https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/categories/new-compositionworks-in-progress/feed.rss Wed, 13 May 26 04:13:54 +0000 New Composition/Works in Progress - MusicaSacra Church Music Forum en-CA https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23407/liberty-sketch-for-liberty-mutual-by-koerber Tue, 12 May 2026 16:58:04 +0000 francis 23407@/forum/discussions
OK, yea... has nothing to do with sacred music...

but FREEDOM is rooted in Christ and in Christ only... (I know... far stretch...)

Anyway, I signed up for Liberty Mutual (got the bundle)

must've heard the commercial and watched them 1000 times on YouTube...

when I was on the phone with the agent I told him I would compose a piece that could be played for the 250th anniversary of "Liberty" which is this coming July 4

so that night I wrote the sketch... took a couple hours, and I sent it off to them to see if we could put something together.

It could be done by a choir with all the different imitative parts. It could be done as electronica, or could be done symphonically alone or with full choir.

Composers are always looking for an in...

Hope you like it... it could at least be their "phone-on-hold-music" I suppose.

http://www.myopus.com/preview/libertyStringTrio.mp4

UPDATE

electronica phone on hold

http://www.myopus.com/preview/libertyElectronica.mp3
]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23397/work-in-progress-divine-mercy-in-my-soul Fri, 08 May 2026 21:37:01 +0000 SaulPeters 23397@/forum/discussions
Let me know what you think.

Link: https://youtu.be/iyuWW3X9xUc]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23102/miserere-mei-deus-new-concise-motet-a-3-for-lent Sun, 25 Jan 2026 14:43:15 +0000 Xopheros 23102@/forum/discussions posted it on the web.

The text is taken from the gradual of Ash Wednesday, but it fits for the entire Lent period. It is in an early baroque style with different affects for the two verses, and the organ is optional. When we quickly tried it out today with our family, the others were reminded at some points of Lasso's Prophetiae Sibyllarum, but I find the chromaticisms less enforced.]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23400/new-three-part-mass-setting-started Sun, 10 May 2026 16:47:02 +0000 Xopheros 23400@/forum/discussions ready to join me in a recording (YT video with score underlaid).

The Christe might be a bit over the top with its descending quarter-chains (God’s Son coming to Earth), the many sharps (= crosses) accompanied by a brief passus duriusculus, and the painful tritone parallel at the end, but on the other hand this makes every listener notice the text interpretation.

It is in my favorite international language, but it should be straightforward to make an alternative version with the Greek text "Kyrie/Christe eleison" for those who only sing Latin masses. OTOH, those who only sing in Latin/Greek presumably do not like this kind of "contemporary slop", so it is presumably not worth the trouble.

If someone nevertheless would like to have a Greek version, please let me know.]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23396/be-joyful-mary-heavenly-queen-with-three-accompaniments Thu, 07 May 2026 20:12:43 +0000 GregoryWeber 23396@/forum/discussions
https://gdweber.org/scsg/scores/h300-organ.pdf]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23392/hildegard-chant-copyrights Wed, 06 May 2026 19:51:30 +0000 GloriaPatri 23392@/forum/discussions Has anyone dealt with securing clearance to quote, develop, create and record with ideas from something of Hildegard’s music? If so, how difficult was it to gain permission?]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23327/veni-sancte-spiritus-for-ttb-equal-voices Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:36:07 +0000 AdteBeateJoseph3 23327@/forum/discussions
All my other music is available here for free (or if you feel so inclined to pay what you want): https://emmanuelmusicasacra.com
]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/10756/organ-accompaniment-for-office-antiphons Wed, 21 May 2014 14:00:28 +0000 nun_34 10756@/forum/discussions in Dropbox HERE:

I will add to it as I find the time.
- Sr. Sarah David


*A couple notes:
Seasonal Accompaniment - Advent
--the misplaced pages for Fri/Sat are at the end of the .pdf

Seasonal Accompaniment - Christmas
--contains only seasonal antiphons (for others, cf. Proper of Saints, forthcoming)

-Ordinary Time part 1 - Sundays
-Lent (weeks 1-5)

Added 5/23/14:
-Psalm Tones
-Ordinary Time part 2 - feria weeks 1&2

6/1/14:
-Ordinary Time part 3 - feria weeks 3&4
-Holy Week, Easter Week, Sundays of Easter
-Ferial days of Easter

Still to come: Invitatories, Commons and Propers of Saints, and voice copy for everything.]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23231/mass-of-saint-john-henry-newman-2026-revision Thu, 12 Mar 2026 19:51:09 +0000 achoyce91 23231@/forum/discussions
Here’s the score follower video: https://youtu.be/PWAZ554eAHM?si=cw2wqn43-hHUYg8-

Soli Deo gloria!]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/22453/new-polyphony-free-to-use-psalm-223-setting-for-good-shepherd-039sub-tuum-praesidium039 Sun, 04 May 2025 03:13:59 +0000 NihilNominis 22453@/forum/discussions Vetus Ordo Mass this Sunday, which some of you might find useful next Sunday for the Novus Ordo Good Shepherd Sunday. It is designed to be sung antiphonally with psalmtone verses, which are included.

