Music Suggestions
The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night (B)
Liturgical Music
Official texts
- Lucernarium
- Lumen Christi (Richard J. Clark)
- Canticle 1 (Responsorial Psalm) Psalm 104:1-2 / 5-6 / 10,12 / 13-14 / 24,35 -or- Psalm 33:4-5 / 6-7 / 12-13 / 20-22 -or- Psalm 100:2-3:
- Iubilate Domino omnis terra [Graduale Romanum, p.185]
- Iubilate Domino omnis terra [Gregorian Missal, p.328]
- Jubilate Domino, omnis terra (Dieterich Buxtehude, Giovanni Gabrieli, Hans Leo Hassler, Orlando di Lasso, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Michael Praetorius, Damiano Scarabelli)
- Psalms for the Easter Vigil (McManus)
- Canticle 2 (Responsorial Psalm) Psalm 16:5,8 / 9-10 / 11 -or- Psalm 125:1-2:
- Qui confidunt [Graduale Romanum, p.109]
- Qui confidunt [Gregorian Missal, p.261]
- Qui confidunt in Domino (Krystof Harant)
- Psalms for the Easter Vigil (McManus)
- Canticle 3 (Responsorial Psalm) Exodus 15:1-2 ( 3-4 / 5-6 / 17-18):
- Cantemus Domino [Graduale Romanum, p.186]
- Cantemus Domino [Gregorian Missal, p.330]
- Cantemus Domino [Graduale simplex, p.143]
- Cantemus Domino (Gioacchino Rossini, Johann Baptist Schiedermayr, Ascanio Trombetti)
- Psalms for the Easter Vigil (McManus)
- Canticle 4 (Responsorial Psalm) Psalm 30:2,4 / 5-6 / 11-12a,13 -or- Psalm 117:
- Laudate Dominum omnes gentes [Graduale Romanum, p.187]
- Laudate Dominum omnes gentes [Gregorian Missal, p.332]
- Laudate Dominum omnes gentes (William Byrd, Sixt Dietrich, José Maurício Nunes Garcia, Claudio Monteverdi, Ludwig Senfl, Tomás Luis de Victoria)
- Psalms for the Easter Vigil (McManus)
- Canticle 5 (Responsorial Psalm) Isaiah 12:2-3 / 4 / 5-6 -or- Isaiah 5:1-2:
- Vinea facta est dilecta [Graduale Romanum, p.188]
- Vinea facta est dilecta [Gregorian Missal, p.333]
- Vinea enim Domini [Graduale simplex, p.144]
- Psalms for the Easter Vigil (McManus)
- Canticle 6 (Responsorial Psalm) Psalm 19:8 / 9 / 10 / 11 -or- Deut 32:1-4:
- Attende caelum [Graduale Romanum, p.189]
- Attende caelum [Gregorian Missal, p.334]
- Audite caeli [Graduale simplex, p.145]
- Psalms for the Easter Vigil (McManus)
- Canticle 7 (Responsorial Psalm) Psalm 42:3 / 5 / 43:3 / 4 -or- Isaiah 12:2-3 / 4bcd / 5-6 -or- Psalm 51:12-13 / 14-15 / 18-19 -or- Psalm 42:2-4:
- Sicut cervus desiderat [Graduale Romanum, p.190]
- Sicut cervus desiderat [Gregorian Missal, p.336]
- Quemadmodum desiderat cervus [Graduale simplex, p.146]
- Sicut cervus desiderat (Gregorian chant) [Liber usualis, p.753]
- Sicut cervus desiderat (G.P. da Palestrina, arr. Andrea Angelini)
- Psalms for the Easter Vigil (McManus)
- Alleluia:
- Confitemini Domino [Graduale Romanum, p.191]
- Confitemini Domino [Gregorian Missal, p.339]
- Confitemini Domino [Graduale simplex, p.147]
- Confitemini Domino (Giovanni Paolo Cima, Alessandro Costantini, Jean Mouton, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Michael Praetorius, Ascanio Trombetti)
- Easter Vigil Gospel Procession (J. William Greene)
- Litany of the Saints
- Litany of the Saints [Roman Missal]
- Litaniæ sanctorum [Graduale Romanum, p.192]
- Litaniæ sanctorum [Gregorian Missal, p.340]
- Litaniæ sanctorum [Graduale simplex, p.148]
- Litaniæ sanctorum for SATB, congregation & optional organ
- Acclamation
- Springs of water, bless the Lord. Give him glory and praise for ever.
- Fontes et omnia quae moventur in aquis, hymnum dicite Deo, alleluia.
