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Views from the Choir Loft

(Installment #6) “Catholic Hymnals” • Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski · September 4, 2020

Editor’s Note: Each contributor is reflecting upon Comparison of 15 Traditional Catholic Hymnals. Rather than rehashing Mr. Craig’s article, they were given freedom to “expand upon” this vast subject. Click here to read all the installments that have appeared so far.

ANY OF OUR READERS have had the experience of speaking in public. What I’m about to describe has probably happened to you at least once. You get ready for your big speech and type what you’re going to say. Your speech ends up being nine pages in length, and you walk out on stage pretty confident. However, you suddenly realize your speech is way too long. There is no way you can read all nine pages without putting everyone in the audience to sleep. Something similar has happened during Mass—especially Masses on Saturday or Sunday evening when no choir is present—and once it happens, you never want it to allow it to happen again! I’m talking about when you choose what you *think* is an excellent hymn. The trouble is, once you start singing, nobody—and I mean nobody—in the congregation joins in! …you’re left singing a solo!

When I read Daniel Craig’s exhaustive and excellent article comparing 15 different hymnals, I noticed attention was drawn to the “common tune technique” featured in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal. Many people don’t understand what “common tunes” are all about, and why the advertising materials for the Brébeuf Hymnal underscore their importance.

Today I will explain beyond
a shadow of a doubt what
“common tunes” are all about.

It takes congregations a long time—a very long time—to become extremely comfortable with a melody. Once you teach your congregation a particular melody—such as GONFALON ROYAL, one of Daniel Tucker’s favorite tunes—you can use that tune for various texts (depending on the season) because the Brébeuf Hymnal uses “common tunes.”

For example, in Lent you can use Hymn #90—a unison melody—with an English translation by Father John Fitzpatrick (a Catholic priest) for Pope Gregory the Great’s ancient Lenten hymn: Audi Benigne Conditor. This video demonstrates, but you have to put up with my (not very good) singing voice:

Since your congregation knows that tune, you can choose another hymn for Lent, viz. #222 in the Brébeuf Hymnal, which is an English translation of Ex More Docti Mystico, as shown in this video:

Yet another hymn for Lent would be #242 in the Brébeuf Hymnal, an English translation of Jam Christe Sol Justitiae (a.k.a. O Sol Salutis Intimis), as shown in this video:

For feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Brébeuf Hymnal provides #382—an English translation of Quem Terra, Pontus, Aethera—as shown in this video:

In the time leading up to Lent, which is traditionally known as “Septuagesimatide,” you can use #402 in the Brébeuf Hymnal, which is an English translation for the proper Septuagesima hymn: Rebus Creatis Nil Egens. Here’s a video showing that:

For Passiontide, feasts of the Holy Cross, and general feasts, consider using the “proper” text (ahem!) for GONFALON ROYAL, which is Vexilla Regis Prodeunt. In the Brébeuf Hymnal, #528 has an English translation by Father Frederick Charles Husenbeth, a Catholic priest. The CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA describes Father Husenbeth as follows: “Dr. Husenbeth’s personal character was attractive, for he possessed not only piety, learning, and culture, but also a singularly kind heart, agreeable manners, conversational powers of a high order, and a sense of humour which made him a very pleasant companion.” Here’s how #528 sounds:

When Pentecost arrives, you can use an English translation of the beautiful hymn to the Holy Spirit: Veni Creator Spiritus. (The Brébeuf Hymnal contains many translations and tunes for that ancient hymn, because it’s quite important.) In the Brébeuf Hymnal, GONFALON ROYAL is #502 as shown in this video:

Finally, throughout the entire year, you can use Rex Sempiterne Domine. An English translation is found at #428 in the Brébeuf Hymnal, as you can see in this video:

There are many other texts in the Brébeuf Hymnal that can be used with GONFALON ROYAL, and that is merely one of the numerous “common tunes” found there.

Jeff’s Conclusion

Congregations like to sing good melodies they know! Period. Full stop. In my entire life, I don’t think I’ve ever had someone from the congregation come to me and complain that we sing a particular melody “too frequently.” Congregations like singing songs they know.

I’m not going to lie: the Brébeuf Hymnal makes my life very easy on Sundays because of the “common tunes” and also because each verse is written out for the organist (when the organist has to simultaneously serve as cantor while playing). Daniel Craig’s article ranked as NUMBER ONE the Brébeuf hymnal, and the blog of the Church Music Association of America called it “hands down, the best Catholic hymnal ever published.”

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

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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Jean de Brebeuf Hymnal, Traditional Catholic Hymnals Last Updated: September 8, 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

    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —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

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— Cardinal Merry Del Val (shortly before his death)

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