Here are ten Latin choral numbers all of which have served us very well on many occasions. I'd really need to make another list of ten more which I would consider absolutely indispensable, but these are the easiest.

Desidero mi Jesu (Kevin Allen)
O Sanctissima (Kevin Allen)
Panis Angelicus (Kevin Allen)
Jesu Rex Admirabilis (Palestrina)
Ecce Panis Angelorum (Isaac)
Ave Verum Corpus (St. Saens)
Haec Dies a 3 (Byrd)
Ave Vera Virginitas (Josquin des Prez)
Cantate Domino (Pitoni)
Ave Maria (Victoria)

I can't rank one by one in order of difficulty, because that really depends on the particular weaknesses of a given choir/space. So they are listed alphabetically:

Ave Verum Corpus: Byrd (above all other settings, even Mozart), Mozart, Saint Saens, Elgar
Beati Quorum Via: Stanford
Cantate Domino: Hassler
Exultate Justi: Viadana
Exsultate Deo: Palestrina (the same text as Byrd's Sing Joyfully; it's instructive to compare the two great masters' settings of this text to see the genius of both Roman and English polyphonic schools at their most mature)
Jubilate Deo: Lassus
Locus Iste: Bruckner
O Nata Lux: Tallis (tuning the false relations is key - have baritones with good pitch)
Sicut Cervus: Palestrina
Tantum Ergo: Durufle
Ubi Caritas: Durufle

Almighty and Everlasting God: Gibbons
Call To Remembrance: Farrant
I Have Longed For Thy Saving Health: Byrd
If Ye Love Me: Tallis
Lord For Thy Tender Mercy’s Sake: Hilton
O Lord Increase My Faith: Gibbons
O Taste and See: Vaughan Williams
Rejoice in The Lord Alway: Anonymous 16th century
Sing Joyfully Unto God: Byrd (somewhat more challenging)
Sing My Soul: Rorem (a lovely mid 20th century chestnut)

Additional seasonal, English and Latin:
Crux Fidelis: attr. to King Joao IV of Portugal, but probably 19th century (Passiontide)
E’en So, Lord, Quickly Come: Manz (Advent; end of OT)
I Will Not Leave You Comfortless: Titcomb (for late Eastertide)
Non Vos Relinquam: Byrd (for late Eastertide)
O Magnum Mysterium: Victoria (Christmastide)
The Glory of the Father: Hovland (Advent & Christmastide) - simplicity itself to grace the greatest text of the Gospels

Note: I didn't include Byrd's Haec Dies because, supernal as it is, it's fairly challenging, shall we say. Basically, I (heart) Byrd; while I respect Palestrina, Byrd slays me. Gibbons is underappreciated, for that matter.

Marian antiphons:

Ave Maria: Handl (attr. Victoria); Arcadelt; Stravinsky (should be better known)
Regina Caeli: Aichinger
Alma Redemptoris Mater: Palestrina

Great thread.... excellent thought starters for new pieces to work on.

Another somewhat challenging English-language anthem, which can be appropriate for a Communion meditation or Eastertide, is the oldest English-language American-anthem in the continuous repertoire (yes, that's a mouthful): William Billing's "I Am The Rose of Sharon". Taken from the second chapter of the Song of Songs (a *very* unusual text for Congregationalist New Englanders to sing - for medieval monks and nuns, it would have been mother's' milk, as it were, as the Song of Songs was, along with the Psalms, the most commented on Scripture in the height of the medieval era).

It's also wonderful to sing. Billings was an autodidact as a musician (he was a tanner), and this anthem in particular shows the influence of the vernacular singing of folks working on the waterfront of Boston, baptizing it for sacred use.

I don't wish to repeat some of the aforementioned motets and anthems, as they are excellent suggestions, so I'm going to list some that may not be sung as frequently or perhaps unknown to others.


English Anthems:

Like As the Hart (Ps. 42) -- H. Howells (Lent / Gen. Use)
O Clap Your Hands -- R. Vaughan Williams
We Have Seen His Star -- E. Titcomb (Epiphany)
The Eyes of All -- J. Berger
All Hail Adored Trinity -- L. Sowerby
Sing a New Song To the Lord (Ps. 96) -- P. Manz
Sleepers Wake, A Voice is Calling -- F. Mendelssohn (from "St. Paul") (Advent)
A Spotless Rose -- H. Howells (Xmas)
The Blessed Son of God (from "Hodie") -- R. Vaughan Williams (Xmas)
O For A Closer Walk With God -- C.V. Stanford (Lent / Gen. use)
In the Bleak Midwinter -- H. Darke (Xmas)


