BELIEVE that we can disagree without being disagreeable. Let me be honest: I’m not a fan of most of the hymns in this rare book from 1905. I dislike many of the tunes and most of the texts. Moreover, the scarcity of attributions is appalling. However, it’s very important from a historical point of view:
* * PDF: Notre Dame Hymn Book (1905)
The text/melody pairings are also remarkable. For example, to the tunes for “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing” and “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” they have set odd words.
I find many of these texts so saccharine! At the same time, perhaps Catholics 100 years ago were (somehow) brought closer to our Lord by these texts. In that sense, who am I to condemn them? However, as you can see here, the Irish Ecclesiastical Record didn’t mince words.
The Notre Dame Hymn Book • Compiled and arranged in 1905 by Frank Birtchnell & Moir Brown.
