English Offertories for Mixed Choir a cappella
  • Richard R.
    Posts: 774
    Not exactly new, just the latest sifting through the archives, which gave me a chance to rework these ten year old English Offertory settings. They are all SATB a cappella, strictly common practice, in the Tudor English Anthem vein (to the best of my ability). English texts come from the Grail Psalter mostly, and include one verse each, with repeated respond. The collection includes the four Sundays of Advent and the Christmas Vigil and Midnight Masses (an odd point at which, apparently, I gave up). Some of the texts would be useful for seasonal motets, and the Ave Maria for 4th Advent might be useful generally. MIDI recordings are available on my web site.
    EnglishOffertories_RRice0909.pdf
    601K
  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    gasp. unbelievable. Truly.
  • orourkebr
    Posts: 57
    Mind=blown again by Mr. Rice.
  • Aristotle EsguerraAristotle Esguerra
    Posts: 1,185
    Excellent!
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    A saint in our midst.
    His pen gives sound, his heart joy
    Richard Rice, our thanks.
  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    You know that scene in Amadeus when Salieri picks up Mozart's drafts and his mouth falls open and all the music spills on the floor?
  • Richard R.
    Posts: 774
    Perhaps, though I think I'd prefer Nipples of Venus in the madhouse to dead at 35.
  • JDE
    Posts: 588
    Yes, they're that good. That's one of my all-time favorite movie moments, by the way.

    These are terrific. I'm going to plan one for Midnight Mass to use with my small ensemble.
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 993
    Richard Rice is more than nice!
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    Wondrously good!
    With such as this there is no excuse for not doing 'proper' anthems at English masses.
    These are really superb!
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    These are magnificent. WOW! Would it not be appropriate to sing one of these at the Colloquium next year?
  • Adam Bartlett
    Posts: 533
    Richard-- This is fantastic! What a gift to the Church would a complete cycle of these be, setting the text of the new Revised Grail Psalter? ;)
  • Richard R.
    Posts: 774
    "...a complete cycle..."

    Ugh! Why don't y'all contribute?
  • Adam Bartlett
    Posts: 533
    I think that everyone's making the contribution that they can with their requisite gifts. I suspect that we'll continue to see a flowering of creativity as people bring their work forward in the coming months and years. I have certainly been contributing and have much more in the works. These offertories are great, Richard. But I doubt that there are many on this forum that have your compositional technique. It's a great gift, thank you for sharing it!
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    Yah, it would be pretty useless if e.g. I posted some SATB offertories...
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    R R - if you think an entire yearly cycle is more than you want currently to tackle, perhaps you would consider complimenting these offertories with the remaining items of the proper for the Sundays you have provided here, i.e., introits, choral psalm with monophonic congregational responds, alleluya verses, and communion antiphons. Then, you could do likewise for the major solemnities of the year. This would be an invaluable contribution to the repertory and would point the way for other composers of liturgical music. I have done similarly for some major days; but your writing, as displayed here, is superior to mine. And, is assuredly superior to any new liturgical music available from Catholic publishers.
  • Donnaswan
    Posts: 585
    Gosh, I would love to have some more 4pt Introits. They are more possible for me than Offertories, unless I wouldn't be 'excommunicated' if we sang the Offertories as Introits. No one in the congregation would know the difference! LOL

    Donna
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    Donna -
    E-mail me if you would like a copy of my propers for Easter Day.
    The style influences are Tudor-Schutz-Gabrieli. You may find them useful - at least, interesting.
    They are in manuscript and are not 'computerised', so I would have to mail them to you,
  • Heath
    Posts: 934
    Richard, these look great, and are much needed. Unlike others in this thread, I have no real use for choral Introits, but choral offertories are the norm with my choir so more options are always welcome.

    And so, if you're taking a hand count, my vote is for settings of the offertories throughout the whole liturgical year before heading back for the Introits, etc.
  • Donnaswan
    Posts: 585
    M. Jackson Osborn: I'd be very interested in propers for Easter Day.
    Sorry for delay in replying- very busy weekend with installation of our new Episcopal priest (I sing in the choir there when my duties at my RC church don't interfere) Here's my Email address- I know I could find yours, but not sure where. Swanchen@aol.com. Email me and I'll send my mailing address.

    Donna
  • Heath
    Posts: 934
    Bumping. These Offertory settings for Advent and Christmas are wonderful.
    Thanked by 1eft94530
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