Latin Motets:

Adoramus Te -- Francesco Rosselli (Lent)
Nos Autem Gloriari -- F. Anerio (Introit - Holy Thurs.)
Rorate Caeli -- C. Tye (Advent IV)
O Jesu Christe -- Jaquet of Mantua
Crucifixus ("Mass in B Minor") -- J.S. Bach
Ave Verum -- Josquin des Prez (SAB voices)
Ave Verum -- F. Peeters
O Rex Gloriae -- L. Marenzio
Ad Te Levavi -- J. Rheinberger (Advent I)
O Vos Omnes -- T.L. Vittoria / J. Obrecht (Good Fri.)
Puer Natus Est -- C. Morales (Xmas)

.

(color purple) I am not a choir director here, but I request an exemption to the requirement that the list be in order. I also request an exemption to the requirement of no more than 10. Finally, I absolutely demand an exemption to the requirement that the list be composed exclusively of English Anthems and/or Latin Motets as compared to more recent works.

Any denials of the above demands and especially the last will be appealed to the Supreme Tribunal of the CMAA. (end color purple)

Are we really talking BASIC repertoire which every choir should master? Let's see:

*The Lotti Crucifixus is a 10-part work.
*The Victoria Ave Maria is for double choir (unless you mean the 4-part one that is now known to be by Handl, not by Victoria).
*Not sure which of several Hassler Cantate Domino settings you mean ... they go from 4-part to 12-part.
*The Allegri Miserere Mei is for 5-part choir plus 4-part soli.
*Byrd's Sing Joyfully is a 6-part work.
*Palestrina's Exultate Deo is a 5-part work.
*Tallis's O nata lux is a 5-part work.

I guess we should have master choirs to master these.

Maybe some of these masterful choirs would like to undertake my very traditional 6-part Ave Verum Corpus ... or my 8-part O Magnum Mysterium (okay, kidding with that, since this latter work is tres moderne).

Okay ... maybe people will get back to BASIC repertoire.

Chuck

The ones I listed with extra parts (also Stanford's Beati Quorum Via) in practical terms basically involve divisi in SATB sections, and none of them require huge forces to divisi (I am assuming a choral force of at least 20, though, then again I tend to think of smaller groups as scholas that are not going to do as much polyphonic anthems anyway, because the vulnerability to absences makes that much harder). The Hassler I was referring to was a 4, the staple of high school choral competitions.

Melo and others, of course I'm pressing this for a couple of reasons. First, the original request reads

What ten Anthems and/or ten Motets do you believe that every choir should master, in order of learning, 1 through 10.

I just don't see that some of the works being listed fit the "every choir should master" description, no matter how beautiful they are.

I picked on the numbers of parts, because I know full well that not every choir has more than a dozen members, and many choirs have fewer than 10, often many fewer. This severely limits ones choices if one is leading the average or smaller choir. Hence, my assumption from the outset is that works should be limited to at most 4 parts.

There had to be a reason for Noel to phrase the question as he did, along with his accompanying commentary. It seems to me that the preparation of such lists, as well as the use of such lists, might well have been intended as a pedagogical device ... aimed at helping (a) new choir directors, or (b) choir directors of newly formed choirs, or (c) of directors wishing to transition choirs from non-polyphony to polyphony. Why else did Noel ask for the lists to be ranked in order of learning?

Additionally, for those who have been preparing such lists, who are very knowledgeable and who come from already well developed choir programs, this is seems intended as an exercise in going back to basics and making a sincere effort to help choir directors and musicians that are in situations much less attractive and less robust than where many of us are, in our ivory towers (or vaulted cathedrals or mega-parishes).

You may ask where my list is, and my response is that, after much thought, I have been unable to come up with such a list. Reasons? For one thing, I don't feel competent enough to, and secondly some of the lists and reactions to Noel's request have only confused and discouraged me from trying. It's gratifying that "more challenging works" didn't make the cut, but it just looked to me as if there are still a number of works that don't fit the original criterion for these lists.

This isn't a "these would be nice for a choir to learn and you might be able to do at some point a few years down the road) list making exercise. It's a "what every choir should master, in order of learning" exercise. I haven't been able to do it, and it may be that such list making is well nigh impossible to do.

There's no reliable control factor to make a top-down list of that type univalent.

Exactly.

My list of English anthems, necessarily skewed to include some of my favorites.

