New songs

[MonFrere]

It seems to me that, as the music director, on some days there isn’t a good selection of songs to sing for that particular liturgy. For a liturgy like Christ the King – there are many. For Holy Family – not too much of a selection. I used the Hymn – The Hands that First Held Mary’s Child because it mentions the three members of the Holy Family. But, I think we can do better than that.

IMO – it seems to me that this would be a good focus of attention for composers/arrangers/lyricists. It seems that there are “holes” in our liturgical selections using this particular means for screening.

Do you find “holes” that need filled for particular liturgies? Which ones? What do you do when you cannot find a good selection for a particular liturgy?

MonFrere

 

[CatholicZ09]

I find holes in the Sundays of Easter. I mean, there are 7 Sundays, and I don’t want to repeat songs over and over, so it’s hard finding new hymns to sing every week.

For something like the Feast of the Holy Family, I just use Christmas hymns since we are still within the Christmas season. One that mentions all members of the Holy Family is “The Snow Lay on the Ground”. You could look into that one. Another one is “Angels We Have Heard On High”: “Mary, Joseph, lend your aid, while we raise our hearts in love.”

Another time would be when we are in Cycle B of the church year. During the Bread of Life discourse, it’s hard to find hymns about Holy Communion each week.

 

[bostonboy23]

It seems to me that, as the music director, on some days there isn’t a good selection of songs to sing for that particular liturgy. For a liturgy like Christ the King – there are many. For Holy Family – not too much of a selection. I used the Hymn – The Hands that First Held Mary’s Child because it mentions the three members of the Holy Family. But, I think we can do better than that.

IMO – it seems to me that this would be a good focus of attention for composers/arrangers/lyricists. It seems that there are “holes” in our liturgical selections using this particular means for screening.

Do you find “holes” that need filled for particular liturgies? Which ones? What do you do when you cannot find a good selection for a particular liturgy?

MonFrere

of all the things that one could possibly worry about in this day and age i would have to say this question is probably the very last. also WHO CARES?

 

[Don9of11]

I think there are two few Christmas Marian hymns in the seasonal missalette which my church uses. Aside from Behold a Virgin Bearing Him or Stainless The Maiden there is not much to choose from. We sang Sing of Mary for our vigil mass last night.

 

[pnewton]

Yes, I do. However, I am slow to introduce too many new songs. I do not like solos, and that is all you have if you try so hard to find the perfect song that no one knows it.

 

[MonFrere]

of all the things that one could possibly worry about in this day and age i would have to say this question is probably the very last. also WHO CARES?

No no no … you’re taking the question in the wrong way. THIS SUGGESTION is one where music directors can take a positive and active role to make our liturgies better. This suggestion can be a good way to strengthen the OF of the Mass within the rubrics contained in the NO Mass. A recommendation that we have a wide selections of hymns that are appropriate for ALL our liturgies is a very constructive suggestion.

MonFrere

 

[MonFrere]

Yes, I do. However, I am slow to introduce too many new songs. I do not like solos, and that is all you have if you try so hard to find the perfect song that no one knows it.

I feel the same way. Yet, my “plan” is to introduce new songs, not on their “appeal” per se; but on their usefulness to the liturgy, especially if they’re going to “fill a gap” in one of the holes in our parishes repertoire. Having a “plan” is important.

MonFrere

 

[pnewton]

I feel the same way. Yet, my “plan” is to introduce new songs, not on their “appeal” per se; but on their usefulness to the liturgy, especially if they’re going to “fill a gap” in one of the holes in our parishes repertoire. Having a “plan” is important.

MonFrere

I agree. My plan is both annual and spanning years. I think you bring a real need when you mention these more unique days. Their very nature means that songs have to be introduced over years.

 

[benedictgal]

[edited]

Regarding the question raised by the OP, Christmas is not as difficult to plan. As CatholicZ09 has noted, as we are in the Christmas season, we can very well carols. Now, the challenge does come for the Baptism of the Lord, although, a great bridge hymn for this is Songs of Thankfulness and Praise since it brings all three Epiphanies together. Furthermore, you can still use this particular hymn for the following week, as it makes references to the miracle at Cana.

