Melanie and I were in agreement this morning after Mass that we wish somebody would put up a web site with MP3 recordings of good performances of good hymns. Not MIDI-generated computerish sound files that were high-tech in 1990. Not somebody with a cheap microphone in their parish. I mean professionally recorded and produced by professional musicians.
And not necessarily Gregorian chant. We’re thinking more along the lines of hymns in the Liturgy of the Hours and other older classic hymns. (It’s so sad that after 40 years of bad liturgical music we’ve been so impoverished that we don’t even know our rich musical heritage.)
We’d even pay for it, a la iTunes. We’re often left wondering what exactly is the tune for that hymn in today’s Morning Prayer or Evening Prayer because we’d like to sing it.
Unless, of course, somebody’s already done it and I haven’t found the web site….
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Domenico,
You don’t need to be “wondering what exactly is the tune for that hymn in today’s Morning Prayer or Evening Prayer because [you]’d like to sing it.” And you don’t need to wait to get the MP3s that you asked about.
I have to think that, like me, you and your wife use the four-volume set for praying the Liturgy of the Hours (LoH). This set does not contain any musical notation at all, but only the lyrics of the hymns.
Since you are willing to spend a bit of money, you should purchase a copy (about $30 new) of the one-volume version of the LoH, which—unless I am much mistaken—HAS the musical notation, with lyrics, for many (if not all) of the hymns found in the four-volume set. Of course, if you and your better half cannot read music, forget it!
You can check me on this by looking at a copy of the one-volume LoH in your local Catholic bookstore. The title is “Christian Prayer: The Liturgy of the Hours” (Catholic Book Publishing Company). You can probably find used copies for much less money.
Thanks Maureen, just what I was going to say.
AnUnSi,
Sadly, I have no musical abilities. I can’t even carry a tune. (But I do believe God loves for me to sing anyway.) I’ve long since faced the fact that I’m never going to be able to read musical notation.
That’s exactly why I want recordings.
Amy,
Thanks for the heads up on the Adoremus hymnal cds. I looked at the index and they don’t have all the hymns I’m looking for, but there are quite a few there. Might be worth investing in.
Everyone else,
Thanks for the links. Even though it’s not exactly what we are looking for, it’s still some good music.
I still say there’s a real market out there for musicians who wanted to record good Sunday hymns. not fancy polyphany or choral productions. Just good stuff the congregation can sing on the choir’s days off. Good stuff to replace all the contemporary drek we’re subjected to every week!