Christmas Soprano Solo Suggestions?
  • bkenney27bkenney27
    Posts: 444
    I have a very capable lyric coloratura singing my 10AM Mass on Christmas morning and I'm looking for suggestions for a short offertory piece. Luckily, she also has the low notes to be able to sing the solo version of Lauridsen's "O Magnum Mysterium" and that is already on for communion.

    Thanks!
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,510
    Something from Messiah?
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    Tell her to improvise on the Offertoriale verses.

    Purplebold.
  • MaryAnn Carr WilsonMaryAnn Carr Wilson
    Posts: 1,738
    "Quia respexit" from Bach's Magnificat.
    Thanked by 2Ben BruceL
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    Well, the ending is not the same without the chorus there to jump in with "Omnes generationes".
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    From Handel's Messiah: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion," or "Come unto Him, all ye that labour." For the latter, if there is ample time, she could sing the first half, "He shall feed his flock."
    Thanked by 2Kathy BruceL
  • bkenney27bkenney27
    Posts: 444
    My biggest issue is that the Offertory at my Parish takes approximately .9375 seconds and the Pastor prefers that the music not prolong the action. But I also don't think they're quite ready to simply chant the offertory proper without a hymn, even though that would be perfect to fill the time.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,510
    Come unto him is not .9375 seconds, but it is brief and highly effective.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen CCooze
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,093
    What about a carol with a florid treble descant?
    Thanked by 2Kathy CCooze
  • MBWMBW
    Posts: 175
    Virgin's Slumber Song (Mariä Weigenlied) Op 76 no. 2 Max Reger
    Thanked by 2noel jones, aago BruceL
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    Not meaning to toot my own horn (okay, that's English horn or oboe), but about a year ago I posted elsewhere here a video recording of Denice Grant singing my "Creator of the Stars of Night" as a solo. It works very well this way ... just think of it as something like a hymn, accompanied, but sung as a solo. The score is attached (both English and Latin "Conditor,.." underlay), and here is recording:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE3U2AHBAFY




    Giffen-Creator of the stars of night-high.pdf
    117K
    Giffen-Creator of the stars of night.pdf
    117K
    Thanked by 2Spriggo CharlesW
  • Chaswjd
    Posts: 269
    The "Et incarnatus est" section of Mozart's C-minor Mass? It is an absolutely beautiful piece. It was sung during the Creed one year at the Vatican.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8IrK72t9jI
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,093
    IMNSHO: I believe that organ reduction for the Et Incarnatus Est is to miss the musical beauty of the thing, which is something of an ensemble concerto. I know there are them who are much aggrieved that W.A.Mozart =/= J.S. Bach, but part of Mozart's idiomatic genius was his focus on the interrelationships within an ensemble of musicians. (Playing Mozart can be rather different from merely listening to Mozart being played. Same thing can be said of, say, F.J. Haydn's string quartets, for example.) YMMV.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,799
    Can she throw her voice?
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    A 3-minute duet (s/b) from the Christmas Oratorio (part III):
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYplZpGe0_8
  • JL
    Posts: 171
    One of the Schuetz Kleine geistliche Konzerte might fit the bill.
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,325
    Since you have under 1 second, maybe something like Infant Holy, Infant Lowly, perhaps with the first verse in Polish? She could ornament the last verse and maybe take some "descant-y" notes toward the end.
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,415
    There is a lovely soprano solo by Donald Swann, entitled Jesu parvule. It is both charming and beautiful, sober yet lyrical, and is for solo soprano and organ. I've used it many times and commend it highly. Do give it serious consideration.

    And, I second the Schutz suggestion.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Kathy
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    John Cage's 4:37?
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,325
    4'33"
    Thanked by 3Adam Wood Ben eft94530
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    John Cage's 4:37?

    4'33"


    CGZ got the George Lucas Special Edition DVD.

    (Which, by the way, has a surprising amount of sound in it.)
    Thanked by 3Ben Spriggo eft94530
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    I, and I am sorry for saying this, am a bit against the Messiah and Bach at Mass.

    I think the best choose of all, has not been mentioned here.

    Thank you, Richard. This should be a new "classic".
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen francis
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    I had the director's uncut version.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,980
    I have an arrangement of the Wexford Carol this year. It is actually not bad.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,825
    the only Bach I use at mass is prelude and postlude, otherwise IT upstages
    Thanked by 1noel jones, aago
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