Music Suggestions
Solemnity of Epiphany of the Lord - Vigil Mass (ABC)

Liturgical Music

Official texts

Introit:
1. Ecce advenit [Graduale Romanum, p.56]
2. Ecce advenit [Gregorian Missal, p.217]
3. Ecce advenit (William Byrd)
4. Venite, adoremus [Graduale simplex, p.76]
5. Venite, adoremus (Johann Kaspar Aiblinger)
6. Mass Propers for Christmastide (Gary Penkala)
7. Behold, the Sovereign Lord is coming [Simple English Propers, p.46 (Adam Bartlett) CMAA]
8. The Lord and ruler is coming [Simple Choral Gradual, p.35 (Richard Rice) CMAA]
9. Behold, the Lord, the Mighty One [Lumen Christi Missal, p.914 (Adam Bartlett) Illuminare Publications]
10. Arise, Jerusalem, and look to the East [Saint Meinrad Antiphons for the Church Year (Columba Kelly OSB) p.13, Mode 8 / OCP]
11. Arise, Jerusalem, and look to the East [The Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) 4 versions, pp.105-107 / Ignatius Press]
12. Arise, Jerusalem, and look to the East [English Proper Chants (John Ainslie) p.28, with Psalm 72[71] / Liturgical Press]
13. Behold, the Lord, the Mighty One [Lumen Christi Simple Gradual (Adam Bartlett) #172, with Psalm 72 / Illuminare Publications]
14. O come, let us worship him [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.22, with Psalm 95 / Liturgical Press]
15. Arise, Jerusalem, and look to the East [Mass Propers for Christmastide (Penkala) p.2, with Psalm 2]
16. Behold, the Sovereign Lord Is Nigh [tune: Winchester Old] from Introit Hymns #12 (Christoph Tietze)
Gradual (Responsorial Psalm):
1. Omnes de Saba [Graduale Romanum, p.57]
2. Omnes de Saba [Gregorian Missal, p.218]
3. Omnes de Saba (Giovanni Matteo Asola, Josef von Eybler, Jacob Handl, Orlando di Lasso)
4. Omnes gentes servient ei [Graduale simplex, p.77]
5. All the nations will come [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.23, with Psalm 72 / Liturgical Press]
6. Chabanel Psalmody
7. Parish Book of Psalms (Arlene Oost-Zinner)
8. Common Psalms for Schools & Parishes (Thomas Cosley)
9. All They from Saba Shall Come (Leo Sowerby, Jacob Handl)
Alleluia (Gospel Acclamation):
1. Vidimus stellam eius [Graduale Romanum, p.58]
2. Vidimus stellam eius [Gregorian Missal, p.219]
3. Vidimus stellam eius (William Byrd)
4. Afferte Domino [Graduale simplex, p.78]
5. Alleluia, Ascribe to the Lord [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.24, with Psalm 29 / Liturgical Press]
6. We Have Seen His Star (Everett Titcomb)
Offertory:
1. Reges Tharsis [Graduale Romanum, p.58]
2. Reges Tharsis [Gregorian Missal, p.219]
3. Reges Tharsis [Graduale simplex, p.79]
4. Reges Tharsis (Adam Taylor)
5. Reges Tharsis (William Byrd, Josef von Eybler, Max Filke, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, John Sheppard)
6. Mass Propers for Christmastide (Gary Penkala)
7. The kings of Tarshish [Simple English Propers, p.47 (Adam Bartlett) CMAA]
8. All nations shall serve him [Simple Choral Gradual, p.36 (Richard Rice) CMAA]
9. All the kings of the earth [Lumen Christi Missal, p.914 (Adam Bartlett) Illuminare Publications]
10. The kings of Tharsis [The Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) 4 versions, pp.108-110 / Ignatius Press]
11. All the kings of the earth [Lumen Christi Simple Gradual (Adam Bartlett) #173, with Psalm 72 / Illuminare Publications]
12. The kings of all the world [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.25, with Psalm 72 / Liturgical Press]
13. The kings of Tarshish [Mass Propers for Christmastide (Penkala) p.3, with Psalm 96]
Communion:
1. Vidimus stellam [Graduale Romanum, p.59]
2. Vidimus stellam [Gregorian Missal, p.221]
3. Vidimus stellam [Graduale simplex, p.80]
4. Vidimus stellam [Communio, p.293 (Richard Rice) CMAA]
5. Vidimus stellam eius (William Byrd)
6. Mass Propers for Christmastide (Gary Penkala)
7. We have seen his star in the East [Simple English Propers, p.49 (Adam Bartlett) CMAA]
8. We have seen his star in the East [Choral Communio, p.22 (Richard Rice) Hostia Laudis Co]
9. We have seen his star in the east [Simple Choral Gradual, p.37 (Richard Rice) CMAA]
10. We have seen his star in the East [Lumen Christi Missal, p.914 (Adam Bartlett) Illuminare Publications]
11. We have seen his star in the East [Laudate Dominum Communion Antiphons (Andrew Motyka)]
12. The brightness of God [Saint Meinrad Antiphons for the Church Year (Columba Kelly OSB) p.13, Mode 7 / OCP]
13. The brightness of God [The Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) 4 versions, pp.111-113 / Ignatius Press]
14. The brightness of God [English Proper Chants (John Ainslie) p.29, with Psalm 97[96] / Liturgical Press]
15. We have seen his star in the East [Lumen Christi Simple Gradual (Adam Bartlett) #174, with Psalm 72 / Illuminare Publications]
16. We have seen his star in the east [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.26, with Psalm 96 / Liturgical Press]
17. The brightness of God [Mass Propers for Christmastide (Penkala) p.5, with Psalm 98]
18. We Have Seen His Star (Everett Titcomb)
Mass settings:
1. Latin Chant Masses VIII (De angelis) & XI (Orbis factor)
2. Latin Gregorian Chant Masses XI (Orbis factor) & VIII (De angelis)
3. Latin Missa sanctorum angelorum (Calvert Shenk)
4. Latin Mass of Saint Jerome (Christopher Bord)
5. Mass of Our Lady, Help of Christians (Richard Connolly)
6. Mass of Saint Agnes (B. Andrew Mills)
7. Mass of the Angels (Richard J. Clark)
8. Mass of the Redemption (Calvert Shenk / Adam Taylor)
9. Modal Mass (Calvert Shenk / Adam Taylor)