V. Benedicte, omnia opera Domini, Domino; laudate et superexaltate eum in saecula. [Graduale simplex, p.150] - Springs of water, bless the Lord [Simple Choral Gradual, p.86 (Richard Rice) CMAA]
- Easter Vigil Baptismal Music (Ignatowski)
- Sprinkling
- Vidi aquam [Graduale Romanum, p.708]
- Vidi aquam [Gregorian Missal, p.71]
- Vidi aquam [Liber usualis, p.12]
- Vidi aquam (Manuel Cardoso, Filipe de Magalhães, Cristóbal de Morales, Tomás Luis de Victoria)
- Vidi aquam from Water Music: For the Sprinkling Rite (Horst Buchholz)
- Fontes et omnia [Graduale simplex, p.449]
Verses of Psalm 118 can also be sung between repetitions of the antiphon. - I saw water flowing [Simple Choral Gradual, p.86 (Richard Rice) CMAA]
- I Saw Water Flowing (Alex Hill)
- Offertory:
- Dextera Domini [Graduale Romanum, p.194]
- Dextera Domini [Gregorian Missal, p.347]
- Dextera Domini [Graduale simplex, p.151]
- Dextera Domini (César Franck, Franz Kersch, Giovanni Battista Martini, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Francesco M. Zuccari)
- The right hand of the Lord [Simple English Propers, p.98 (Adam Bartlett) CMAA]
- When God arose to judge [Simple Choral Gradual, p.91 (Richard Rice) CMAA]
- Mass Propers for Eastertide (Gary Penkala)
- Communion:
- Pascha nostrum [Graduale Romanum, p.199]
- Pascha nostrum [Gregorian Missal, p.354]
- Pascha nostrum (William Byrd, Rev. Marco Frisina)
- Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia [Graduale simplex, p.163]
- Christ, our Paschal Lamb [Simple English Propers, p.99 (Adam Bartlett) CMAA]
- Christ has become our paschal sacrifice [Simple Choral Gradual, p.92 (Richard Rice) CMAA]
- Mass Propers for Eastertide (Gary Penkala)
- Mass settings:
- Mass of Our Lady, Help of Christians (Richard Connolly)
- Mass of the Angels (Richard J. Clark)
- Mass of the Redemption (Calvert Shenk)
- Missa sanctorum angelorum (Calvert Shenk)
- Paschal Gloria (J. William Greene)
Other liturgical music
- Blessed Be God (James Chepponis) [GIA Publications]
- Chant Booklet, Volume 4 (ed. Chris Bord)
- Common Psalms for Schools & Parishes (Thomas Cosley)
- Communion Psalms for the Liturgical Seasons (Gary Penkala)
- Easter Vigil Baptismal Music (John Ignatowski)
- Easter Vigil Gospel Procession (J. William Greene)
- Exodus Canticle (Howard Hughes, SM) [GIA Publications]
- Graduale Romanum [Solesmes edition]
- Graduale simplex [Vatican edition]
- Gregorian Missal [Solesmes edition]
- I Saw Water Flowing (Alex Hill)
- Let All the Earth (Christopher Willcock) [OCP]
- Like a Deer That Longs (John E. Sittard)
- Lumen Christi (Richard J. Clark)
- Processional Alleluia (Howard Hughes SM) [GIA Publications]
- Paschal Gloria (J. William Greene)
- Psalm 118 (Christopher Bord)
- Psalms for the Easter Vigil (Stephen McManus)
- Renaissance Alleluia (Gary Penkala)
- Te Deum: We Praise You, O God (J. William Greene)
- The New Lambs of Christ (arr. Gary Penkala)
- Universal Music for Morning Prayer (Gary Penkala)
- Universal Music for Evening Prayer (Gary Penkala)
- You Have Put on Christ (J. William Greene) [GIA Publications]
Hymns
- A Living Hope (PMB #61)
- At the Lamb's High Feast (WIII #459, ICEL #65, HH #102, CBW #563, AH #411, CH #268, CHB #73, SMH #224, EH #89)
- Come and Let Us Drink of That New River (WIII #723, HH #123, CH #351)
- Come, O Christian People, Sing (HH #110)
- Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain (AH #417, ICEL #72, WIII #456, CHB #77, CH #279, SMH #274/7, EH #94)
- Give Thanks to God for He Is Good (HPSC #162)
- O Worship the King (AH #483, CH #571, HH #201, HPSC #268, PMB #138, CHB #255, SMH #472, EH #288)
- Rejoice, Angelic Choirs (WIII #455, HH #104)
- Send Forth from the Heav'ns (HPSC #292)
- Sing of Christ, Proclaim His Glory (HPSC #302)
- Sing with All the Sons of Glory (CD #824)
- The Perfect Law of God (HPSC #327)
- Thine Is the Glory (CD #829)
- This Is the Day (PMB #65, HPSC #329, CBW #589)
- This Is the Feast of Victory (WIII #458, CH #265, SMH #577)
- This Is the Lord's Day (Kathleen Pluth) from Hymns for the Liturgical Year
- Through the Red Sea Brought At Last (HH #107)
- We Celebrate the Lamb's High Feast (HH #108)
- 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.
