Music Suggestions
The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed [All Souls' Day]

Liturgical Music

These are suggestions from among the many musical options given in the chant books.

Official texts

Entrance Antiphon [Introit]:
1. Requiem æternam dona eis Domine [Graduale Romanum, p.669]
2. Requiem æternam dona eis Domine [Gregorian Missal, p.688]
3. Requiem æternam dona eis Domine [Graduale simplex, p.401]
4. Requiem æternam dona eis Domine (Felice Anerio, Christoph Christoph Dalitz, Claudio Macchi, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Simone Stella)
5. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord [Simple English Propers, p.402 (Adam Bartlett)]
6. Grant them eternal rest, O Lord [Simple Choral Gradual, p.294 (Richard Rice) CMAA]
7. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord [Lumen Christi Missal, p.969 (Adam Bartlett) Illuminare Publications]
8. I. Just as Jesus died and has risen [Saint Meinrad Antiphons for the Church Year, p.111 / Mode 1 (Columba Kelly OSB) OCP]
9. II. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord [Saint Meinrad Antiphons for the Church Year, p.112 / Mode 6 (Columba Kelly OSB) OCP]
10. III. God, who raised Jesus from the dead [Saint Meinrad Antiphons for the Church Year, p.113 / Mode 7 (Columba Kelly OSB) OCP]
11. I. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord [Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) pp.887-888 / Ignatius Press]
12. II. God, who raised Jesus from the dead [Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) pp.887-888 / Ignatius Press]
13. I. Just as Jesus died and rose again [English Proper Chants (John Ainslie) p.206, with Psalm 118[117] / Liturgical Press]
14. II. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord [English Proper Chants (John Ainslie) p.208, with Psalm 65[64] / Liturgical Press]
15. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord [Lumen Christi Simple Gradual (Adam Bartlett) #372, with Psalm 65 / Illuminare Publications]
16. I. Lord, grant that they may have eternal rest [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.300, with Psalm 65 / Liturgical Press]
17. II. Lord, grant that they may have eternal rest [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.300, with Psalm 6 / Liturgical Press]
18. III. Open for me the gates of justice [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.301, with Psalm 118 / Liturgical Press]
19. I. Just as Jesus died and has risen [Mass Propers for Solemnities and Feasts II (Penkala) p.2, with Psalm 33]
20. II. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord [Mass Propers for Solemnities and Feasts II (Penkala) p.2, with Psalm 33]
21. III. God, who raised Jesus from the dead [Mass Propers for Solemnities and Feasts II (Penkala) p.2, with Psalm 33]
22. Grant Them Eternal Rest, O Lord [tune: Land of Rest] from Introit Hymns 86 (Christoph Tietze)
Gradual (Responsorial Psalm):
1. Requiem æternam dona eis Domine [Graduale Romanum, p.670]
2. Requiem æternam dona eis Domine [Gregorian Missal, p.689]
3. Requiem æternam dona eis Domine (Felice Anerio, Christoph Christoph Dalitz, Claudio Macchi, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Simone Stella)
4. Desiderat anima mea ad te, Deus [Graduale simplex, p.404]
5. I. My soul is longing for you [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.302, with Psalm 42 / Liturgical Press]
6. II. I will sing for ever [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.303, with Psalm 89 / Liturgical Press]
7. III. Let us go up rejoicing to the house of the Lord [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.304, with Psalm 122 / Liturgical Press]
8. Chabanel Psalmody [Option 1] -or- Chabanel Psalmody [Option 2]
9. Parish Book of Psalms [Option 1] -or- Parish Book of Psalms [Option 2] (Arlene Oost-Zinner)
Alleluia (Gospel Acclamation):
1. Requiem æternam dona eis Domine [Graduale Romanum, p.671]
2. Requiem æternam dona eis Domine [Gregorian Missal, p.690]
3. De profundis clamavi [Graduale simplex, p.407]
4. Alleluia, out of the depths [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.305 / Liturgical Press]
5. I. When Israel went down from Egypt [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.305, with Psalm 114 / Liturgical Press]
6. II. O God, you are my God [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.306, with Psalm 63 / Liturgical Press]
7. III. Out of the depths I cry to you [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.307, with Psalm 130 / Liturgical Press]
8. De profundis clamavi (Johann Georg Albrechtsberger, Nicolaus Bruhns, Giovanni Croce, Michel-Richard de Lalande, Josquin des Prez, Christoph Willibald Gluck, Jeffrey Quick, Ludwig Senfl)
