Church Music Institute Library

"The CMI catalog is my most essential tool when programming music. I’m so glad you are there!"

The Choral Library

The Choral Library contains thousands of sacred choral compositions vetted by CMI staff. Each composition is chosen for quality of text and music and function in worship. A sample of the music accompanies each entry. Compositions may be searched using 17 fields, for example, Voicing, Level of Difficulty, Scripture Reference, Liturgical Day or Season. Search fields may be combined to fit the requirements of each user. The Library includes music from the Renaissance to the most recent publications. Genres include anthems, cantatas, oratorios, requiems, passions, service and liturgical music, dramatic sacred music, music for special seasonal services, distinctive collections from music publishers, and music for additional liturgical uses. Recent compositions from publishers and music donated by composers, church musicians, seminary professors, and churches comprise the contents of the Library.

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"I find the CMI online database an invaluable resource for selecting and discovering new anthem repertoire. As a liturgical congregation, this database enables me to search by scripture references, Sunday & feast lectionary recommendations, and general themes, and this has enriched our musical offerings.”

The Organ Library

The Organ Library contains thousands of sacred organ compositions vetted by CMI staff, searchable by TUNE NAME. Each composition is based on a pre-existing tune. Search fields include Composer, Editor, Name of Collection, Additional Instrument(s), Level of Difficulty,* and fields may be combined in the search process. Manuals Only and IMSLP (free, public domain) compositions are searched separately. Resources for Singing contains organ accompaniments for congregational singing of hymns, descants, alternate harmonizations of tunes, introductions, interludes, and modulations.

* Difficulty levels assume some training in organ and regular practice habits.

EASY compositions should be learned in one week with focused practice.

MODERATE compositions would require several weeks of focused practice.

DIFFICULT compositions would require more time to learn.

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Additional Collections

A variety of resource materials are among the holdings of CMI. Scholarly books available for research include topics such as worship/liturgy, theology, church music, hymnody, indexes for planning worship, hymn selection guides, denominational hymnals and companions, vocal pedagogy and technique, and English diction.

Joncas Library at CMI

Church Music Institute is pleased to be the recipient of the personal library of Fr. Jan Michael Joncas, Catholic priest, university professor, and church music composer.

Historical volumes contain critical editions of important liturgical texts (e.g., the so-called Leonine, Gelasian, and Gregorian sacramentaries), through patristic and medieval commentaries on worship practices (e.g., the Apostolic Tradition, the Ordo Romanus Primus), to documents tracing the worship reforms of the 19th - 21st centuries, especially those stemming from the Second Vatican Council.

Theological volumes include commentaries on biblical texts (especially studies of the psalms) and systematic reflections on sacramental and devotional worship in a variety of denominations.

Practical volumes highlight the contributions of the social sciences (cultural anthropology, sociology, psychology, semiotics) to the study and practice of worship and worship music.

241 published church music scores of Fr. Joncas are also available for study and can be searched in the CMI Choral Library online database.

The Joncas Library contains 2,473 books on aesthetics, liturgical history, liturgy, music, sacramental theology, scripture, spirituality, systematic theology, and other broad categories.

CMI welcomes scholars and others interested in the library to CMI. To view the listing of contents, click here.