Orchestral Mass
  • Aaron
    Posts: 110
    I wanted to share some of my joy and repertoire from today's Mass. Last year we began what we hope will be an annual tradition to have a Mass with orchestra and choir. Today was our second. Our parish choir of 52 voices and children's choir of 19 voices were joined by a 12 piece volunteer orchestra made up of parishioners and other local players. The strings played on everything but the psalm.

    Prelude-Bach Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and Mozart Ave Verum
    Processional- I know that my redeemer lives (DUKESTREET) festival setting by John Ferguson
    Sprinkling Rite-Leo Nestor
    Gloria- Deutsche Messe (Schubert, arr. by Proulx)
    Gospel Acclamation- Festival Alleluia (Chepponis)
    Offertory- Psalm 150 (Franck)
    Sanctus- Mass for two choirs and two organs (Widor, arr. by Huntington) with strings playing transcription of the gallery organ parts
    Remaining Ordinary- Deutsche Messe (Schubert, arr. by Proulx)
    After the Communion Hymn the children sang Ave Maria (Caccini)
    Recessional- Sing with all the Saints in Glory (HYMN TO JOY) festival setting by John Ferguson
    Postlude- Third movement of the Concerto for Organ and Orchestra (Heinrich Schmidt)

    This Mass will probably always be celebrated in the Easter season. I am interested in other suggestions for choral works with orchestra that I can also use on other Sundays without it and other accessible settings of the ordinary. We have no soloists in the choir so I would have to hire them if we were to do a choral ordinary needing one. I am also on the look out for other postludes with organ and orchestra.

    Thanked by 2noel jones, aago Choirparts
  • btodorovich
    Posts: 32
    Looks fantastic, Aaron! Regarding accessible Ordinary settings, my advanced choir at Queen of Peace did the "Missa sancti Gabrielis" by Michael Haydn last spring with chamber orchestra. Choir parts not overly difficult... check it out on CPDL.
    Thanked by 1Aaron
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    I would also highly encourage you to do propers as well...it'd be a shame to loose them.
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,694
    Almost any choir can handle the Schubert Mass in G.
  • CGM
    Posts: 683
    There's a German website with hundreds(!) of free choir-orchestra Mass settings:
    - orchestra and 4v. choir
    - orchestra and 3v. choir
    Many of them have an alternate scoring for choir and just organ (4v. & 3v.).

    I particularly like the Sojka Messe in F (amongst the 4v. selections).
    Thanked by 2StimsonInRehab Jahaza
  • vansensei
    Posts: 215
    I echo Matthew's statement of Mass in G by Franz Schubert. However, if you do, look for the edition that has filled in the words he omits. You could have choir members do the solos in it if they're up for it because they're not very complex. A Mozart or Haydn Mass, though, you might want to hire people.
    Thanked by 2eft94530 StimsonInRehab
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    A couple of years ago I took part in a performance of Salieri's Mass in D, and thought that it could have been performed by some parish choirs. The score's available on CPDL.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaP0sMJCFZ4
    Thanked by 2Salieri StimsonInRehab
  • ChantingOrgan
    Posts: 36
    Looks good. However, I can not let the attribution to Caccini go unnoticed. It's Vladimir Vavilov!
    Thanked by 1Aaron
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    The Salieri D Major Mass is a wonderful setting, more in the Missa Solemnis et Brevis form (like the Schubert) than a full Missa Solemnis (like Haydn's late Masses). The Benedictus is particularly lovely:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK0TGvYlwt8
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,916
    Haydn's Organ Solo Mass is simple enough - if you can find an organist who can manage the Benedictus.
Add a Comment