Now, we should be getting a directory of Sacred music in the near future. When I spoke to the USCCB regarding some of the questionable OCP settings, I was told by the Secretary that Rome is examining the directory that the USCCB submitted (back in 2006). I do suspect, however, that the CDWDS found some questionable songs in the directory, as this is perhaps why it is taking them a long time to grant the recognitio. Hopefully, this will come out some time this year.

 

[vivococo]

Perhaps more Catholics would come back if the services had music like the old days. When I was in elementary school, we sang Catholic songs with MELODY. I thought that mass in English would be a good idea, but you got too carried away with it and made us sing those Anglican funeral dirges.
We don’t want to be Protestant!!! Why can’t we have joyfull music at church???
In Sebring F;orida and Hartford Michigan, the Hispanic services are beautiful and joyous. Also the evening mass in Avon Park, Florida with the young people’s choir is spiritually uplifting because of the musical quality.
Please listen…bring back beauty to the service!
Sincerely,
Vivcoco

 

[Phemie]

I think there are two few Christmas Marian hymns in the seasonal missalette which my church uses. Aside from Behold a Virgin Bearing Him or Stainless The Maiden there is not much to choose from. We sang Sing of Mary for our vigil mass last night.

On January 1 the pastor was wondering which Marian hymn to sing. Someone suggested “Immaculate Mary” but to me that is more of the feast of the Immaculate Conception so I suggested that we go with “Hail Holy Queen, Enthroned Above” which says “We honour you for Christ, your Son, who has for us redemption won.” Everyone knows it and it’s well sung.

Yesterday, the same confusion looking for a hymn for Epiphany. Went with the “Huron Carol” which has had a verse added “To Jesus, from the ends of earth, three wise men came this day. To him they brought their precious gifts, before him they did pray. Like them we come to thee, O Son, Like them with joy we kneel before thee.”

I had assumed that since we’ve sung that before in our church and it’s quite traditional in Canada everyone would know it. No such luck. By the 2nd verse I was singing on my own. Not something you really want to hear.

 

[Don9of11]

Yesterday, the same confusion looking for a hymn for Epiphany. Went with the “Huron Carol” which has had a verse added “To Jesus, from the ends of earth, three wise men came this day. To him they brought their precious gifts, before him they did pray. Like them we come to thee, O Son, Like them with joy we kneel before thee.”

I had assumed that since we’ve sung that before in our church and it’s quite traditional in Canada everyone would know it. No such luck. By the 2nd verse I was singing on my own. Not something you really want to hear.

I have never heard of the Huron Carol, but then I don’t live in Canada. For our Epiphany Mass our opening hymn was Joy to The World, offertory was Silent Night, communion, We Three Kings of Orient Are and It Came Upon a Midnight Clear and for our closing hymn we did, O Come All Ye Faithful, 2 english verses and one in latin.

 

[Phemie]

I have never heard of the Huron Carol, but then I don’t live in Canada. For our Epiphany Mass our opening hymn was Joy to The World, offertory was Silent Night, communion, We Three Kings of Orient Are and It Came Upon a Midnight Clear and for our closing hymn we did, O Come All Ye Faithful, 2 english verses and one in latin.

We had no choir and no music for the anticipated Epiphany Mass so we had to make do with what was easily sung a capella by a congregation of ~25 spread over a nave that holds ~ 260. Not ideal by any stretch of the imagination.
On Sunday they sang
Entrance: O Come, All Ye Faithful
Offertory: The First Nowell
Communion: I Am the Living Bread (Haas)
Recessional: Joy to the World!

Here is the Huron Carol in its original language, as composed by St. Jean de Bréboeuf, and in its English and French translation.

youtube.com/watch?v=D6IG6F6E5Ac

Note that the usual English version (not translation) goes:

T’was in the moon of wintertime
When all the birds had fled
That mighty Gitchi Manitou
Sent angel choirs instead,
Before their light the stars grew dim
And wond’ring hunters heard the hymn,
Jesus your king is born, Jesus is born
In excelsis, gloria