Collections : [University of Michigan William L. Clements Library]

The Emilie St. Cyr Songbook is a collection of hymns and prayers taken from Cantiques des Missions Composés by St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort.

The Emilie St. Cyr songbook, entitled "Cantiques Spirituels," is a single manuscript volume that records the text of several French hymns, taken from Cantiques des Missions... and originally composed by Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort. The songbook, copied in a neat hand, seldom diverges from the original, and was created at Saint Ferdinand in Florissant, Missouri, later home to a convent of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Most discrepancies between this copy and the original are spelling differences; one notable exception is the songbook's version of "Pour L'ouverture de la Mission," which is significantly abbreviated. An inscription shows that the book belonged to St. Louis native Emilie St. Cyr, who added four short poems of her own "pour la fete de st Louis gonsague" in the book's first pages. The songbook also contains an index.

This volume contains pre-printed music staves, on which Jane Patton wrote musical notes and lyrics for compositions ranging from light opera to popular songs. Most of the works are instrumentals, but a number of vocal pieces are present. Some of the titles include "Hewitt's Quick Step" by T. Rebhun, "Listen to the Convent Bells," "La Poule," Kathleen Mavoreen," and "Oh! Dinna Ask Me," as well as a few pieces by Thomas Haynes Bayley, such as "Isle of Beauty, Fare Thee Well." Some tunes have manuscript notations such as "from Harriet Taylor" or "from Harriet Scott." The printed pages are marked "ORRS' IMPROVED."

This volume contains pre-printed music staves, on which Jane Patton wrote musical notes and lyrics for compositions ranging from light opera to popular songs. Most of the works are instrumentals, but a number of vocal pieces are present. Some of the titles include "Hewitt's Quick Step" by T. Rebhun, "Listen to the Convent Bells," "La Poule," Kathleen Mavoreen," and "Oh! Dinna Ask Me," as well as a few pieces by Thomas Haynes Bayley, such as "Isle of Beauty, Fare Thee Well." Some tunes have manuscript notations such as "from Harriet Taylor" or "from Harriet Scott." The printed pages are marked "ORRS' IMPROVED."