Other liturgical music

Alleluia Noel (Gary Penkala)
Christmas Litany (J. William Greene)
Common Psalms for Schools & Parishes (Thomas Cosley)
Communion Psalms for the Liturgical Seasons (Gary Penkala)
Ecce advenit (Gregorian chant) Proper Introit for Epiphany [Liber usualis p.459]
From East to West: A Christmas Processional (arr. Gary Penkala)
Graduale Romanum [Solesmes edition]
Graduale simplex [Vatican edition]
Gregorian Missal [Solesmes edition]
Mass Propers of Christmastide (Gary Penkala)
Psalm 96 (Christopher Bord)
Universal Music for Morning Prayer (Gary Penkala)
Universal Music for Evening Prayer (Gary Penkala)

Hymns

A Child Is Born in Bethlehem (HH #42, HPSC #99, WIII #384, LCH #24)
As with Gladness Men of Old (HH #52, ICEL #33, WIII #409, AH #353, CH #229, HPSC #114, CBW #478, CHB #41, SMH #435, EH #52, VII #236, LCH #36)
At the Lord's Appearing (Kathleen Pluth) from Hymns for the Liturgical Year
Behold, the Sovereign Lord Is Nigh [tune: Winchester Old] from Introit Hymns #12 (Christoph Tietze)
Bethlehem, of Noblest Cities (AH #352, CHB #42, VII #339)
Brighest and Best of the Stars of the Morning (CH #233, HH #50, CHB #43, SMH #461, EH #46, VII #337)
Earth Has Many a Noble City (HH #53, ICEL #34, CH #230, SMH #511, EH #48)
Hail to the Lord's Anointed (AH #354, CH #175, HH #54, HPSC #181, ICEL #229, CHB #3, SMH #554, EH #545, LCH #35)
How Brightly Beams the Morning Star (CD #815, WIII #390, HH #55, CH #214, CHB #45, EH #329)
O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright (HPSC #256, SMH #677)
The First Noel (AH #327, CBW #460, CH #211, HPSC #318, ICEL #30, PMB #31, WIII #408, CHB #37, SMH #780, EH #61, VII #235, LCH #17)
We Three Kings of Orient Are (AH #350, CH #232, ICEL #35, PMB #38, WIII #406, SMH #822, EH #51, LCH #37)
What Star Is This? (HH #58, WIII #407, HPSC #350, CBW #477, CHB #49, SMH #827, EH #47)

AH = The Adoremus Hymnal, Ignatius Press

CBW = Catholic Book of Worship II / Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops

CD = Cantate Domino / Hymnal Supplement, GIA Publications, Inc.

CH = The Collegeville Hymnal, The Liturgical Press

CHB = The Catholic Hymn Book [London Oratory], Gracewing Publishers

EH = The Hymnal 1940 (Episcopal), used by many Anglican Use Roman Catholic parishes

HH = Hymnal of the Hours, GIA Publications, Inc.

HPSC = Hymns, Psalms & Spiritual Canticles, out of print but excellent

ICEL = ICEL Resource Collection, GIA Publications, Inc.

LCH = Lumen Christi Hymnal, Illuminare Publications

PMB = People's Mass Book, World Library Publications, Inc.

