Thoughts on Lenten Gospel Acclamation
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    Hi everyone. I'd like some feedback on some of my composition work, particularly for the Lenten Gospel Acclamation. It is based on the chant "Laus tibi, Christe, Rex aeternae gloriae." as found in the 2nd Edition of the Parish Book of chant.

    I'm slowly working on composing my own Unison Voice and Organ mass setting. This will eventually be part of it, but I'd like to know if you think that it is of any merit on it's own for general use.

    As written it can be sung unaccompanied, but I have included organ accompaniment, and intend that it should be accompanied on the 4th Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday) to mark the slight softening of the Lenten Penance, and to be used on any Feasts or Solemnities which fall during Lent (In Australia, we mark St Patrick's, St Josephs and the Annunciation as Solemnities which usually fall during Lent.)
    Lenten_Gospel_Acclamation_MCHartley.pdf
    407K
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Hartley Martin,

    Unless the laws of acoustics don't work the same way in Australia, guitar chords are un-necessary for this acclamation, since instruments are to be used for the accompanying of singing only, and guitars can't, by themselves, support congregational singing.

    The chord progression from 1st inversion c-major to 1st inversion g-minor leaves a tritone in the bass. This grates on the ear. You could solve this by using a root-position chord for c-major.


    My $.02.

    Cheers,

    Chris
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    I was trying to avoid parallel 5ths.

    The guitar chords were included as there are couple of parish musicians I know that can only sort-of read music and they prefer to use a melody-line with guitar chords.

    In reality, it would usually be sung unaccompanied, but when I introduce it to my parish next Lent, I will probably accompany it on soft 8' and 4' flutes the first few times until they can manage it without the organ.
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    Revised Version uploaded here. I think that the chord progressions work much better now. Thanks for your feedback. Let me know what you think of the adjusted accompaniment.
    Lenten_Gospel_Acclamation_MCHartley_ver2.pdf
    407K
  • Priestboi
    Posts: 155
    I really like it! But...(sorry for that)

    ...the verse feels like it has "too many notes". If you know where this quote comes from then you will make my day!

    It doesn't feel natural as is, but the melody (if you are really keen on it) could be turned into an interesting termination. Inbox me if you would like to hear more or just ignore my rambling - either way is cool :)
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    The verses are set to Tonus Peregrinus.

    I have also considered a simplified tone, as I know not every choir is familiar with Gregorian Chant tones.

    I saw the Latin Acclamation in PBC 2nd Ed, and straight away I saw this melody for an English version.

    As much as I support the use of Latin in the OF liturgy, the reality is that an average suburban parish in Sydney will still generally prefer English. That said, in the Mass setting I've been working on, I stick with the Greek Kyrie, and will be offering English and Latin versions of almost everything.
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    And I know of a couple of possibilities for the origins of the "too many notes" remark!
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Hartley Martin,

    Yes, that's a better harmonic progression, although I think you would be better served by an ascending bass line in the penultimate bar: A (two beats)- B-flat-C.

    I, personally, like Tonus Peregrinus, but I wouldn't line up the words the way you have in many cases. (Bread, for example, deserves two notes). I can try to have a go at pointing the words as I think they ought to be pointed--- and will send that to you by PM if you're interested.

  • rich_enough
    Posts: 1,048
    In setting an English text to a psalm tone, I always find to helpful to keep in mind the some of the "rules" for setting Latin texts.

    (1) For shorter texts, it's better to start the verses on the tenor note instead of the incipit (for example, 5C, the first word "With" is better sing on the A instead of A-B-flat)

    (2) As a rule, I'd suggest following the accent patterns as they are in the Latin. For the Tonus Peregrinus, the accent falls on the penultimate note of the first line (G) (with an additional F between this note and the final F as necessary); on the second line if falls on the third to the last note (F), with an additional F between this note and the following E as necessary). Your setting of 4.C follows the traditional accents, so I would recommend you set the other verses accordingly. (And I'm not sure why the last two notes of the first line are set to a single syllable?)

    Of course, since Latin and English have different accent patterns, these rules cannot be applied slavishly, and if you feel the Latin accents don't "work" in English, then try another system. But it helps to be consistent so that it doesn't sound arbitrary to the listener and singers have a sense of how the words are being set.
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    I'll have to take a closer look at the pointing of the acclamation verses, but thanks for the feedback.

    I have thought about a simplified psalm tone pattern, but I wanted to keep it as chant-like as possible.
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