Choral Settings of the Credo in English?
  • stulte
    Posts: 355
    Is anyone aware of any settings of the Credo for choir in English? Thanks.
  • ViolaViola
    Posts: 411
    There are several by Samuel Webbe (1740-1816). Two of his Masses, including a very short one in G major, are on cpdl.
  • ViolaViola
    Posts: 411
    ARGH, sorry! More haste, less speed. They are in Latin, but he's an English composer Sorry! (but his Mass in G in quite nice)
  • ViolaViola
    Posts: 411
    ok me again. Tallis's Dorian Service (available on imslp) includes the Nicene Creed in straightforward block harmony. There are similar settings by other English Renaissance composers.

    I shall now sign off and have a cup of tea......
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • stulte
    Posts: 355
    Ok. Thank you Viola. So, there's nothing for the current ICEL translation I'm guessing. Hmmm.
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700
    I'm sure you could commission one.
    Thanked by 1ryand
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    I'd be surprised to find any with the new translation, considering how few people care to sing it.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    Three years ago, I posted an SATB (athough it could be sung unison) setting of the Credo in English, in a style that emulates Eastern rite church usage. See the thread here.
    Thanked by 2stulte canadash
  • Daniel Bennett PageDaniel Bennett Page
    Posts: 835
    There are lots of settings of the Anglican/Anglican Use text of the Nicene Creed.
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen M. Jackson Osborn Salieri
  • stulte
    Posts: 355
    @CHGiffen - That probably comes the closest to what I have in mind. Thanks.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    I have a setting of the text "And by the Holy Spirt ... became man" as a choral interpolation to the ICEL adaptation of Credo I, here. It's not a complete setting of the text, but it could be useful.
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    I'd be surprised to find any with the new translation, considering how few people care to sing it pastors and clerics, ahem, tend not to encourage its cantillation.

    Fixed.
    Thanked by 3M. Jackson Osborn CHGiffen eft94530
  • stulte
    Posts: 355
    That's one of those things where you wonder how singing it fell away.
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 2,315
    Fr. Pasley can tell you that in seminary, they were told not to sing it. Why? You don’t sing the Creed.
  • CGM
    Posts: 699
    My friend Daniel Sañez, at St. Catherine of Siena in NYC, composed the attached setting for choir & congregation. It's in an Orthodox style, and the melody is in the alto voice (the soprano is always above the melody). It works well; and it also works nicely for congregation + organ (if there's no choir handy). Attached is the congregational melody, and also the choral setting.

    Regarding the choir part, Daniel writes, "Parts are added gradually as the creed goes along." So the piece steadily increases in fullness.
    Credo.F_Tone.Congregation.SANEZ.pdf
    3M
    Credo.Orthodox_Tone.Florid.SANEZ.pdf
    71K
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen canadash
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Fr. Pasley can tell you that in seminary, they were told not to sing it. Why? You don’t sing the Creed.

    Yes, it's much more edifying to the soul hearing it mumbled 3 or 4 times over the weekend.
    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • ViolaViola
    Posts: 411
    Here in the uk one fairly often hears Credo 3 sung. Sometimes Credo 1 in English. Don't think I've ever heard a choral version sung in a Catholic church. The congregation would be shuffling their feet and looking at their watches.
  • stulte
    Posts: 355
    Someone I know is in the middle of setting the new English translation of the Ordinary including the Credo in the style of the Renaissance and was curious whether there were any other similar such settings. It would appear that you really do have to go back to Tallis, Byrd, etc. to find something similar in English.
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,799
    Anglicans have been continually setting the same text since 1550 or so, usually as part of a Communion Service, and a number more have set the 1973 ICET as well as a few Catholics. In post-councilar works the organ tends to do the heavy lifting; iIrc, Menotti's is a bit disappointing as a specimen of choral writing.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
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