- PMB = People's Mass Book, World Library Publications, Inc.
- SMH = The Saint Michael Hymnal, Saint Boniface Church, Lafayette IN
- WIII = Worship, 3rd Edition, GIA Publications, Inc.
Choral Music
- Alleluia (J.S. Bach)
- Alleluia (Randall Thompson)
- As Pants the Hart (Christopher Tye)
- As the Hart Longeth (R. Evan Copley, Felix Mendelssohn)
- Bless the Lord, O My Soul (M. Ippolitov-Ivanov)
- Cantemus Domino (Gregorian chant) Canticle of Moses [Graduale simplex, p.143]
- Christ, Our Passover (Healey Willan)
- Christ the Lord Is Risen Again (John Rutter)
- Christ the Lord Is Risen! Alleluia! (Roman)
- Easter Psalm (Gary Penkala)
- Exsultate justi in Domino (Ludovico da Viadana)
- Good Christian Men, Rejoice and Sing (Donna Robertson)
- Hallelujah from Messiah (G.F. Handel)
- I Will Exalt Thee (Christopher Tye)
- Let All the Nations Praise the Lord (Volkmar Leisring) [Carl Fischer]
- Misericordia Domini (G.O. Pitoni)
- O Lord, How Manifold Are Thy Works (J. Barnby)
- O sacrum convivium (Eugene Englert)
- O sacrum convivium (Michael Lawrence)
- Regina coeli (Gregor Aichinger, arr. Andrea Angelini)
- Regina coeli (W.A. Mozart)
- Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous (George J. Elvey)
- Saint Patrick's Breastplate (Charles Villiers Stanford) [Stainer & Bell / ECS Publ]
- Sicut cervus desiderat (Gregorian chant) Proper Hymn for Blessing of Font [Liber usualis, p.753]
- Sicut cervus desiderat (G.P. da Palestrina, arr. Andrea Angelini)
- Sing unto the Lord (Christopher Tye)
- Sing Ye to the Lord (Edward Bairstow)
- Sitientes, venite ad aquas (Tomás Luis de Victoria) [Ricordi]
- Surrexit a mortuis (Charles-Marie Widor)
- Surrexit pastor bonus (Jehan l'Heritier)
- Te Deum laudamus (Calvert Shenk)
- Te Deum laudamus (F.J. Haydn, Jean Langlais, W.A. Mozart, Domenico Scarlatti)
- The Master's Rejoicing (Jim Stanley)
- The New Lambs of Christ (arr. Gary Penkala)
- Those That Do Place Their Confidence / Psalm 125 (John Alcock Jr.)
- Two Easter Anthems (Colin Brumby)
- We Will Rejoice (William Croft)
Organ Music
The organ should maintain the silence of Good Friday until the Gloria, when it accompanies the joyful singing. A brief appropriate fanfare might precede the singing of the Gloria, during which the church bells are rung.