SMH = The Saint Michael Hymnal – 4th Edition 2011, Saint Boniface Church, Lafayette IN

VII = Vatican II Hymnal, Corpus Christi Watershed

WIII = Worship, 3rd Edition, GIA Publications, Inc.

Choral Music

All They from Saba Shall Come; (Leo Sowerby, Jacob Handl)
Arise, Shine, O Zion (Maurice Greene)
Behold A Star from Christus (Felix Mendelssohn)
Blessed Be the Lord (Eugene Englert)
Cum natus esset Jesus (Cristóbal de Morales)
Gaudete omnes (Jan Pieters Sweelinck)
Hodie Christus natus est (Gregorian chant) from Booklet of Chant, Volume 1
Magi veniunt ab oriente (Jacobus Clemens non Papa)
O magnum mysterium (Giovanni Gabrieli, Tomás Luis de Victoria)
O Splendor of God's Glory Bright (John Reese)
O'er the Hill and O'er the Vale (J. William Greene)
Offertorien für Weihnacht und Epiphanias (Max Filke)
Orietur stella (Jacob Handl)
Outlanders, Whence Come Ye Last? (J. William Greene)
Quem pastores laudavere (arr. John Rutter) from Carols for Choirs II [Oxford]
Salve puerule (M.A. Charpentier) from Carols for Choirs III [Oxford]
Singet dem Herren (Johann Pachelbel)
Ten New Carols for Advent and Christmas, Volume 1 (Gary Penkala)
Ten New Carols for Advent and Christmas, Volume 2 (Greene, Brumby, Penkala)
We Have Seen His Star (Everett Titcomb)
Where Is the Newborn King? (Andreas Hammerschmidt)
Videntes stellam (Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Francis Poulenc, Tomás Luis de Victoria)

Organ Music

As with Gladness Men of Old (Henry Markworth) [Parish Organist, Part 1 - Concordia]
Christum wir sollen loben schon (J.S. Bach) from Orgelbüchlein
Communion from Messe basse (Camil van Hulse)
Dix (Don Freudenberg) [Organist's Companion, September 1996]
How Lovely Shines the Morning Star (Paul Manz) [Improvisations for the Christmas Season, Set III - Morning Star Music Publ 10-102]
How Lovely Shines the Morning Star (Max Reger) [Chorale Preludes for the Church Year - Carl Fischer]
Little Prelude on Morning Star (Randolph Currie) [Organist's Companion, November 1991]
Morning Star (G. Winston Cassler) [Organist's Companion, December 1980]
Partita on Dix (Dennis Janzer) [Organist's Companion, October 1986]
Postlude on Kings of Orient (Gordon Young) [Ten Christmas Organ Voluntaries - Presser]
Prelude on The First Noel (James Konkel) [Organist's Companion, November 1989]
Promenade on We Three Kings (Jack C. Goode) [Organist's Companion, December 1984]
The First Noel (Wilbur Held) [Six Carol Settings - Concordia 97-4985]
The First Noel (Charles Ore) [Eleven Compositions for Organ Bk 3 - Concordia 97-5702]
The Three Kings (Wilbur Held) [A Nativity Suite - Concordia 97-4461]
Wie schön leuchet der Morgenstern (Andreas Amrsdorff) [Church Organist's Golden Treasury III - Oliver Ditson Co]
Wie schön leuchet der Morgenstern (J.S. Bach) [Church Organist's Golden Treasury III - Oliver Ditson Co]
Wie schön leuchet der Morgenstern from Five Chorale Preludes (Colin Brumby)
Wie schön leuchet der Morgenstern (Dieterich Buxtehude) [Church Organist's Golden Treasury III - Oliver Ditson Co]
Wie schön leuchet der Morgenstern (Johann Pachelbel) [Church Organist's Golden Treasury III - Oliver Ditson Co]
Wie schön leuchet der Morgenstern (Flor Peeters) [Thirty Chorale Preludes]
Wie schön leuchet der Morgenstern from Two Christmas Preludes from Manuals (Donna Robertson)
Wie schön leuchet der Morgenstern (Stephen Rohde) [Organist's Companion, December 1985]

Liturgical Hints & Ideas

The liturgies of Epiphany demand a certain solemnity — highlighted by procession, incense, chanting, and great music. The choir can easily repeat some of the music of Christmas. The use of Latin can emphasize the universality of Christ's manifestation.

According to the Roman Missal – Third Edition [Epiphany]:

Where it is the practice, if appropriate, the moveable Feasts of the current year may be proclaimed after the Gospel, according to the formula given [in Appendix I].

This is a wonderful custom to revive, announcing the date of Easter and all the great movable feasts dependent on it. It is best chanted, and the music may be found in the Missal, with the current text at Proclamation of the Date of Easter

Music SuggestionsSolemnity of Epiphany of the Lord - Vigil Mass (ABC)