Settings of Beati Mundo Corde?
  • JaredOstermann
    Posts: 488
    Looking (way) ahead to All Saints on Sunday this year, and I'm wondering if anyone knows good settings of Beati Mundo Corde. The only one I've been able to find is the Byrd, but it's a bit...fussy (rhythmically and with cross relations) to work well with my adult choir. Are there others I'm not thinking of?
  • kevinfkevinf
    Posts: 1,191
    Gerald Near has a marvelous setting, not terribly difficult but effective.
    Thanked by 2JaredOstermann dhalkj
  • JDE
    Posts: 588
    You might also consider teaching the original chant to your choir. It is one of the more beautiful Communion melodies, in my opinion. It is also an option for the OF Nuptial Mass, so it might be useful more than just in November.
    Thanked by 2gregp CHGiffen
  • Aristotle EsguerraAristotle Esguerra
    Posts: 1,186
    Another idea:

    Chant the Beati Mundo Corde (Mt 5:8–10), and follow it up with Croce's Beati Eritis (Mt 5:11–12), which is not as fussy as the Byrd setting of the communion.
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen JaredOstermann BruceL
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,799
    UF motet-base lists three anon. 16c settings besides Corteccia's. It's probably time CPDL consolidated Beati mundo corde and The Beatitudes, and interlink Blest are the pure in heart.

    With adult choirs I've used the cpdl Rachmaninoff edition in English (you can probably find many other Во царствіи Твоемъ settings) as well as the Russian chant in H82 (560) but I most highly recommend Paart, if you have a organ up to the stunning coda.
    Thanked by 2JaredOstermann CHGiffen
  • mahrt
    Posts: 517
    I have given the score of Pierre de La Rue's O Salutaris with a commentary in Sacred Music, 136, No. 1 (Spring, 2009), 53–55
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • JaredOstermann
    Posts: 488
    I forgot about the Arvo Paert - I am leaning toward that now. Tough in terms of intonation, but I think doable.
  • CGM
    Posts: 699
    There's also a wonderful Lassus SATB setting of the whole beatitudes text, "Beati pauperes," as well as an SATTB setting of the same name by Willært. They're both quite lengthy - the Lassus runs 153 mm., and the Willært is 183. Both pieces are in two sections, so you could use the prima pars at Offertory and the secunda pars at Communion. PM if you're interested.
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