EN YEARS AGO, we made an announcement. We declared publicly we’d begun work on a Spanish hymnal. Since that time, many have inquired about this project. They wanted to know whether it had been abandoned. Today I have another announcement: our project was never abandoned. We’ve been slowly collecting books and resources from all over the world. We believe there’s a tremendous need for a traditional Catholic Spanish hymnal.*
Volunteers Needed • At this point, we’re reaching out for assistance from native speakers (i.e. those fluent in Spanish). Volunteers join a special team—“CŒTUS” in Latin—that gets to hear all the songs in advance. Our proofreading procedure is rather simple: (a) Proposed hymns are sent out to the proofreaders; (b) If a significant number flag an “issue” or “problem” or “objection,” the hymn is sent back to our team of experts—including some who work at the Vatican. If you’re willing to help, please notify us: jeff@ccwatershed.org
An Example In Spanish • Here’s an example of our setting of Ad Regias Agni Dapes (an ancient Catholic hymn suitable for Eastertide or Holy Communion):
Free rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #33013.
No More Hokey • One priest said to us: “Hispanic Catholics in our parishes are often given leftovers and garbage—but they deserve the same as everyone else.” We do not believe music sung at Spanish Masses must ipso facto sound “hokey” or “secular” or “un-Churchy” or “undignified.” For instance, there’s no reason why the following setting of Ad Regias Agni Dapes (sung last Sunday by the 100% volunteer choir I direct) could not be translated into Spanish:
Not Rocket Science! • Once your congregation learns an excellent tune—following the shared melodies technique made famous by the Brébeuf Hymnal—that same melody can be used for other texts. Below is another example (from last Sunday) by the 100% volunteer choir I’m privileged to direct. One of the things I discuss constantly in this video seminar is the idea that conscientious choirmasters strive to avoid monotony. To that end, you might notice I add little “organ improvisations” between the verses:
Hymnal Title • We have not yet chosen a name for our collection. We’re considering something like: Himnario De La Santa Fe.
* Many had great expectations for a Spanish hymnal released by GIA Publications called ORAMOS CANTANDO. (Perhaps we shouldn’t have had high hopes, because GIA Publications is owned and operated by a non-Christian family.) To make a long story short, ORAMOS CANTANDO was a huge disappointment. Essentially, they just took a bunch of 1980s Broadway songs about “butterflies” and “gathering” and translated them into Spanish. A disproportionate amount of the translations were done by one person. Moreover, many songs included in ORAMOS CANTANDO have lyrics written by notoriously iniquitous men, including one who’s been accused by more than 44 women of horrific sexual crimes going back to 1979.