- Allegro from Symphony VI (Charles-Marie Widor)
- Allegro-Finale from Symphony I (Louis Vierne)
- Alleluya (William Faulkes) [A Victorian Organ Album - Oxford]
- As Pants the Hart for Cooling Streams (Newman Powell) [Parish Organist XI - Concordia]
- At the Lamb's High Feast (Paul Manz) from Improvisations for the Easter Season [Morning Star Music Publishers #10-402]
- Carillon-sortie (Henri Mulet)
- 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 ist erstanden (J.S. Bach) [Orgelbüchlein] [Church Organist's Golden Treasury I – Oliver Ditson Co]
- Christ Jesus Lay in Death's Strong Bands (Wilbur Held) from Six Preludes on Easter Hymns [Concordia #97-5330]
- Christ lag in Todesbanden (J.S. Bach) [Orgelbüchlein] [Orgelwerke VI - Peters 245] [Church Organist's Golden Treasury I – Oliver Ditson Co]
- Christ lag in Todesbanden (Georg Böhm) [Church Organist's Golden Treasury I - Oliver Ditson Co] [Organist's Companion, March 1992]
- Christ lag in Todesbanden (Dieterich Buxtehude) [Church Organist's Golden Treasury I - Oliver Ditson Co]
- Christ lag in Todesbanden (G.F. Kauffmann) [Organist's Companion, February 1986]
- Christ lag in Todesbanden (J.L. Krebs) [Church Organist's Golden Treasury I - Oliver Ditson Co]
- Christ lag in Todesbanden (Johann Pachelbel) [Church Organist's Golden Treasury I - Oliver Ditson Co] [Organist's Companion, March 1993]
- Christ lag in Todesbanden (Samuel Scheidt) [Eighty Chorale Preludes - Peters 4448] [Church Organist's Golden Treasury I – Oliver Ditson Co] [Organist's Companion, March 2001]
- Christ lag in Todesbanden (G.P. Telemann) [Seasonal Chorale Preludes for Manuals, Bk 2 - Oxford]
- Christ lag in Todesbanden (F.W. Zachau) [Eighty Chorale Preludes - Peters 4448] [Seasonal Chorale Preludes for Manuals, Bk 2 – Oxford] [Organist's Companion, April 1987 & March 2000]
- Concerto for Organ and Strings (Michael J. Starke)
- Ershienen ist der herrliche Tag from Five Chorale Preludes (Colin Brumby)
- Fanfare on The Strife Is O'er (Alec Wyton) [Preludes, Fanfares & a March for the Liturgical Year – Flammer]
- Fantaise über Christ ist erstanden (H.R. Basler) [Die Orgel im Kirchenjahr - Cron Luzern EC 270]
- Gloria in excelsis Deo (Max Reger)
- Good Christian Men, Rejoice and Sing (Paul Manz) [Improvisations for the Easter Season, Set I – Morning Star Music Publ 10-402]
- Grand chouer dialogue (Eugene Gigout)
- Heut' triumphiret Gottes Sohn (J.S. Bach) from Orgelbüchlein
- Incantation pour un jour saint (Jean Langlais) uses motives from the Litany of the Saints
- Jesus Christ Is Risen Today (Paul Manz) from Improvisations for the Easter Season [Morning Star Music Publishers #10-402]
- Litanies (Jehan Alain)
- Look, Ye Saints, the Sight Is Glorious (Paul Manz) from Improvisations for the Easter Season [Morning Star Music Publishers #10-402]
- New Hymn Accompaniments, Volume 1 (Donna Robertson)
- Partita on Gelobt sei Gott (Theodore Ripper) [Organist's Companion, April 1987]
- Prelude on O filii et filiæ (Healey Willan) from Ten Hymn Preludes, Set I [C.F. Peters Corp]
- Prelude on Victimæ paschali laudes (John Reese)
- The Strife Is O'er (G. Winston Cassler) [This Is the Victory - Augsburg 11-9497]
- The Strife Is O'er (Wilbur Held) [Six Preludes on Easter Hymns - Concordia]
- Toccata from Symphony V (Charles-Marie Widor)
- Toccata jubilante (Dennis Janzer)
- Toccata on Gelobet sei Gott (Alfred Fedak) [Organist's Companion, April 1986]
- Toccata on Lasst uns erfreuen (R. Evan Copley)
- Tuba Tune (Norman Cocker)
- Victory (G. Winston Cassler) [Organist's Companion, April 1987]
- Victory (Robin Dinda) [Organist's Companion, March 1991]
- Ye Sons and Daughters of the King (Jan Bender) [Parish Organist, Book 8 – Concordia 97-1404]
- Ye Sons and Daughters of the King (Camil van Hulse) [Seven Preludes on Hymns for Easter – Concordia 97-1390]
Liturgical Hints & Ideas
Innumerable creative possibilities exist for music during tonight's liturgy. Resist scheduling any prelude... the silence of Good Friday must be broken by the deacon's proclamation, "The light of Christ," or Lumen Christi and the glorious Exsultet. If your parish is lucky enough to use all seven Old Testament readings, treat the responses to them in varied ways. Options include a standard responsorial psalm format, a through-composed setting of the psalm for choir, a Gregorian chant version of the psalm, a solo, or silent meditation. None of these should be accompanied by organ. The organ, silent from the Gloria of Holy Thursday, is not played until tonight's Gloria... and by all means, play it then! An introductory fanfare and intricate accompaniment to a familiar congregational setting heighten the drama of this moment in the liturgy. Choose music for the baptismal acclamations carefully. It is perhaps better to use an antiphon from a familiar hymn or psalm for each of the times when music is called for in this rite, using the same music again during the Sprinkling Rite. This will help to delineate the Liturgy of Initiation within tonight's Mass. The choir should have some worthy music prepared (this is the major feast of the entire year) and the organist should be ready with free accompaniments to those wonderfully familiar Easter hymns... and, of course, the flashiest recessional or postlude imaginable.