I also revised an earlier setting of Sub tuum praesidium I made, which I think represents an improvement on the original.

Free for liturgical use. Other uses should contact me first.]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23214/jesus-christ-has-risen-today-easter-hymn-descant Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:27:45 +0000 emac3183 23214@/forum/discussions Put this together this morning. Nothing crazy, just thought it might prove useful for those looking for a free, easy descant.

Open to suggestions.]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23206/missa-pastoralis-2021-2025-for-choir-and-organ Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:41:34 +0000 m_r_taylor 23206@/forum/discussions
It could theoretically be used as a quasi-congregational Mass because of the alternating harmonised and unison sections. Let me know if you would ever like a graphic to be used for the congregation with the unison parts notated.

It was initially for SAT, and later B was added to the Kyrie and Sanctus, though the three-voice texture persists in the Agnus Dei. The revision was for my wedding. A Gloria will be added someday. I could also send the old SAT version on request if you need.

A recording of all three movements is also attached. Please do not listen with headphones on high; a child was bumping the microphone.]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/22998/a-double-anglican-chant-2025 Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:24:15 +0000 m_r_taylor 22998@/forum/discussions https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/22229/free-lenten-motet-exaltabo-te-domine-richardson Fri, 31 Jan 2025 19:51:22 +0000 ServiamScores 22229@/forum/discussions https://psallitedomino.com/blog/free-lenten-motet-exaltabo-te-domine-2025

TL;DR:
SATB, latin refrain with english verses. (Could have latin verses substituted for VO)
Suitable for all of Lent, especially Ash Wednesday (offertory or distribution of ashes).

Quick to learn, and comprehensive practice tracks available here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk71GctqoFYw0Q4KyBFS5uFmoYlZZ0i0j

Demo: https://youtu.be/AhoK1H22f9w]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23057/ave-maria-by-koerber-in-reparation-for-blasphemy-against-the-bvm Wed, 07 Jan 2026 01:35:25 +0000 francis 23057@/forum/discussions
Perhaps you can put it to good use, and it will sooth the pains of Our Lord and Our Blessed Mother.

http://myopus.com/preview/aveMariaBillAgnes.mp4

http://myopus.com/preview/aveMariaKoerber.pdf]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/22968/project-idea Fri, 05 Dec 2025 13:48:02 +0000 JustASeminarian 22968@/forum/discussions While I am not a musician, I do desire to help the Church in whatever way I can. I have an idea for a project with the new translation coming out but I need some help if anyone is interested...? Perhaps someone is already working on this ...? My hope is for it to get out at the same time as the LoH 2nd Edition, which is schedule for Feb 10, 2027.

Project:
Latin/English Vesperale for the Liturgy of the Hours.

Principles:
- Would have Vespers for every day of the year.
- Would be printed basically like one volume of LoH (size-wise and paper style) and have 5 ribbons.
- Latin/English on same page as much as possible or at least left and right pages.
- Chant notation.
- Psalm verses rather than the Meinrad stanzas.

I know there are several possible layouts, but this is what I am leaning towards:
- Intro
- Magnificat tone options
- Days of the Cycles/Seasons
- - Hymns (I'm at the office and don't have my Latin LoH, but I think this may be better placed in an "Ordinary" section at the beginning.)
- - Psalms
- - Readings
- - Responsories
- - Magnificat Antiphons
- - Intercessions
- - Collects
- Sanctoral Cycle
- - Proper Hymns
- - Proper Psalms (if there are any for Vespers, I don't think there are)
- - Proper Readings
- - Proper Responsories
- - Proper Magnificat Antiphons
- - Proper Intercessions
- - Proper Collects
- Commons
- - Same as Sanctoral Cycle but common


Thoughts? Want to help?

God bless!]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23157/translation-satb-setting-of-a-rare-chorale-for-holy-thursday Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:14:13 +0000 Xopheros 23157@/forum/discussions
The chorale in its original form is little known. Better known is a setting by Brahms with a different melody. Brahms only took the first and last stanza and thereby deprived the text of the context of Christ's prayer in the Gethsemane Garden, thus transforming it into a secular song with a diffuse mood of sadness. It seems to me, however, that Spee's original is much more touching and thus worth to be remembered and used.

The words of Christ are set apart by a two part setting. To make his forlornness even more audible, these two stanzas can optionally be sung by soloists.

Should anyone find the time to make additional translations, for instance to Spanish, that would be highly welcome. I fear however that Spanish is particular challenging because the poem has in each stanza four rhymes or assonances on male endings (i.e. with meter "v-"), wich are rare in Romanic languages like Spanish, Portuguese or Italian.]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/16939/english-setting-of-the-reproaches Thu, 14 Mar 2019 04:42:41 +0000 NatePultorak 16939@/forum/discussions
It's been a long time since I've posted something on here. Last week, I was planning music for my choirs for the Triduum when I got this bit of inspiration to write a setting of the Reproaches. I wanted to keep it mainly homophonic, with vocal ranges to work well with an aging choir. I loved the Victoria setting, but I would not be able to get the choir comfortable with the polyphonic sections on a short notice, and I wanted something that had a sadder sound to attempt to portray Jesus weeping for how we treat him despite how good he has been to us.

