Sanctus / Holy Holy & Communion Settings

Different versions of the Sanctus (Holy Holy)

• Iona / ATOK 380 / SFFS 2256 / TiS 764 Holy holy holy Lord (Iona community) Holies and Hosannas in an excellent two part call and response. The two parts overlap a little bit, so will need to be familiar, or introduced carefully if not familiar to your congregation; this is our usual Sanctus at Brunswick.  Good for kids. Sheet music samples.
  
• A&M418 / GtG552 / G(3)367 / WoV616a Holy Holy Holy Lord (Marcia Pruner) A lovely Holy Holy, sung to the lilting American folk melody "Land of Rest". Sheet music sample. Lyrics. 
• TiS 761 / GA124 Holy holy holy Lord God of power and might (Colin Smith) This is the Holy Holy we used to sing each week for Communion at Brunswick.
• Music by Heart 40 Holy holy holy Lord / Mercer Sanctus (Marilyn Haskel) A simple tune (JEFFERSON, from Southern Harmony) for standard Sanctus words.  
  
• Walk as one Holy holy holy / The whole earth is filled (Andrew Ferguson) A very groovy new Holy Holy. Worth a look! Book available to purchase here.   
• TiS 763 / ATFG559 Holy holy holy Lord God of power (Bernadette Farrell) A nice quiet variation.  
• Online Resource Holy holy Lord God of Power and Might (Justin Brooks) A very satisfyingly mushy contemporary Sanctus; I think it would be quite straightforward to learn, but I would do it twice so that even newcomers to the congregation can join in. Sound sample and sheet music for purchase. 
  
• FFS33 Holy Holy Holy (Cecily Sheehy) Simple tune and inclusive words that retain a beautiful formality, solemnity and grace; this also has a matching Eucharistic Acclamation, Great Amen and Agnus Dei.
• Online Resource Holy holy Lord God of Power and God of Might (Phil Majorins) This is really lovely. It will need to be taught, but would be caught more easily if you use the whole mass, as the same melodic forms are used throughout. Sound sample. If you purchase the album it comes with a PDF of the sheet music. You can contact the composers directly for string quartet parts and choral parts!
  
• Online Resource Holy holy Lord God of Power and Might (Bethany Brooks) An uplifting  contemporary Sanctus. I would sing this twice - once through with a cantor, and then once through with the congregation. Sound sample and sheet music for purchase. 
• Online Resource Holy holy Lord God of Power and Might (Karl Digerness) A quiet   contemporary Sanctus; I think it would most suit and evening service (especially if you can arrange it like the recording). Sing this twice - once through with a cantor, and then once through with the congregation. Sound sample and sheet music for purchase. 
• NCH790 Holy holy holy God of love and majesty (Alice Jordan) A little bit tricky, but good; I like the adapted lyrics that extend it to the whole universe speaking of God's glory. 
• GtG593 Holy holy holy holy (David Poole) Energetic, groovy, and with a KEY CHANGE! Will need to be taught, but would be fun. A bit bluesy. Lyrics and sound sample.
  
• Online Resource Holy holy Lord God of Power and Might (Patrick Schlabs) A catchy bluegrassy arrangement of a contemporary Sanctus. Sing this twice - once through with a cantor, and then once through with the congregation. Sound sample and sheet music for purchase. 
• Online Resource Holy holy God of circling years (Mary Louise Bringle) Not a standard Sanctus, but could be used as one, and with different lines for all parts of the church year, could become a congregational favourite. Lyrics, sheet music sample and purchasing options.
• Online Resource Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts (Red Mountain Music) A more chilled out contemporary Sanctus. I would sing this twice - once through with a cantor, and then once through with the congregation. Sheet music (downloads a whole book - the Sanctus is song 46). Sound sample. 
• Online Resource Holy holy holy Lord God of power and might (David MacGregor) A joyful Sanctus, with a full communion setting. Easy to sing! Sheet music for free download. Lead sheet.
  
• GtG559 / 596 You are holy you are whole (Per Harling) An adaptation of a well known song - the last few lines have been changed to say "Sing Hosanna in the highest, sing Hosanna, sing Hosanna to our God"; makes it much more like a Sanctus! Original lyrics in English. Good for kids.  
• Online Resource / AoV1-196 / GA097 / GtG565 / GC(II)288 / GC166 / G(II)144 / G(3)198 / Lau490 / WoV619a Holy Holy Holy Lord, God of power (Marty Haugen) One of my favourite Holy Holies; from the Mass of Creation. Full score of mass for preview and purchase available here.
• NCH794 Holy holy holy God of all power and might (Johann Sebastian Bach, adapted by Ronald Nelson) Adaptation of plainsong. Nice. Will need to be taught. 
• Online Resource Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts (Mass of Restoration) (Josh Blakesley / Grae McCullough) A contemporary Sanctus. I really like this and think it would be loved, but will need to be taught. Sheet music samples and purchasing options for the whole mass. Sound sample.
  
