AST ARTICLES on this website have spoken about the importance of musical diversity during Mass. What I call musical diversity could also be referred to as “musical balance.” In an article called “Should Hymn Lyrics Be Inordinately Archaic?” I warned against excessively archaic lyrics, such as a translation of O SALUTARIS HOSTIA popular in many 19th-century hymnals: “intestine wars invade our breast.” But that doesn’t mean that one should never ever sing a hymn with archaic lyrics—and we saw that with Saint Robert Southwell’s Eucharistic Hymn.
Personal Preferences: Everyone has personal preferences. For myself, I’m not particularly drawn to many 19th-century hymn tunes. And yet, many Catholics love them. I try not to let my “personal taste” prevent me from having a balanced choral program. Below are two examples of 19th-century hymns which my singers love.
First Example: Page 727 in the Brébeuf hymnal is “Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All,” written by Father Frederick William Faber, published as #16 (“Corpus Christi”) in Oratory Hymns (1954); the complete poem has nine verses. The melody comes from 1826, and appears in Catholic books such as Mediator Dei Hymnal (1955) p. 55; Adoremus Hymnal (1997) #516; Eucharistic Hymnal, edited by Archbishop Joseph Schrembs (1935) p. 7. The text can be found in Catholic books such as Saint Andrew Hymnal, authorized by the Archbishops and Bishops of Scotland for use in the Scottish Dioceses (1964) p. 185 and the Pope Pius XII Hymnal (Ohio: Gregorian Institute of America, 1959) p. 9.
Second Example: Page 726 in the Brébeuf hymnal is “O Jesus, We Adore Thee,” a text by Father Irvin M. Udulutsch—and what a last name that is! Father Udulutsch was professor of music at the Seminary of St. Lawrence of Brindisi (Mount Calvary, Wisconsin) and a founding member of the Church Music Association of America.
