How would Liber Hymnorum be used devotionally?

lh_mockuprender_800px300dpiMatthew Carver: “Liber Hymnorum is arranged according to the church year, with the “de tempore” (times and seasons) in the front and “de sancto” (saints and festivals) in the back of each section. This makes use in home or church fairly simple and straightforward. Christians, through these hymns, find expression for their own spiritual sentiments in response to God’s gifts each hour and day and reflect on the themes of the season or feast, tying in with what happens at church.  The prayer service hymns (hymns of the daily office, or Liturgy of the Hours) especially can and should be used by Christians at home as well as in those churches where Matins and Vespers are offered. A regular course and use of these ancient hymns anchors the mind and heart to the hours, days, seasons, and all time as God arranges it.

“The melodies are given in standard notation (resembling the stemless chants found in our modern hymnals) as well as the original Gregorian notation. For those able to read Gregorian notation (a worthy endeavor; not as hard as it looks!), the Latin hymns are completely underlaid, so there is no guesswork in which syllable goes on which note, leaving the mind freer to contemplate the spiritual depths of the text (or at least, to grasp the basic meaning of the Latin!).”