Offertory:
1. Domine Iesu Christe, Rex gloriæ [Graduale Romanum, p.674]
2. Domine Iesu Christe, Rex gloriæ [Gregorian Missal, p.693]
3. Domine Iesu Christe, Rex gloriæ (Johannes Ockeghem, August Söderman)
4. Redemptor meus vivit [Graduale simplex, p.410]
5. O Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory [Simple English Propers, p.403 (Adam Bartlett)]
6. O Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory [Simple Choral Gradual, p.295 (Richard Rice) CMAA]
7. Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord [Lumen Christi Missal, p.969 (Adam Bartlett) Illuminare Publications]
8. Out of the depths [Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) 4 versions, pp.719-721 / Ignatius Press]
9. The Lord is my shepherd [Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) 5 versions, pp.712-715 / Ignatius Press]
10. Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord [Lumen Christi Simple Gradual (Adam Bartlett) #373, with Psalm 130 / Illuminare Publications]
11. I. My Redeemer lives [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.308, with Psalm 18 / Liturgical Press]
12. II. You, Lord, led me into freedom [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.308, with Psalm 18 / Liturgical Press]
13. III. They will live in your dwelling place [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.309, with Psalm 15 / Liturgical Press]
14. IV. Life is changed, not ended [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.309, with Psalm 15 / Liturgical Press]
15. V. In the presence of the angels [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.310, with Psalm 138 / Liturgical Press]
16. I. Lord Jesus Christ [Mass Propers for Solemnities and Feasts II (Penkala) p.5, with Psalm 110]
17. II. May Saint Micahel [Mass Propers for Solemnities and Feasts II (Penkala) p.5, with Psalm 110]
18. III. We offer you this sacrifice [Mass Propers for Solemnities and Feasts II (Penkala) p.5, with Psalm 110]
Communion:
1. Lux æterna luceat eis, Domine [Graduale Romanum, p.676]
2. Lux æterna luceat eis, Domine [Gregorian Missal, p.695]
3. Lux æterna luceat eis, Domine [Communio, p.138 (Richard Rice) CMAA]
4. Lux æterna luceat eis, Domine [Graduale simplex, p.413]
5. Lux æterna luceat eis, Domine (Louie Madrid Calleja, Richard Irwin, Martin Neumann)
6. May eternal light shine upon them, O Lord [Simple English Propers, p.404 (Adam Bartlett)]
7. May eternal light shine upon them, O Lord [Choral Communio, p.218 (Richard Rice) Hostia Laudis Co]
8. May light eternal shine upon them, O Lord [Simple Choral Gradual, p.296 (Richard Rice) CMAA]
9. Let perpetual light shine upon them, O Lord [Lumen Christi Missal, p.969 (Adam Bartlett) Illuminare Publications]
10. May light eternal shine upon them, O Lord [Laudate Dominum Communion Antiphons (Andrew Motyka)]
11. I. I am the Resurrection and the Life [Saint Meinrad Antiphons for the Church Year, p.112 / Mode 2 (Columba Kelly OSB) OCP]
12. II. Let perpetual light shine upon them [Saint Meinrad Antiphons for the Church Year, p.113 / Mode 6 (Columba Kelly OSB) OCP]
13. III. We await a savior [Saint Meinrad Antiphons for the Church Year, p.114 / Mode 4 (Columba Kelly OSB) OCP]
14. I. Let perpetual light shine upon them [Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) 2 versions, p.889 / Ignatius Press]
15. II. I am the Resurrection and the Life [Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) 2 versions, pp.890-891 / Ignatius Press]
16. I. I am the Resurrection and the Life [English Proper Chants (John Ainslie) p.207, with Psalm 23[22] / Liturgical Press]
17. II. Let perpetual light shine upon them [English Proper Chants (John Ainslie) p.209, with Psalm 121[120] / Liturgical Press]
18. Let perpetual light shine upon them, O Lord [Lumen Christi Simple Gradual (Adam Bartlett) #374, with Psalm 23 / Illuminare Publications]
19. I. May light eternal shine upon them [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.311, with Psalm 130 / Liturgical Press]
20. II. I heard a voice from heaven [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.312, with Psalm 121 / Liturgical Press]
21. III. Lord, give me a place [By Flowing Waters (Paul Ford) p.311, with Psalm 142 / Liturgical Press]
22. I. I am the Resurrection and the Life [Mass Propers for Solemnities and Feasts I (Penkala) p.8, with Psalm 147]
23. II. Let perpetual light shine upon them [Mass Propers for Solemnities and Feasts I (Penkala) p.8, with Psalm 147]
24. III. We await a Savior [Mass Propers for Solemnities and Feasts I (Penkala) p.8, with Psalm 147]
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

