The Recovering Choir Director

Conceivably as a response to the success of OCP’s JourneySongs II hymnal, GIA has come up with the second edition of Gather Comprehensive. At the time of this writing, only the pew edition is available, which hints at a rush job. Or not.

GIA touts ten complete Mass settings in the new hymnal, which would be true if three of them weren’t missing a setting of the Kyrie or Sprinkling Rite. (I know, I know, I’m majoring in minors here, and according to practices I’ve observed, the Kyrie usually gets the “low Mass” treatment.) [See the complete list of music.] More impressive is the inclusion of all Guimont responsorial psalm refrains for all Sundays of the three-year cycle of readings—I’m assuming that notation is included with these.

The OCP hymnal features nine complete Mass settings and more than 840 selections. Responsorial psalm refrains for the three-year cycle, written by James Chepponis, are available only with the assembly edition with lectionary readings. Compared with its predecessor, JS2 seems to be a markedly improved product, most noticeably with its coordinated cantor/choir edition. Hopefully the print and ink quality has improved also.

Both are definitely upgrades from disposable worship aids, and would seem to work in a parish whose repertoire skews 65/35 contemporary/traditional.

Commenting is available on “The great Catholic hymnal replacement debate”.