1) On Jordan's Bank (SAB: Claudio Monteverdi, pub. GIA)
2) O how amiable are thy dwellings (SATB: Vaughan Williams, OUP)
3) Lead me, Lord (SATB, S solo: SS Wesley, CPDL)
4) Honour and Majestie are before him (SATB: Maurice Greene, CPDL)
5) Creation: "When I with pleasing wonder stand" (SATB: Wm. Billings, CPDL)
6) If ye love me (SATB: Thos. Tallis, CPDL)
7) Almighty and Everlasting God (SATB: Orlando Gibbons, CPDL)
8) Lord for thy tender Mercies' sake (SATB: Farrant/Hilton, CPDL)
9) O taste and see (SATB, S solo: Vaughan WIlliams, OUP)
10) O taste and see (SATB: Arthur Sullivan, CPDL)

Latin list coming soon.

Given the different lists of suggestions from all those who so generously responded, I find it helpful that certain of the pieces are named by multiple people. I think anyone (such as myself) who is following this thread looking for pieces, would key in on those first. "Ave Maria (Victoria) ... Iesu Rex Admirabilis (Palestrina), OK, a couple people have suggested those, so that's probably a good place to start. Now let me look them up and see whether the parts will 'work' with the manpower (voice-power?) I have available." If yes, good; if no, then pass.

There's no reliable control factor to make a top-down list of that type univalent.

Exactly.

Even if there was one, I'm sure individual directors would adapt it. In any case,

New directors are hungry and want you to share your knowledge.

So, to anyone else who cares to offer their list: don't feel that you oughtn't to name one or another piece because it's here already. On the contrary.

God bless you!

This is indeed a great thread. I've picked up some excellent ideas. Since there are so many useful and beautiful Latin motets out there, it might be helpful to compile several lists according to level of difficulty (although that may be relative) and also to indicate if the pieces are SAB, SATB, or whatever and give links to online sources if possible.

Then you'd really be cookin'.

Unda, your list was amazing---I'd actually love to see another ten suggestions from you. Actually, I'd just like to be in your choir! : )

I really like this interpretation of Mantua/Berchem's O Jesu Christe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MXfXuBRwIE

Julie,

Thanks for your comments and compliments on my suggested choral literature, and for the video of the "O Jesu Christe"---a stunning performance!! If you have access to the old "Pius X Hymnal" (or you can probably buy a used one on Amazon) there are a number of A Cappella Renaissance works in that hymnal that might work for your choir. Some of them were in my earlier listing:

Laudate Dominum (chant & SATB) - Diego Ortiz
Adoramus Te (SATB) -- Francesco Rosselli
Crux Fidelis (SATB) -- King John of Portugual
O Bone Jesu (SATB) -- Palestrina
O Jesu Christe (SATB) --Jaquet of Mantua
Alma Redemptoris Mater (SATB) -- Palestrina
In Monte Oliveti -- G. Croce
Voce Mea ad Dominum Clamavi (SATB) -- N. Gomolka
O Esca Viatorum (SATB) -- H. Isaak
Ave Verum (SAB) -- J. Des Pres
Ave Maris Stella (SATB) -- Vittoria
Ave Maria (SATB) -- Vittoria
Laetentur Caeli (Xmas) (SATB) -- C. Carturan (20th C.)
Tui Sunt Caeli (Xmas) (SATB) -- C. Carturan (20th C.)
Gloria Patri (Doxology) (SATB) -- Palestrina
Jesu, Redemptor Omnium (Xmas) (SATB) -- J. Stadlmayr

These are some of the selections in the Pius X Hymnal that might be useful for you. Also, there are 2 part and 3 part motets as well. Many of these are probably available on cpdl as well.

Also, I sing in an Episcopal church now (though raised Catholic). I was fortunate during my long Boston residency to sing 10 years with the Boston Archidocesan Choir School of boys and Men at St. Paul, Cambridge, under legendary organist/conductor/composer, Theodore Marier. It was here that I gleaned so much from Dr. Marier about quality choral and organ music, and beautiful liturgies. I'm now living in the "heartlands", and the state of Catholic church music here is somewhere between "tepid" and an "embarrassment"--even at our Catholic Cathedral where I sang for about 6 mos., and had to leave. Very much at home over the past 4 yrs. at this Episcopal church. Eighteen members in the choir, many of whom have had some voice study and some who have studied organ as well. The choir reads very well, and I'm in my musical element there, as the music program emphasis is on Renaissance literature, though we sing Mendelssohn, Brahms, Stanford, Durufle, Vaughan-Williams, Howells, Titcomb and Rheinberger. I also studied organ during my Boston years, and played in 2 Catholic churches at different times. Have given up the organ, and have turned back to the piano to re-learn some old literature and some new works as well.

