This year marks the 100th anniversary of the much-loved St. Gregory Hymnal and Catholic Choir Book (Imprimatur 1920). This icon of preconciliar parish choir and organ music has thankfully been republished by Refuge of Sinners Publishing, Inc.
In its day the St. Gregory Hymnal was famous, a common sight in American Catholic schools and parishes for congregational and choir singing, Masses, processions, Forty Hours' Devotions, Benediction, graduations and much more. The hymnal was the work of Nicola A Montani, a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Sylvester, who compiled, edited and arranged the hymns with great care.
In its day the St. Gregory Hymnal was famous, a common sight in American Catholic schools and parishes for congregational and choir singing, Masses, processions, Forty Hours' Devotions, Benediction, graduations and much more. The hymnal was the work of Nicola A Montani, a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Sylvester, who compiled, edited and arranged the hymns with great care.
Montani created a magnificent hymnal, a complete collection of approved English and Latin hymns, motets, Masses and liturgical music for the various seasons and days of the liturgical year with organ accompaniment. The Latin section contains 300 liturgical hymns, motets, offertory pieces, litanies and chants. The English section contains over 150 hymns for Advent, Christmas, Lent, Passion Sunday and Palm Sunday, Pentecost, Holy Communion and much more. Meanwhile, the Gregorian Chants are transcribed from the official Vatican sources.
Special highlights include the Ambrosian Chant: "Venite Omnis Creatura," the Ambrosian "Gloria," music for a First Solemn Mass, "Juravit Dominus," the traditional melody of the "Christus Vincit" popularly sung after Pontifical functions in Rome, and other hymns for choirs of fair ability and limited resources. One big plus is music for Pontifical Mass, including for Confirmation, episcopal consecration, installation of a new bishop, and visitation of a bishop. Not to mention the Gregorian Requiem Mass and Absolution, Vespers, Compline and the Nuptial Mass.
By God's grace, the revised complete edition has been reprinted. I recommend every Catholic home have a copy and every parish church should have a stack in the choir loft. When my parents graduated from primary school in the 1950's they sang from the hymnal the beloved hymn, "Long Live the Pope!" (p. 154). My grandfather who was a church organist eight decades made constant use of the St. Gregory Hymnal from the 1920's all the way until his retirement in the 1990's. One of the best memories of my life was when he played "Long Live the Pope!" for me as I sat in the front pew of the church of the Assumption in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota on a hot Saturday afternoon in August just before I departed for World Youth Day 1993 in Denver to see the Pope. My father, a tenor in the choir, accompanied him in the choir loft.
Order for purchase online HERE.
