral—centuries ago they had negative associations, but not anymore. We did not exclude excellent hymn melodies which are neutral, especially when they have been placed in outstanding Catholic hymnals for a long time.

Let me reiterate: There is no dispute about what makes a hymn TEXT Catholic; but when it comes to what makes a MELODY Catholic, that is a more difficult—even for experts. What I have called the “Brébeuf Approach” is nothing new. For example, notice how the New Westminster Hymnal (Roman Catholic) excluded Protestant texts…but please carefully examine the melody:

    * *  PDF • Excerpt from New Westminster Hymnal (IMPRIMATUR 1939)

Someone who is “very strict” (but misinformed) would exclude O Sacred Head Surrounded—because that melody was originally a secular dance. Someone who is “very strict” (but misinformed) will forbid the pipe organ at Mass, since it was originally a secular instrument and hence was excluded from Catholic worship. Over time, the pipe organ lost those associations and now is held up as the preëminent instrument by Church documents. The three approaches outlined above demonstrate the nuances of this issue. 2

To summarize: When a Protestant borrows and rearranges melodic phrases from plainsong, he does not create a “Protestant melody.” Similarly, if a Protestant says a Catholic prayer—such as the Hail, Mary—that doesn’t make it a “Protestant prayer.” It remains a Catholic prayer.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   More than one person claiming to be “the world’s hymn expert” had only seen 1-2 hymnals. Indeed, one American adamantly refused to believe any other hymnal was published except the one he knew. The Brébeuf Hymnal draws on hundreds of hymnals from across the globe—it is not limited to a handful of hymnals. This was absolutely crucial.

2   How does this work in real life? Consider SONG 9 by Orlando Gibbons, which has a bunch of names: Song 34, Angel’s Song, Come Kiss Mee With Those Lips Of Thine, Thus Angells Sung, and so forth. This is one of the most beautiful melodies I know. The provenance would seem to be Protestant, right? Not so fast; the original versions were set to books of the Bible (Lk 2:13 and Song of Songs) and the Bible is “a Catholic book written for Catholics,” as Fr. Leslie Rumble reminds us. More importantly, every single phrase in this hymn can be found in Gregorian chants. Finally, its Protestant associations faded away centuries ago. The New Westminster Hymnal, perhaps the greatest Catholic hymnal of the last 100 years, agrees with us.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Jean de Brebeuf Hymnal, The Names Of Hymn Tunes Last Updated: May 11, 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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President’s Corner