• GtG556 Holy holy holy Lord (Leon Roberts) A simple flowing and inclusive Holy holy. Peaceful. Sheet music sample.
• NCH792 Holy holy holy God ruler almighty (Martie McMane) Sanctus Simple, lilting and folksy. Would be good for kids. 
• Worldmaking.net Holy Holy Holy One (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) A more energetic Holy holy. Sound sample and lyrics.
• Iona Holy Holy Holy Lord (John Bell / Graham Maule) St. Bride; this call and response version of the Sanctus is very energetic. It will need to be taught more than once, but I think it's pretty cool. Lyrics. 
• Iona (WWHW) Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts (Iona community) Columbia setting. An energetic, and slightly repetitive Sanctus. Would be fun, but would need to be taught first. Sound sample. 
  
• AoV1-173 Holy Holy Holy Lord (Chung Ham) Simple chant. "Holy holy holy Lord; praise and honour are yours, for you alone are worthy to receive the glory and praise."
• NCH789 Holy holy holy God of love and majesty (Ronald Nelson) Quite nice Sanctus. I like how it climbs up!
• TiS 722 / Taize Holy holy holy Lord / Sanctus Dominus II (Taize) A good opportunity to use a cantor and invite the congregation to chant the ostinato. This would be a simple way of bringing some of the "wonder" to your congregation if you have a capable cantor (it's not that hard really!).
• STB128 Holy Holy Holy God (Indonesia) (Sukamto) Holy holy A Sanctus from Indonesia, based on a traditional melody. It works best in Bahasa.
• WoV617a / GtG562 / G(3)364 / Lau576 Holy Holy Holy Lord (Franz Schubert) Peaceful and gentle. From Schubert's Deutsche Messe. 
• GtG592 Holy Holy Holy Lord God of power (Paul Vasile) Energetic and a bit jazzy. Lyrics.
• Online Resource / GC(II)192 Holy Holy Holy Lord (Beneath the Tree of Life) (Marty Haugen) A good Holy holy. Sheet music and sound sample (entire mass).
  
• AoV2-081 Holy Holy Holy Lord of power and might (John Bell / Graham Maule) This is also good, but I can't remember what I liked about them.
• GC(II)182 / G(3)375 Holy holy holy Lord God of power and might (Steven Janco) A nice joyful (or majestic) Sanctus depending on how you do it. From the Mass of the Angels and Saints, which is altogether lovely. Sound sample. Sheet music sample.
• Online Resource Holy holy holy the heaven and earth are holy / Casa del Sol Communion Responses (John Phillip Newell / David Poole) A set of responses with significantly altered words, in a folk style. This uses a cantor and a two-part congregation plus guitar and drum. Sound and score samples, and purchase options.

Full sets of Communion Responses (these include Holy Holies!!) 

Modernised & fully inclusive words

• FFS33 Holy Holy Holy (Cecily Sheehy) Simple tune and inclusive words that retain a beautiful formality, solemnity and grace, with a matching Eucharistic Acclamation, Great Amen and Agnus Dei.
• Online Resource / GtG551-555 / G(3)367 Land of Rest Setting (Richard Proulx) A lovely set of responses, including a Kyrie, Sanctus, Eucharistic Acclamation, Great Amen, and Agnus Dei, arranged to the lilting American folk melody "Land of Rest". Very simple! Sound sample, sheet music samples, and purchasing options.
  
• Online Resource Casa del Sol Communion Responses (John Phillip Newell / David Poole) A set of responses with significantly altered words, in a folk style. This uses a cantor and a two-part congregation plus guitar and drum. Sound and score samples, and purchase options.
• MV203-205 Kingsfold Communion Set (William Kervin) A set of communion responses with altered and inclusive language (Sanctus, Memorial Acclamation, Great Amen) to a simple and well known English tune (Kingsfold) which is really similar to another English tune (Star of the County Down). 

More traditional words

• Online Resource Trinitytide Mass (Phil Majorins) This is really lovely. It will need to be taught, but would be caught more easily if you use the whole mass, as the same melodic forms are used throughout. Sound samples of all sections. If you purchase the album it comes with a PDF of the sheet music. You can contact the composers directly for string quartet parts and choral parts!
• Online Resource Communion Responses (David MacGregor) A joyful set of responses - easy to sing; they are not all related, so you could choose to use one or two of them only if you like. Sheet music for free download. Lead sheet.
• Online Resource Mass of Restoration (Josh Blakesley / Grae McCullough) A contemporary mass setting. I really like this and think it would be quite straightforward. Sheet music samples and purchasing options. Sound sample (of the Sanctus).
• G(3)194-202 / GtG565-568 Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen) (Communion response) The responses from this mass are beautiful and majestic at moments. It requires strong leadership as each section has a different (albeit related) melody; note that the Sanctus is listed above because it's in many resources and is just excellent! You could easily use just the Sanctus, Acclamation and Amen Full sound sample (youtube). Score.
• GC233-240 / GtG562-564 Deustche Messe (Franz Schubert, arr. Richard Proulx) Easy to sing. A quiet and restful set of responses. A slow version on youtube. 

Updated in 2024 in Toronto, Canada, in between conferences, while resting a sprained knee. :-(