Your favourite motet/anthem for the Feast of the Holy Family?
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,499
    I am looking for something I can use for this Feast day as well as part of our half hour prelude at Christmas Eve. As for difficulty, my choir has finally mastered "Sicut Cervus" but "O Magnum" by Victoria is a struggle because not everyone is a good reader. We are quite good at homophony and sing SATB most of the time, though we have had success with Biebl's "Ave Maria." I would like something other than chant. English or Latin are preferable languages. Thanks!
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,768
    For Year A you can do a Nunc dimittis,with the Mag. for Advent IV:an embarrassment of riches. I'm leaning towards Gibbons' Short Service this time; you might also find Mendelssohn a nice fit.
    Thanked by 1canadash
  • Andrew Motyka
    Posts: 944
    It's not technically the feast this year, but this year Holy Family falls on December 28 (Holy Innocents). Coventry Carol wouldn't be out of place.
    Thanked by 1canadash
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,945
    While St Joseph is not mentioned (the most "traditional" carols to mention St Joseph in the English repertoire are The Cherry Tree Carol and the English adaptation of Joseph Lieber Joseph Mein), a child's focus and the lyrics by Chesterton's wife make this setting of "How Far Is It To Bethlehem?" very accessible:

    http://listeninglab.stantons.com/title/how-far-it-is-to-bethlehem/303265/
    Thanked by 1canadash
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,499
    Thank you all. I must say that I love the "How Far Is It...?" I was looking for something which mentions St. Joseph by name. I'm finding it difficult.
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,945
    There's a historical reason liturgical text focus, and early vernacular text focus, rarely includes much about St Joseph: the full-throated embrace of St Joseph is a relatively recent development (St Joseph's main feast only became a first class one in the late 19th century).
    Thanked by 1canadash
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    Those who have (or might like to have) my hymn collection Hymns for the Liturgical Year will find there a text for Holy Family, "Within the Quiet of a Home," which can be sung to Sussex Carol.

    Within the quiet of a home
    Let no one but the angels come,
    Or travellers in their distress,
    Or friends in holy righteousness.
    Let ev'ry fam'ly live in peace,
    And let the grace of God increase.

    (etc.)
    Thanked by 1canadash
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Among all the other settings, Poulenc's O MAGNUM MYSTERIUM.
    Thanked by 2canadash CHGiffen
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,151
    Poulenc's O MAGNUM MYSTERIUM
    ... one of the splendors of the 20th century.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JotcQIemsAU
    Thanked by 2melofluent canadash
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