Music Suggestions
The Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist [At the Vigil Mass]

Liturgical Music

Official texts

Entrance Antiphon [Introit]:
1. Ne timeas, Zacharia [Graduale Romanum, p.568]
2. Ne timeas, Zacharia [Gregorian Missal, p.627/683]
3. Dominus ab utero vocavit me [Graduale simplex, p.275]
4. Elisabeth Zachariæ (Francisco Guerrero)
5. Fear not, Zechariah [Simple English Propers, p.365 (Adam Bartlett)]
6. There was a man sent from God [Simple Choral Gradual, p.275 (Richard Rice) CMAA]
7. From my mother's womb [Lumen Christi Missal, p.963 (Adam Bartlett) Illuminare Publications]
8. He will be great in the sight of the Lord [Saint Meinrad Antiphons for the Church Year, p.101 / Mode 7 (Columba Kelly OSB) OCP]
9. He will be great in the sight of the Lord [Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) 4 versions, pp.807-809 / Ignatius Press]
10. He will be great in the sight of the Lord [English Proper Chants (John Ainslie) p.188, with Psalm 113[112] / Liturgical Press]
11. He will be great in the sight of the Lord [Mass Propers for Solemnities and Feasts I (Penkala) p.2, with Psalm 104]
12. Zechariah, Do Not Fear [tune: Salzburg] from Introit Hymns #77 (Christoph Tietze)
13. O Zechariah, Do Not Fear [tune: Mit freuden zart] from Introit Hymns 94 (Christoph Tietze)
Gradual (Responsorial Psalm):
1. Fuit homo missus a Deo [Graduale Romanum, p.569]
2. Fuit homo missus a Deo [Gregorian Missal, p.176/191]
3. In te Domine speravi / Psalm 71 [Graduale simplex, p.276]
4. Chabanel Psalmody
5. Parish Book of Psalms (Arlene Oost-Zinner)
6. Fuit homo missus a Deo (Cristóbal de Morales, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina)
Alleluia (Gospel Acclamation):
1. Beatus vir qui timet [Graduale Romanum, p.511]
2. Beatus vir qui timet [Gregorian Missal, p.628/685]
3. Ad te Domine levavi / Psalm 25 [Graduale simplex, p.197]
4. Ad te levavi (Johann Kaspar Aiblinger, Alessandro Scarlatti, Franz Xaver Witt)
Offertory:
1. Gloria et honore coronasti eum [Graduale Romanum, p.434]
2. Gloria et honore coronasti eum [Gregorian Missal, p.629/685]
3. Gloria et honore (Franz Xaver Witt)
4. Puer qui natus est nobis [Graduale simplex, p.279]
5. You have crowned him with glory and honor [Simple English Propers, p.366 (Adam Bartlett)]
6. The just will flourish like the palm tree [Simple Choral Gradual, p.276 (Richard Rice) CMAA]
7. The just will flourish [Lumen Christi Missal, p.964 (Adam Bartlett) Illuminare Publications]
8. You have crowned him with glory and honor [Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) 5 versions, pp.810-812 / Ignatius Press]
9. You have crowned him with glory and honor [Mass Propers for Solemnities and Feasts I (Penkala) p.4, with Psalm 72]
Communion:
1. Magna est gloria eius [Graduale Romanum, p.437]
2. Magna est gloria eius [Gregorian Missal, p.630/686]
3. Magna est gloria eius [Communio, p.140 (Richard Rice) CMAA]
4. Tu puer propheta Altissimi [Graduale simplex, p.280]
5. Great is his glory [Simple English Propers, p.367 (Adam Bartlett)]
6. Great is his glory [Choral Communio, p.200 (Richard Rice) Hostia Laudis Co]
7. Through the tender compassion of our God [Simple Choral Gradual, p.277 (Richard Rice) CMAA]
8. You, child, shall be called the prophet [Lumen Christi Missal, p.964 (Adam Bartlett) Illuminare Publications]
9. Great is his glory [Laudate Dominum Communion Antiphons (Andrew Motyka)]
10. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel [Saint Meinrad Antiphons for the Church Year, p.101 / Mode 4 (Columba Kelly OSB) OCP]
11. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel [Proper of the Mass (Fr. Samuel F. Weber OSB) 4 versions, pp.813-815 / Ignatius Press]
12. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel [English Proper Chants (John Ainslie) p.189, with Lk 1:68-79 / Liturgical Press]
13. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel [Communion Antiphons for Feasts and Solemnities – Volume 1 (Richard J. Clark) with Benedictus [Luke 1] / GIA Publications]
14. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel [Mass Propers for Solemnities and Feasts I (Penkala) p.7, with Psalm 23]
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