Adoro te devote: Processional on a Chant Theme (Gary Penkala)
He shall dwell in your tabernacle [Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) 2 versions, pp.897-898 / Ignatius Press]
I heard a voice from heaven [Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) p.898 / Ignatius Press]
I Know That My Redeemer Lives (Gary Penkala)
In the presence of the angels [Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) p.898 / Ignatius Press]
May the angels take you into paradise [Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) 3 versions, pp.894-896 / Ignatius Press]
My Redeemer lives [Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) p.897 / Ignatius Press]
My Shepherd Is the Lord (Rev. Joseph Gelineau) [GIA Publications]
Psalm 25 (Christopher Bord)
Psalm 130 (Christopher Bord)
Requiem æternam (Martini / Penkala)
Saints of God [Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) 3 versions, pp.891-893 / Ignatius Press]

Hymns

All Creatures of Our God and King (WIII #520, HPSC #103, CBW #620, PMB #120, HH #186, AH #600, CH #555, CHB #198, SMH #410, VII #206, LCH #87)
Christ Is the World's Light (CBW #543, HPSC #130, WIII #543, CD #897, EH #258)
Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life (WIII #569, CD #899, CH #532, SMH #487, LCH #101)
Come unto Me, Ye Weary (HPSC #142)
For All the Saints (WIII #705, ICEL #189, HPSC #157, AH #590, HH #287, CBW #617, PMB #187, CH #336, CHB #166, SMH #523, EH #126, VII #263, LCH #153)
Holy God, Forget Thine Anger from Hymns for the Liturgical Year (Kathleen Pluth)
How Firm A Foundation (CH #452, ICEL #193, WIII #585, HH #290, SMH #567, EH #564)
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (WIII #607, HPSC #192, ICEL #157, CH #453, AH #579, SMH #572, EH #424, LCH #44)
I Know That My Redeemer Lives (WIII #445, ICEL #160, PMB #744, CBW #56, CH #293, SMH #573, VII #355, LCH #63)
Jerusalem, My Happy Home (WIII #690, ICEL #161, CBW #601, CH #469, SMH #587, EH #585, LCH #102)
Jesus, Name of Wondrous Love (HPSC #204, EH #323)
Lead, Kindly Light (ICEL #212, AH #578, CH #455, CHB #234, SMH #607, EH #430, VII #298, LCH #106)
Lord of All Hopefulness (WIII #568, CH #524, HH #226, CHB #239, SMH #622, EH #363)
Merciful Saviour, Hear Our Humble Prayer (CHB #182, SMH #633)
My Shepherd Will Supply My Need (WIII #606, ICEL #163, CH #458, SMH #634, LCH #108)
O Christ, the World's Salvation (Dennis DiPaolo)
O God, Our Help in Ages Past (HPSC #241, WIII #579, ICEL #237, CBW #640, CH #457, PMB #128, HH #169, AH #624, CHB #249, SMH #661, EH #289, VII #203, LCH #92)
O Jesus, Lord, Increase Our Faith (HH #314)
O Lord, You Died That All Might Live (HH #315B)
Praise the Lord, Ye Heavens, Adore Him (WIII #529, ICEL #243, HPSC #282, PMB #662, CBW #656, CH #573, CHB #259, LCH #83, SMH #718)
Song of Farewell (tune- Old Hundredth)
The King of Love My Shepherd Is (WIII #609, ICEL #165, HPSC #324, AH #580, CH #460, CHB #265, SMH #784, EH #345, VII #269, LCH #109)
The Living God My Shepherd Is (WIII #612, CD #831, CBW #690)
The Strife Is O'er (WIII #451, ICEL #77, PMB #68, HH #131, CBW #503, AH #413, CH #276, CHB #83, SMH #787/8, EH #91, LCH #64)
We Offer Prayer in Sorrow, Lord (HH #316)
What Wondrous Love Is This? (CD #822, WIII #600, HH #95, PMB #157, ICEL #164, CH #530, HH #95, SMH #828, LCH #50)
Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones (HPSC #359, WIII #707, AH #416, HH #275, PMB #71, CH #578, CHB #275, SMH #838, EH #599, LCH #118)