Hope this info has been of help to you. Happy to share any knowledge I have re: choral and organ music, so don't hesitate to ask. Happy to help out if I can.

Regards,
Unda Maris

The following pieces have been successful with my new Schola and I think are a good starting place.

Latin Chants
Adoro Te Devote (Aquinas)
Jesu Dulcis Memoria (Clairvaux)
Salve Regina
Ave Maria
Veni Creator Spiritus

Latin Motets
Panis Angelicus (Baini)
Jesu Rex Admirabilis (Palestrina)
Anima Christie (Frisina)
Ave Verum (Mozart--but just beginning to learn)

Helpful lists

Earlier, I said:

To some of us, who grew up and were trained in modernists wastelands, it's very helpful to have somebody point out: "Everybody really ought to know these 10 or 12 pieces."

I discovered one of those pieces recently, and no one else has mentioned it on this thread (though I discovered it in some other forum thread).

John Stainer's God So Loved The World

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5p2F7P8uTQ

(There are better recordings on YouTube, but this apparently amateur choir is the closest to what we sounded like singing it. Except I used a ridiculous amount of rubato. Because reasons.)


Used it this past weekend.

Two things about it:
1. My choir was able to pull it together in one rehearsal.
2. Several older folks who have been involved in choirs throughout their lives commented on how this is a piece that "everybody knows."

I have one (very) older gentlemen in the parish whose voice does not permit him to sing with us any longer (a real loss, too), who had been a music director and teacher. He told me a story about something he did once (probably 40 or 50 years ago). During announcements, he asked the congregation how many of them had ever sung in a church choir- 30 or so hands went up. He invited them all up and said, "You probably know this already, and if you don't - you'll pick it up." He had gone out and bought every copy of the piece he could find. Handed it out - they sang it (beautifully, he said), and several of them joined the choir after that.

All that to say:
Apparently, at least in Anglican circles, this is a piece that everyone ought to know.

Another vote for "God So Loved The World" by Stainer.

SATB parts available...

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL56767B70B53AA042

English Music
1.) Richard de Castre's Prayer to Jesus
2.) If Ye Love Me (Tallis)
3.) Verily, Verily I Say Unto You
4.) Lead Me Lord (Wesley)
5.) From the Rising of the Sun (Ousely)

Latin Music
1.) Ave Verum Corpus (Byrd)
2.) Sicut Cervus (Palestrina)
3.) Ad Te Levavi (FX Witt)
4.) Laudate Nomen Domini (Tye)
5.) Ave Maria (Arcadelt)

Um, are you passing out boxes of kleenex when you sing the Stainer.
They would, undoubtedly, be needed.
Especially if you sing it with correct performance practice with lots of gulping, gasping, moaning and gushy diction and exagerrated dynamics and tremulations. Too, you must pronounce 'wuhrrrrrllld' just so. YMWDT. (IFYPW)

Especially if you sing it with correct performance practice with lots of gulping, gasping, moaning and gushy diction and exagerrated dynamics and tremulations.

This is how I direct all music.

you must pronounce 'wuhrrrrrllld' just so

My choir had a hard time with the vowel here, so I gave them a demo video to practice with at home:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpccpglnNf0

YMMQWERTY

I'm surprised not to see more mention of the Mozart Ave Verum on these lists - and I'm not sure the Elgar or Gounod settings came up yet. Both Elgar and Gounod are wonderful, lyrical pieces and good for beginner choirs. Other (beginner) ideas:

Healy Willan - O Sacred Feast
SS Wesley - Lead Me, Lord
John Goss - O Savior of the World
SS Wesley - Thou Wilt Keep Him in perfect Peace
Mozart Laudate Dominum and Franck Panis Angelicus are both excellent ways to pair a beginner choir with a good soloist. Ditto for Pietro Yon Gesu Bambino at Christmas
Byrd - Lord, Teach Me Thy Ways
Arthur Sullivan - Turn Thy Face From My Sins
Franck - Psalm 150 (a good "big festive piece" that is quite simple)

I've done all of the above with a 15-voice amateur parish choir, without too much pain and suffering...

And in mrcopper's spirit, I would request that the "Victoria" Ave Maria be removed. Just personal preference, of course - I don't think it's a great piece and I've just heard a hundred too many bad high school performances of it to hear it anymore. Why is this always the token high school Renaissance piece?

Some folks ought to consider moving to Colorado. ASAP.