    PDF Comparison Chart • “Serious Problems with the Lectionary Translation”
    EARS BEFORE truly revolutionary changes were introduced by the post-conciliar reformers, Evelyn Waugh wrote (on 16 August 1964) to John Cardinal Heenan: “I think that a vociferous minority has imposed itself on the hierarchy and made them believe that a popular demand existed where there was in fact not even a preference.” We ask the kind reader— indeed, we beg you—to realize that those of us born in the 1940s and 1950s had no cognizance of Roman activities during the 1960s and 1970s. We were concerned with making sure we had the day’s bus fare, graduating from high school, taking care of our siblings, learning a trade, getting a job, courting a spouse. We questioned neither the nuns nor the Church.1 Do not believe for one instant any of us were following the liturgical machinations of Cardinal Lercaro or Father Bugnini in real time. Setting The Stage • To never question or resist Church authorities is praiseworthy. On the other hand, when a scandalous situation persists for decades, it must be brought into focus. Our series will do precisely that as we discuss the Lectionary Scandal from a variety of angles. We don’t do this to attack the Catholic Church. Our goal is bringing to light what’s been going on, so it can be fixed once and for all. Our subject is extremely knotty and difficult to navigate. Its complexity helps explain why the situation has persisted for such a long time.2 But if we immediately get “into the weeds” we’ll lose our audience. Therefore, it seems better to jump right in. So today, we’ll explore the legality of selling these texts. A Word On Copyright • Suppose Susie modifies a paragraph by Edgar Allan Poe. That doesn’t mean ipso facto she can assert copyright on it. If Susie takes a picture of a Corvette and uses Photoshop to color the tires blue, that doesn’t mean she henceforth “owns” all Corvettes in America. But when it comes to Responsorial Psalm translations, certain parties have been asserting copyright over them, selling them for a profit, and bullying publishers vis-à-vis hymnals and missals. Increasingly, Catholics are asking whether these translations are truly under copyright—because they are identical (or substantially identical) to other translations.3 Example After Example • Our series will provide copious examples supporting our claims. Sometimes we’ll rely on the readership for assistance, because—as we’ve stressed—our subject’s history couldn’t be more convoluted. There are countless manuscripts (in Greek, Hebrew, and Latin) we don’t have access to, so it would be foolish for us to claim that our observations are somehow the ‘final word’ on anything. Nevertheless, we demand accountability. Catholics in the pews are the ones who paid for all this. We demand to know who specifically made these decisions (which impact every English-speaking Catholic) and why specifically certain decisions were made. The Responsorial Psalms used in America are—broadly speaking—stolen from the hard work of others. In particular, they borrowed heavily from Father Cuthbert Lattey’s 1939 PSALTER TRANSLATION:
    *  PDF Download • COMPARISON CHART —We thank the CCW staff for technical assistance with this graph.
    Analysis • Although certain parties have been selling (!!!) that translation for decades, the chart demonstrates it’s not a candidate for copyright since it “borrows” or “steals” or “rearranges” so much material from other translations, especially the 1939 translation by Father Cuthbert Lattey. What this means in layman’s terms is that individuals have been selling a translation under false pretenses, a translation they don’t own (although they claim to). To make RESTITUTION, all that money will have to be returned. A few years ago, the head of ICEL gave a public speech in which he said they give some of “their” profits to the poor. While almsgiving is a good thing, it cannot justify theft. Our Constant Theme • Our series will be held together by one thread, which will be repeated constantly: “Who was responsible?” Since 1970, the conduct of those who made a profit by selling these sacred texts has been repugnant. Favoritism was shown toward certain entities—and we will document that with written proof. It is absolutely essential going forward that the faithful be told who is making these decisions. Moreover, vague justifications can no longer be accepted. If we’re told they are “making the translations better,” we must demand to know what specifically they’re doing and what specific criteria they’re following. Stay Tuned • If you’re wondering whether we’ll address the forthcoming (allegedly) Lectionary and the so-called ABBEY PSALMS AND CANTICLES, have no fear. We’ll have much to say about both. Please stay tuned. We believe this will end up being the longest series of articles ever submitted to Corpus Christi Watershed. To be continued. ROBERT O’NEILL Former associate of Monsignor Francis “Frank” P. Schmitt at Boys Town in Nebraska JAMES ARNOLD Formerly associated w/ King’s College, Cambridge A convert to the Catholic Church, and distant relative of J. H. Arnold MARIA B. Currently serves as a musician in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte. Those aware of the situation in her diocese won’t be surprised she chose to withhold her last name.
    1 Even if we’d been able to obtain Roman journals such as NOTITIAE, none of them contained English translations. But such an idea would never have occurred to a high school student or a college student growing up in the 1960s. 2 A number of shell corporations claim to own the various biblical translations mandated for Roman Catholics. They’ve made millions of dollars selling (!) these indulgenced texts. If time permits, we hope to enumerate these various shell corporations and explain: which texts they claim to own; how much they bring in each year; who runs them; and so forth. It would also be good to explore the morality of selling these indulgenced texts for a profit. Furthermore, for the last fifty years these organizations have employed several tactics to manipulate and bully others. If time permits, we will expose those tactics (including written examples). Some of us—who have been working on this problem for three decades—have amassed written documentation we’ll be sharing that demonstrates behavior at best “shady” and at worst criminal. 3 Again, we are not yet examining the morality of selling (!) indulgenced texts to Catholics mandated to use those same translations.
    —Guest Author
    “Music List” • 17th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (27 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Communion • “Ask & You Shall Receive”
    All of the chants for 27 July 2025 have been added to the feasts website, as usual under a convenient “drop down” menu. The COMMUNION ANTIPHON (both text and melody) are exceedingly beautiful and ancient.
    —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

“These liturgists protest that the choir must be encouraged, but in the same breath we are told its purpose is to lead the congregation in the singing of hymns and other unison music. These directions from non-musicians who have never created a musical sound—let alone direct a choir—are the cause of consternation among practicing musicians, both instrumentalists and singers.”

— Monsignor Richard J. Schuler (30 November 1967)

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