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

As the Hart Longs (Felix Mendelssohn)
Audivi media nocte (Thomas Tallis)
Bless the Lord, O My Soul (M. Ippolitoff-Ivanoff)
Blessed Are the Dead (Heinrich Sch¨tz) [Abingdon]
Blest Are They Whose Spirits Long (Handel / Hopson)
Bone Pastor, Panis Vere (Jonathan Kregor)
But the Lord Is Mindful of His Own from Saint Paul (Felix Mendelssohn)
Christ Being Raised from the Dead (John Blow, C. Hylton Stewart, Healey Willan)
Come, Thou Faithful Servant (Claudio Monteverdi)
Credo quod redemptor meus vivit (Robert Parsons)
De profundis (Johann Georg Albrechtsberger, Nicolaus Bruhns, Giovanni Croce, Michel-Richard de Lalande, W.A. Mozart, Josquin des Prez, Christoph Willibald Gluck, Jeffrey Quick, Ludwig Senfl)
Ecce fidelis servus (Fauré/Proulx) [GIA Publications]
Ego sum panis vivus (William Byrd, G.P. Palestrina)
Exaudi Deus (Giovanni Croce)
God Is My Shepherd (Antonin Dvorak)
God So Loved the World (John Stainer)
Hope Thou in God (Felix Mendelssohn)
How Lovely Are Thy Dwellings Fair (Colin Brumby)
I Heard A Voice from Heaven (William Billings, John Goss, Thomas Tomkins)
I Know That My Redeemer Liveth (J.M. Bach, G.F. Handel, Thomas Morley, Flor Peeters)
If God Be for Us (Melchior Franck, Heinrich Schütz)
If We Believe That Jesus Died (John Goss) [Oxford]
In paradisum (Gregorian chant) [Worship III Hymnal #178, Adoremus Hymnal #572, Collegeville Hymnal #411, Catholic Book of Worship II #599, Liber usualis p.1768]
In paradisum (Michael Cox)
Iustorum animæ (Colin Brumby, William Byrd, Orlando di Lasso, Charles Villiers Stanford)
Know Ye Not (Edward Baristow) [Novello]
Like As A Father (Luigi Cherubini)
My Shepherd Will Supply My Need (arr. Virgil Thomson)
Nunc dimittis (Gregorian chant) [Liber usualis p.1735]
O God, Thou Art My God (Henry Purcell)
Out of the Deep (Adrian Batten, G.F. Handel, Virgil Thomson, Thomas Tomkins)
Psalm 122 (J.P. Sweelinck)
Psalm 130 (Paul Manz)
Requiem æternam (Martini / Penkala)
Salvator mundi (Tallis / Kenney)
Scio enim quod Redemptor (Orlando di Lasso)
See What Love the Father from Saint Paul (Felix Mendelssohn)
Sicut cervus (Palestrina / Angelini)
Tantum ergo Sacramentum (Christopher Bord)
The Gate of Heaven (Randall Thompson)
The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation (Eugene Englert) [GIA Publications]
The Lord Is My Shepherd (Stephen DeCesare)
The Lord's My Shepherd (Colin Brumby)
The Sorrows of My Heart (William Boyce)
The Souls of the Righteous (H. Walford Davies, Stanley Marchant, James Nares, T. Tertius Noble, Desmond Ratcliffe, Ralph Vaughan Williams)
The Sufferings of the Present (Melchior Franck)
The Twenty-third Psalm (Franz Schubert, Ralph Vaughan Williams)