Here is the current work in progress. I have the notes down paired (finally) with the texts from the Roman Missal (I had initially written portions of it with whatever translation the english version of the Victoria uses), I'm going to add dynamics that treat the english responses in the Triagion as echoes, and add some crescendos in the main portion (How have I grieved you).

I'm also trying to figure out the best way to notate the tempo differences in the piece. In the Trisagion, the greek will be about twice as quick as the english, so I imagine some use of cut time meters, but I couldn't think of how it would lay out easiest.

Thanks for your feedback and help!


Edited 2:03PM 3-14-2019 for an updated score and including an MP3 rendering]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23142/improperium-expectavit-ssaa-ttbb-or-satb Fri, 06 Feb 2026 13:18:46 +0000 Drake 23142@/forum/discussions Improperium Expectavit, with arrangements for SSAA, TTBB (accessible to baritones as well), and SATB. Free PDF and playback are available at the link below:

Improperium Expectavit

I hope it may be of use to some of your choirs.]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23127/fugue-in-f-major-sketch-for-pipe-organ-by-koerber Mon, 02 Feb 2026 20:44:40 +0000 francis 23127@/forum/discussions
http://myopus.com/preview/fugueFmajor.mp4]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23105/setting-of-the-gloria-in-english.-satb-and-organ Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:03:01 +0000 Fr_Buffer 23105@/forum/discussions https://www.ubiclaritas.com/composition/gloria-from-mass-of-the-sacred-hearts/
or, on Youtube (video form only) here:
https://youtu.be/le27om86r7s?si=e6xAREokVObrKycc
]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23108/crux-fidelis-for-equal-voices Tue, 27 Jan 2026 01:56:18 +0000 AdteBeateJoseph3 23108@/forum/discussions Hope that this may be of help this Lent! It may be downloaded for free from my website: https://emmanuelmusicasacra.com/b/uyBLq]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23099/short-motet-for-lent-salvator-mundi-for-satb Sun, 25 Jan 2026 03:47:28 +0000 AdteBeateJoseph3 23099@/forum/discussions
My new setting of Salvator Mundi for SATB. It's short but there are a few crunchy chords in there :) As the piece unraveled itself during the writing process and now looking in retrospect, it is close to Bruckner in style. The full score is available to download here: https://emmanuelmusicasacra.com/b/salvatormundi

]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23070/nunc-dimittis-for-satb Sat, 10 Jan 2026 20:02:51 +0000 AdteBeateJoseph3 23070@/forum/discussions https://emmanuelmusicasacra.com/

Hopefully this may be of use!]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23039/devotional-ave-maria-comp. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 19:35:19 +0000 OMagnumMysterium 23039@/forum/discussions https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23032/verbum-bonum-et-suave-tbb Mon, 29 Dec 2025 14:15:02 +0000 Richard R. 23032@/forum/discussions Richard Rice]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/2771/a-musical-christmas-gift-for-all-n-a-t-i-v-i-t-y Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:34:34 +0000 francis 2771@/forum/discussions
Please accept this little token of my appreciation for your friendship and commradarie through the years. I am so grateful to know each of you and to celebrate the gift of music with you day in and day out.

This is a multitracked improvisation of Advent/Christmas instrumentals which I played into a sequencer on a Macintosh in 1990 over the period of about two weeks (bar a couple that I arranged first). I wrote the patches on a Wavetable synth (Kawai K1, for you technogeeks). Please feel free to distribute this to friends and family.

I would always play this (and still do) for my family year after year through the Advent and Christmas seasons so they were able to appreciate some of the best hymns very early on.

download

Here is the playlist for my preferred listening order (as though it was on a CD... remember those?)

view the playlist


Have a most blessed Advent and Christmas.

Sincerely,

Francis Koerber
RomanCatholicSacredMusic.com]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23022/gloria-in-excelsis-deo-and-merry-christmas Wed, 24 Dec 2025 17:20:07 +0000 Drake 23022@/forum/discussions
https://www.catholicliving.net/gloria-in-excelsis-deo/]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/23006/psalms-for-choirs-rrice Wed, 17 Dec 2025 14:59:39 +0000 Richard R. 23006@/forum/discussions https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/22988/missa-o-rex-gloriae Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:09:08 +0000 Drake 22988@/forum/discussions
https://www.catholicliving.net/missa-o-rex-gloriae/

This is the project I was working on when I got the Tantum Ergo (in another post) as a bonus, as it were.

I don't have a favorite movement, which is a good sign. Hopefully, each movement is worthy in its own right. But if I had to point to one or two places to highlight, I'd first pick the Jesu Christe from the Gloria. After that, the Suscipe from the Gloria and the Benedictus have something of a unique quality where the image I was aiming for was the mysterious scene from the Apocalypse of the prayers of the saints rising as an incense before the throne of God.

I feel the setting has broad applicability. It could be used for Christmas, Holy Thursday, Christ the King, the Ascension, or possibly other times as well. Also posted is a requiem version of the Mass without the Gloria and with an adjusted Agnus Dei.]]>