Blessed Be the Lord from Seven Roman Basilica Processionals (Gary Penkala)
Graduale Romanum [Solesmes edition]
Graduale simplex [Vatican edition]
Universal Music for Morning Prayer (Gary Penkala)
Universal Music for Evening Prayer (Gary Penkala)
various antiphons & propers (Gregorian chant) [Liber usualis, pp.1496-1506]
Winchester Alleluia (Gary Penkala)

Hymns

Around the Throne a Glorious Band (CH #335, HH #301, ICEL #178, WIII #719, EH #120, LCH #155)
By All Your Saints Still Striving (WIII #706, HH #284)
Christ Is the King (WIII #500, CH #540, HH #286, CBW #546, EH #543)
Hail, Redeemer, King Most Blest! (CH #337)
Hark! A Herald Voice Is Calling (ICEL #4, HPSC #183, CBW #453, CH #176, CHB #4, SMH #556, VII #227, SEC #795, CBH #100)
Herald of the Joyful Tidings from Hymns for the Liturgical Year (Kathleen Pluth)
O Christ, the World's Salvation (Dennis DiPaolo)
O Prophet John, O Man of God (HH #264)
On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry (AH #303, CBW #443, CH #182, HH #14, HPSC #271, ICEL #9, WIII #356, CHB #9, SMH #699, EH #10, VII #229, LCH #7, SEC #800, CBH #219)
When Jesus Comes to Be Baptized (CBW #480)
When John Baptized by Jordan's River (HH #61, WIII #412)
Ye Servants of God, Your Master Proclaim (CD #911, CH #519, HPSC #357)
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, CBH #293)

AH = The Adoremus Hymnal, Ignatius Press

CBH = A Catholic Book of Hymns, Sacred Music Library

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.

SEC = Saint Edmund Campion Hymnal & Missal, Corpus Christi Watershed

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

Agnus Dei (Palestrina, Victoria, Lotti, Hassler, Mozart, Haydn, Bruckner, Kodaly)
Beatus vir / Psalm 112 (Moritz Brosig, Claudio Monteverdi, W.A. Mozart, Antonio Vivaldi)
Benedictus (George Whitefield Chadwick, Josquin des Prez, Edward Elgar, Padre Martini, José Maurício Nunes Garcia, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Franz Schubert, Charles Villiers Stanford, Tomás Luis de Victoria)
Blessed Be the Lord (Eugene Englert)
Christ the Glory (Lallouette) [GIA Publications]
Complete Thy Work, O Lord (Calvert Shenk)
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei from Gloria in D (Antonio Vivaldi)
Jesu dulcis memoria (Juan Francés de Iribarren, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Carlo Rossini, Tomás Luis de Victoria)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (J.S. Bach)
In Thee, O Lord, Do I Put My Trust (Camil van Hulse) [H.W. Gray]
Lamb of God (Johannes Somary / Adrian Batten)
Lord of Life and King of Glory (Grancini) [GIA Publications]
O Splendor of God's Glory Bright (John Reese)
Te Deum laudamus (Calvert Shenk)
The Glory of the Father (Egil Hovland) [Walton Music]
This Is the Record of John (Gibbons/Domet)
Ut queant laxis / proper hymn for Vespers (Gregorian chant) [Liber usualis, p.1504]

