Introducing Chant to a Parish's Repertoire
  • santillan92
    Posts: 9
    Hi everyone,

    I am a parish music director in Gatineau, Québec, Canada and am happy to join this forum!

    I returned a couple weeks ago from a fantastic week at the NPM conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. During that time, I attended some chant clinics with Rev. Columba Kelly which I thoroughly enjoyed.

    My question is this: where does one start with incorporating chant into a parish repertoire? My parish has been using the CBW III hymnal since it was first published in 1994 and is very familiar with that repertoire. However, we are transitioning to TV monitors as worship aids, which will allow for other repertoire beyond those books. This will be my second year as music director and I would like to incorporate more chant and polyphony. I would like to know where to start and which resources I should look into, particularly for chant in English. I received a copy of the Saint Meinrad Entrance and Communion Antiphons for the Church Year by Rev. Kelly which seems quite useful, especially with its modern notation.

    Any advice, or referrals to previous forum posts, would be much appreciated!

    Chris



    Thanked by 1Jazzer
  • donr
    Posts: 971
    Welcome to the forum Chris.

    When I decided it was time to start adding more chant like material, I also turned to this forum. The people here are very helpful.

    I started out by adding the Proper for Communion from the SEP (Simple English Propers) found on the CMAA web site. I only added the Antiphon only at first and slowly started adding more as time and season changed.

    Currently, we do the Entrance Antiphon (antiphon only) and then an Entrance Hymn. We do the full Antiphon and verse for the Offertory. While the choir receives communion, I sing the Communion Antiphon and verses, followed by a communion hymn or motet, followed by the proper Marian Antiphon for the season.
    All of the Antiphons are taken from the LCSG (Lumen Christi Simple Gradual) by Illuminare Publications, written by the editor of the SEP.

    There are other fine publications as well that we use from time to time.

    You can find music in the public domain or at least in the Creative Commons on CMAA, CPDL (Choral Wiki) and IMSPL.

    Others on this site I'm sure will provide links for you.

    If you would like more info from me, PM me.
    Thanked by 1santillan92
  • Jazzer
    Posts: 34
    If you are using video screens, you should be using the PDFs from Illuminare Publications. I strongly recommend avoiding the big publishers who would try to to ding you for reprinting music in "worship aids". Mr. Bartlett knows that his is a long-term project; one which will be measured in decades and centuries, rather than in weeks and years. He will get his just reward.

    Get your choir chanting psalms nonstop - spend a solid hour each rehearsal doing nothing but chanting those tones.. Practice your material for your target masses, and make sure to have some sightreading each week.

    At my small Canadian parish, we rehearse upstairs in the front pews of the church, and as a result are in constant adoration. There is nothing better to do than chant psalms and adore. After a few months now of woodshedding, we are starting to add harmonies to the psalm tones, and they sound magnificent.

    We also use the CBW, though we tend toward CBW II more because we have a great set of the choir edition for that... and the lyrics aren't as annoying as CBW III's.

    One thing I can recommend: Don't pussy-foot around this concept. Some people say to ease into chant so as not to tick too many people off. I encourage you to prepare the full enchilada of Propers and be ready to use it. Ask you pastor if he would mind if you sang the complete Introit/Offertory/Communion Propers. Add top-quality hymns for communion (post proper) and recessional. Marian hymns (especially the ones that you know everyone knows but don't get to sing anymore) are wonderful.

    And, to repeat a recommendation from a poster here, pray often. Open and close each rehearsal with prayer. Mary has your back in this endeavor.
    Thanked by 1santillan92
  • Jazzer
    Posts: 34
    Oh yeah: start implementing the missal chant dialogues, if you haven't already.
    Thanked by 2santillan92 SarahJ
  • santillan92
    Posts: 9
    Thanks for all the great advice so far!

    Jazzer, do you use the CBW for the responsorial psalms and gospel acclamations?
  • Jazzer
    Posts: 34
    No we don't. The CBW has some good stuff, but it really relies on musical instruments to support the singing. We are doing everything a cappella.

    I'm using https://illuminarepublications.com/scores/ for those. I download the PDF, and mix and match with Simple English Propers. We have several copies of the Simple Gradual in the mail right now... can't wait!.

    I've spoken to my pastor about taking the psalm from the "official" Canadian lectionary, and he gave permission to use the chant from Illuminare.

    Lots of great feedback from parishioners - especially men! - who like the chant.
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,184
    Responsorial psalms for Canadian lectionary texts for Sundays and Solemnities, using adapted Gregorian melodies, approved for use by the CCCB music commission, free: here. (username/password=guest/guest)

    In my opinion most (not all) of the CBW III psalms repay the effort to sing them unaccompanied: especially those with SATB verses. But their text is not the Lectionary text.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,473
    However, we are transitioning to TV monitors as worship aids,


    http://progressivesolemnity.org/2015/05/19/projection-screen-hymns/
  • santillan92
    Posts: 9
    Thanks for the link, Adam Wood. It wasn't my idea to go to TV screens; my pastor has been very keen on the idea since he arrived at our parish and I was told that's where we were going (interestingly, I got no say in the matter). However, I think it will be an exciting challenge and from the start, I have been firm about putting the actual music on the screens, NOT just the lyrics.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,473
    interestingly, I got no say in the matter


    I wish this was unique enough to actually be interesting.
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    I second that sentiment, Adam.
  • Mike Shawaluk
    Posts: 58
     
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    Our church already has two projection systems, one on each side, pointing to blank white wall areas.

    What does one do when frescoes or icons are on the wall?

    Tacky, tacky, tacky...
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,087
    you can use a screen, and then project icons onto them when you're not projecting text or music....

    or you could project kitten and puppy videos onto them. All creatures great and small, after all.

  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    St. Cecil, perhaps. I know that's catty, and I remain "IsOutrage" about it.
  • Mike Shawaluk
    Posts: 58
     
  • santillan92
    Posts: 9
    Our system involves actual TV screens connected to a laptop, versus projection...so hopefully that will make things a bit easier. And maybe bring in more numbers to watch the hockey game after Mass?
    Thanked by 1canadash
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,501
    I just spent a week in La Belle Province vacationing with my famille. I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the calibre of organists and instruments in every church where we attended the holy sacrifice of the Mass. I would suggest that you consider avoiding the use of the screens as much as possible. Screens are so very distracting. As for the rest, all I can say is GOD BLESS YOU and I will keep you in my prayers.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Ben
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    What does one do when [...] icons are on the wall?


    Remove them, and tell the parishioners nothing about what is happening until the scandal spreads online.

    I hear it works very well, in some archdioceses.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
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