Organ Music

Regrading music at Funerals, we find the following: The Ceremonial of Bishops, the most recent complete liturgical document from the Holy See, instructs that the organ remain silent during Funeral Masses, except to accompany singing.

There should be no flowers on the altar, and the music of the organ or other instruments is permitted only to assist the singing. [#824]

One could look at organ music on All Souls Day in two ways: akin to the restrictions at other Masses for the Dead we might refrain from all solo organ music; or, allowing that the documents speak specifically of Funeral Masses, we might take the opportunity of November 2 falling on Sunday to play from the wide spectrum of repertoire based on death and the afterlife. Here are some possiblities:

Abide, O Dearest Jesus (Sigfrid Karg-Elert)
Air from D Major Suite (J.S. Bach)
Alle Menschen müssen sterben (J.S. Bach)
Andante religioso (Felix Mendelssohn)
Canon in D Major (Johann Pachelbel)
Chaconne (Wilbur Held)
Easter Sequence from Six Easter Hymn Preludes (Wilbur Held)
Eventide (C. Hubert H. Parry)
Fantasy on For All the Saints (Edward G. Mead)
God's Time Is Best (J.S. Bach)
Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt from the Neumeister Collection (J.S. Bach)
In paradisum (Alfred Fedak) [Selah Publishers]
O God, Our Help in Ages Past (Heinrich Fleischer)
O Welt, ich muss dich lassen from Eleven Chorale Preludes (Johannes Brahms)
O wie selig seid ihr doch, ihr Frommen from Eleven Chorale Preludes (Johannes Brahms)
Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee (F.W. Marpurg)
Partita on O God, Our Help in Ages Past (Paul Manz)
The King of Love My Shepherd Is (Healey Willan)
Prelude on Victimæ paschali laudes (John Reese)

Liturgical Hints & Ideas

On this day, the Church exhibits some of the most profound and yet humble aspects of the liturgical year. All Souls Day is officially titled, "The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed." On the low end of the liturgical scale, a "commemoration" is the rank a memorial gets when celebrated during the end of Advent or during Lent, and retains little of its full texts. Almost anything outranks a commemoration (even a Lenten weekday). But the Church highlights the dignity of all the Christians who have died, having attained or awaiting their blessed reward in heaven. This lowly commemoration is the only such day which outranks a Sunday celebration, a privilege associated solely with solemnities of any kind or feasts of the Lord, (like the Exaltation of [His] Holy Cross on September 14, or the Dedication of the Basilica of the Most Holy Savior [November 9]). Enjoy the opportunity to sing some of the parish's funeral repertoire, and to learn some of the great music produced by masters inspired by thoughts on death and final things.

Music SuggestionsThe Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed [All Souls' Day]