I have a few weeks where it's choir-only. And then a bit of time where it's alternatim, that is between choir and congregation. Those both help.

I despise the rehearsal before Mass, but I do exercise it for new ordinaries simply because that IS their part to sing and they should be prepared for it. It'd be wonderful if we could adopt the 19th-century Presbyterian model of bringing people to church on Saturday to learn their music for Sunday, but that's impractical these days.

Francis: that's already done by means of those Brazilian monks who have about half the Graduale online. if you haven't seen it, check out: http://www.christusrex.org/www2/cantgreg/index_eng.html

Thanks, Gavin. I downloaded that entire website to my hard drive a couple of years ago.

prior, have you had actual succcess with that? I've tried it myself a couple times and, as is predictable, the prelude is just an imposition no one pays attention to.

What we'll do at my parish is have the priest do the introducing. We're "re-introducing" the Gloria, since it got a shaky reception last time. Our priest is going to rehearse the text with the congregation during announcement time and then teach the melody. He'll also explain what the text says. The advantage to this is the captive audience, as well as the chance to draw the congregation's attention to it. And since it's a priest doing the introducing, maybe they'll actually pay attention! It worked quite well for the mortem tuam.

I’ve used our parish web site, http://music.ctrcc.com, for teaching new Ordinary music and even new hymns to the parish. I am not sure how much use it gets.

I think that an effective way to get people singing the Mass Ordinary is to just keep repeating the same one - over and over (and over!). Yes - it probably does get boring for the musicians. Sadly, I think it's the only way that you're going to get a congregation singing. Most of them won't make the effort to practise at home, although for those that might, you could consider producing a free CD for them to take home and copy and return to the Parish the following week. It took me about 12 months of Credo I before I can say I was satisfied with the way the congregation was singing - and no amount of nagging or criticism would see me go back to using Credo III. Now that they're great at Credo I, Credo III will make a comeback and be used alternately. Either that, or I'll start them on one of the other Credos (I quite like the sound of Credo IV).

It may take over 12 months for a congregation to settle on a particular Mass Ordinary. My advice is to be VERY careful about what Mass Ordinary you choose, as you're going to be stuck with it for a long time! Make sure that it's something that is accessible enough to the congregation - maybe looking at another discussion on this forum which is examining the characteristics of music that is accessible to congregations.

"prior, have you had actual succcess with that?"
I can't answer for him, but I certainly have.
I'll work melodies into the "filler" after the offertory or communion pieces, as well as before Mass for a few weeks running.
I have had PIPs insist, when I later mention how well some new piece was sung, "Awww, we've been singing that for years," more than once.
Since it happened with one piece on which the ink was not yet dry, I know that they are often mistaken in this.

(Save the Liturgy, Save the World)

"Yep, I've seen a fair amount of success with playing the music in advance of its introduction at Mass."

If you're introducing hymns, I think that it can make some sense to introduce Lutheran chorale tunes, because there are so many excellent organ preludes and variations on these melodies written by the great composers of the Baroque period, including J.S. Bach and Pachelbel that you can use before, during and after Mass.

"vigorous singing of our congregation.... We attribute a lot of this to our having unplugged all instruments. People feel responsible for singing at Mass, and singing the Mass, whichever the case may be."

I have nothing to add, I just think this can't be said often enough.
Parish after parish, the English sacramentary chant Our Father demonstrates this.
When I first had access to EWTN, and thus to Vatican broadcasts, I wanted to cry.

People from all over the world, native speakers of every language, gathered at audiences or Liturgies sing the Pater Noster together, fervently, loudly; they, to use a liturgist's favorite buzz word, OWN it.

I wanted to cry with joy at the Church's true universality, its Catholicity; but also with regret.
If there had been a will, and leadership from the hierarchy in this country, (instead of de facto and sometimes outright suppression,) WE would all know and love and own it.
And as a witness to the world, we would be more thoroughly members, not just of our own little corners of Catholicism, our parochial groups, with parochial concerns and practices, but of the Universal Church.

This is why it pained me to see that the official setting of the Mass for _WORLD_ Youth Day is in the language of the host nation.
Isn't that sort of cultural hegemony "unwelcoming"?
Not to mention missing a great opportunity to introduce "new" Mass music to a congregation that consists of literally the entire world.

Umm... for someone who had nothing to add, I certainly did run on. I beg your indulgence.

(Save the Liturgy, Save the World)