Organ Music

All Glory Be to God on High (J.S. Bach) [Wedding Music, Part II - Concordia 97-1370]
All Glory Be to God on High (Paul Manz) [Improvisations for Pentecost & Trinity Sunday - Morning Star Music Publ 10-500]
All Glory Be to God on High (Johann Pachelbel) [Parish Organist, Part 1 - Concordia]
Allegro maestoso (Felix Mendelssohn)
Allegro vivo e maestoso (Dom Paul Benoit) from Esquisses liturgiques [J. Fischer & Bros.]
Allein Gott in der Höh (Andreas Armsdorf) [Church Organist's Golden Treasury I - Oliver Ditson Co]
Allein Gott in der Höh (J.C. Bach) [Organist's Companion, June 1980]
Allein Gott in der Höh (J.S. Bach) [Orgelwerke VI - Peters 245] [Church Organist's Golden Treasury I - Oliver Ditson Co]
Allein Gott in der Höh (Georg Böhm) [Church Organist's Golden Treasury I - Oliver Ditson Co]
Allein Gott in der Höh (J.P. Kirnberger) [Organist's Companion, October 1982]
Allein Gott in der Höh (F.W. Marpurg) [Twenty-one Chorale Preludes - Augsburg] [Organist's Companion, July 1998]
Allein Gott in der Höh (Johann Pachelbel) [Church Organist's Golden Treasury I - Oliver Ditson Co] [Organist's Companion, August 1982]
Alleluya (William Faulkes) [A Victorian Organ Album - Oxford]
Chorale Fantasie on Lasst uns erfreuen" (Flor Peeters) [Novello
Chorale Prelude (Healey Willan)
Chorale Toccata on Lasst uns erfreuen (R. Evan Copley) [H.W. Gray]
Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam (J.S. Bach) [Orgelwerke VI - Peters 245]
Fanfare (Jean Mouret)
Fanfare, Chorale & Fantasia on a Theme by Elgar (Gary D. Penkala) for trumpet & organ
Fantasia and Fugue in g minor (J.S. Bach)
Fantasia super Valet will ich der geben (J.S. Bach) [Orgelwerke VII - Peters 246]
Fantasy on the tune Azmon (James Pethel) [Consoliere VII-3 - World Library Publ]
Foundation: Harmonization and Variations (Robin Rokey) [Organist's Companion, May 2001]
How Firm a Foundation (Edward Broughton) [Organist, September 1981]
Jesu dulcis memoria (Sr. Teresine Fonder) [Twenty-six Miniatures]
Lasst uns erfreuen (Lois Hill) [Organist's Companion, May 2001]
Maestoso: Five Processionals (Calvert Shenk)
O for A Thousand Tongues (Burton Isaac)
Partita on Gelobt sei Gott (Theodore Ripper) [Organist's Companion, April 1987]
Postlude on Lasst uns erfreuen (Gordon Young) [Collage for Organ - Flammer HF-5011]
Prelude on Azmon (Robert Hobby) [Three Hymns of Praise, Set 6 - Morning Star Music Publ]
Prelude on Lasst uns erfreuen; (Russell Schulz-Widmar) [Organist's Companion, June 1980]
Psalm XIX (Benedetto Marcello)
Saint Theodulph (Robin Rokey) [Organist's Companion, March 2001]
Toccata on Gelobet sei Gott (Alfred Fedak) [Organist's Companion, April 1986]
Toccata on Ut queant laxis from Four Preludes on Chant Hymns (Mark Siebert)
Variations on Lasst uns erfreuen (Thomas Bohlert) [Organist's Companion, June 1988]
Vigiles et sancti (Mahlon Balderston) [Organist's Companion, March 1997]
Ye Sons and Daughters of the King (Jan Bender) [Parish Organist, Book 8 - Concordia 97-1404]
Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones (John Diercks) [Six Sacred Compositions for Organ - Abingdon APM-255]
Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones (Wilbur Held) [Hymn Preludes for the Autumn Festivals - Concordia 97-5360]

Liturgical Hints & Ideas

The Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist is an ideal time to use any settings of the Canticle of Zechariah (Benedictus) that are in your repertoire. Some particularly elegant ones make use of Anglican chant tones. This may also be a perfect time to pull out "Comfort Ye, My People" and "Every Valley" from Handel's Messiah for tenor (or possibly soprano) soloist.

Music SuggestionsThe Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist [At the Vigil Mass]