ABSTRACT
'Hark an awful voice is sounding' is a translation of the Latin hymn 'En clara vox redarguit' by Edward Caswall. It was intended to impose new and uniform standards on Catholic hymn singing, which at that time had a poor reputation. This chapter focuses on the Catholic musical context in which it appeared; the functions it was expected to fulfil; how the texts reflect the character of the English Catholic church at that time; and the impact of Richard Runciman Terry. The Westminster Hymnal was one of several changes radically affecting the musical heritage of English Catholics early in the twentieth century. The implications for singing were profound, for the private reading and recital of hymns confirmed the separation between those who wrote hymns and those who composed music. In other words, because English Catholics had been a persecuted minority for so long, no tradition of hymn singing had emerged and a Counter-Reformation habit of private devotions had been substituted.
