OR THE BEATIFICATION of John Henry Newman on 19 September 2010, our organization commissioned—from legendary composer Kevin Allen—choral settings of Cardinal Newman’s hymns and poems. For this ceremony, Pope Benedict XVI traveled to Birmingham, England. Thanks to special recordings by Matthew J. Curtis, these special pieces were revealed for the first time in his presence. Over the last fifteen years, many have requested musical scores for these pieces. We never intended to have such a long delay, but various circumstances conspired against us.1
* PDF Download • GROUP PHOTOGRAPH
—Photograph of Sacred Music Symposium 2025 participants .
Newman’s Hymns • One hymn set by Maestro Allen was “Lead, Kindly Light.” We sang this piece last week during Sacred Music Symposium 2025. Below is a live recording—sung during a Mass which was packed to the gills—with the composer himself conducting:
The section starting at
marker 2:30 is not
to be missed:
Here’s the direct URL link.
Available on AMAZON.COM as of 29 June 2025:
Hymns of John Henry Cardinal Newman:
Kevin Allen’s Legendary Choral Settings
1 For instance, we’d been working with a very powerful cleric at the Vatican to write the PREFACE for this collection. This person has been our friend for many years, but when Traditionis Custodes was released on 16 July 2021, he suddenly cut off all contact with us. (This was perhaps because we are associated with “traditional” liturgical practices, of which there was deep suspicion in Rome.)
