Older Children's Choir Repertoire for First Friday Masses?
  • acadia
    Posts: 28
    We have a part-time catholic school choir that will be singing for the First Friday Masses (Sacred Heart devotion). Grades 7-10, practising for 75 minutes, twice a week. In planning for next school year, we would like to learn a chant Mass setting, and a polyphonic Mass setting. For the chant, they are already familiar with the Jubilate Deo - would you recommend the Missa de Angelis, the Missa Orbis Factor, or another Mass as the next to learn? For the polyphony, they can sing in 3 and perhaps 4 part harmony, and we need a setting that is on the shorter side. Where would be a great place to start? Byrd for 3 voices? Wagner's St Francis Mass? Two years ago they sang Faure's Messe Basse, with varying degrees of success. We would like to choose perhaps a simpler but also beautiful setting for them this year. I am overwhelmed by the selection, and want to get it right for the kids. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    Mass IX is always lovely, especially if the celebrant is willing to do a votive Mass of the BVM sometime.
    Thanked by 2Casavant Organist acadia
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,096
    For a First Friday, the votive of The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus would be used when there were no obligatory commemorations.
    Thanked by 1acadia
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    No offense intended, but your heading implies young children, as if the title actually read "Kiddy music for First Friday", and I was, therefore, half expecting some mention of Jesus Loves me, This I know...... I'm very glad to be mistaken. You might want to edit the heading.

    Anyway, to the matter at hand: I second Ben's Cum Jubilo. The only caveat I have is that pitching the Gloria without re-pitching after the incipit is sometimes tricky.

    Somewhere here-abouts someone has suggested that one might sing a composite of chant Masses -- so, for example, Lux Et Origo's Kyrie; Cum Jubilo's Gloria, and such. I'm not sure what I think of the general principle, but I thought I would mention it.

    By the way: you didn't mention whether you're in EF or OF territory.

    Thanked by 1acadia
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,096
    And, if memory serves, if it's a votive celebrated in the Ordinary Form, the Gloria would probably ordinarily be omitted unless it fits under "particular celebrations of a more solemn character" (GIRM 53, para. 2).
    Thanked by 1acadia
  • acadia
    Posts: 28
    The Masses will be in the Ordinary Form.
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    SEP or Lumen Christi versions of the chant propers for the Votive Mass for the Sacred Heart of Jesus. O Bone Jesu would be a good motet choice, if your students can sing that sort of thing.
    Thanked by 1acadia
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    Forgot, Anima Christi would also be good.
    Thanked by 1acadia
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    It's so great that your schola is learning the different chant Mass settings. My children's schola loves singing the very festive Mass VI, Missa Rex Genitor, esp. the joyful Gloria. The Bragers accompaniment which is available online is lovely. Other favorites of ours are Masses II, V, XIII and XIV in the Kyriale. The melodies are so beautiful, and children pick them up very easily. Our goal is to learn them all someday.

    The St. Edmund Campion Hymnal Organ Accompaniment Volume 1 contains three different harmonisations of all the Mass settings of the Kyriale in one volume so high, middle and low key accompaniments are available. Great resource.
    Thanked by 1acadia
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Acadia,

    If you're interested in learning a piece -- and have the musicians with the range to sing it, here's a setting I wrote for the Communion (EF) for the Sacred Heart.

    Unus militum.pdf
    1M
    Thanked by 1acadia
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    P.S. Dulcis Christe by Grancini , a 2-part motet, might be a good choice for a First Friday Mass.

    Another suggestion: Anima Christi by Fr. Marco Frisina (SATB).

    Thanked by 2ClergetKubisz acadia
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Julie,

    Is it my computer or Fr. Cekeda's file which is wonky? I can't read intelligently the first two systems of the first page.
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    Just checked, and it looks good to me. There are other editions on CPDL. This one looks good, too.: http://www2.cpdl.org/wiki/images/sheet/granc-du.pdf
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Julie,

    Don't have a clue what happened when I first viewed the file. Looks fine now. Thanks.

    Thanked by 1JulieColl
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    The Sacred Heart gregorian propers are beautiful, and could be another great thing to learn.
    Thanked by 3ClergetKubisz Casavant Organist acadia
  • JesJes
    Posts: 576
    Mass IV has some really good easy opportunities for organum in the Kyrie which I know my tiny kids can do really easily so 7-10 graders should be able to really ace it. It's something different to the normal day in day out chant.
    Thanked by 1acadia
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    So does Mass XI, especially the Kyrie.
    Thanked by 1acadia
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