I asked the director of music here what they use for propers. The director wrote back that they use G. H. Palmer and Francis Burgess (eds.), The Plainchant Gradual (Wantage, St. Mary’s Press, rev. ed.1965) and THE ENGLISH GRADUAL - PART II THE PROPER FOR THE LITURGICAL YEAR", edited by Francis W Burgess (published by the Plainchant Publications Committee, Hyde Park Gate, London).

I checked and it seems to be banished from commercial existence. The Anglican Use comes closest.

I have copies of most (and possibly) all of the major traditional-language English chant books, all produced by Anglicans but with very careful attention to Solesmes. The Plainsong and Medieval Music Society was very closely connected with Solesmes beginning with the monks' sojourn in the Green and Pleasant Land. Would it be useful for them to be made available in some way?

Isn't that what academics now say, "Post or perish?"

The Wantage PLAINCHANT GRADUAL is a gem to have, is rather rare, and is worth almost any price. It is an example of what Anglicans have been doing for generations, and begs, astonishingly, the question: why is the need for such a resource only now being addressed amongst Catholic musicians. And why, among many, is there such disdain for outstanding scholarship which happens to be of Anglican provenance. I shall go no further, lest I rant; which I do not wish to do. Both the Wantage GRADUAL (two vols.) and the ENGLISH GRADUAL, which you mention, are out of print and are translations of the Latin propers according to the old lectionary. The current ANGLICAN USE GRADUAL is essentially a new edition, in 'sqaure notes', of the ENGLISH GRADUAL with some re-arrangement of certain chants to more closely accomodate the new lectionary. The beauty of Burgess' Wantage books is that they contain the full historical Gregorian chant artfully set to English. This is, of course, anathema to many chant scholars with whose views I am not altogether opposed. However, when one wishes to perform the English version with sober artistry, the results can be surprisingly beautiful. The propers of the AUG, like those of its predecessor EG, are set to solemn psalm tones. It would be wonderful if a new edition of the Wantage books were to be made. Palmer and Burgess also made fine scholarly editions of many other liturgical chants, such as those of Holy Week, tenebrae, various rituals and the Divine Office. Some old copies of these may still be had from Lois Fyfe, in Atlanta.

Are you excited, Jeffrey?

http://www.pilgrimreaderbooks.com/?page=shop/flypage&product_id=21037&CLSN_1694=12608222361694a4242cb0bb872a2427 (original edition)

The RSCM (Royal School of Church Music) is re-print and saling the newer packaged versions.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=the+english+gradual&tag=yahhyd-20&index=aps&hvadid=18108848511&ref=pd_sl_66tn4uye5v_e

oh wow so these are available. I could have bought and scanned all along. In any case, they are open source at this point and they are going on Musica.

Thank goodness there are no official translations of the sung propers (right Adam? ;) )

What re-print company is pathetic?

Correct M. Jackson Osborn!

In case anyone is interested, here is the RSCM - UK website with lots of materials for sale. https://www.rscmshop.com/acatalog/MusicfortheLiturgy-Plainsong.html

The Plainchant Gradual (Wantage) is not to be confused with the English Gradual. The latter contains psalm-tone settings of the proper. (The Anglican Use Gradual is a derivative work.) The Plainchant Gradual employs the melodies in the Graduale Romanum.

Confusion between the two books stems from the fact that Francis Brugess was sole editor of The English Gradual and one of the editors of the Plainchant Gradual.

The Plainchant Gradual is actually an amalgam. It contains adaptations of many introits, graduals, and alleluias made by G.H. Palmer, who understood chant composition. His adaptations are quite good, although he based them on the melodic readings of the Sarum Gradual (quite late) and often "padded" the texts to make them fit the music. The other chants in this gradual were the work of Francis Burgess and R.L. Shields, who appear to have understood nothing about chant composition. They merely strung English words under melodies composed for Latin texts, violating the "Gregorian esthetic" (cf. Ferretti) at almost every turn.

The Plainchant Gradual is now, apparently, available on CD-ROM. The following notice appears on the Web Page of the Community of St. Mary, Wantage:

"You can order a CD Rom from us which contains the plainchant
in PDF format of our Plainchant Graduals in English for Eucharistic Music

S Mary’s Press
S Mary’s Convent
Challow Road
Wantage
OXON
OX12 9DJ
UK"

No price is given.

Glad to do so. I'm still interested to find out the difference between all these editions. I can hardly keep up! The Palmer/Burgess should be back sometime next week and I'll drop everything to bookmark it

this is thrilling in every way. After all these years, these books are finally free to all.

Immensely useful materials: a result of the cultivation of the chant over many years.
I wonder if the sisters will be taking up the Holy Father's invitation to Anglicans to become part of the Catholic Church, as did the All Saints Sisters in Baltimore.

Sr. Bernadette.

I cannot seem to be able to find where to download the digital files.

Thnx Chris

I found that site but not the link to download the file.

OK... I finally found it.

http://www.csmvonline.org.uk/page-joinusliveforoffices.html

And as Jeffrey mentioned, they are also on the home page in the chant resources column. (wish I had known that sooner!)