Holy Thursday Music
  • Carol
    Posts: 856
    We have done "Where Charity and Love Prevail" for the past few years, but were thinking of trying something new and so we are asking for suggestions. Please suggest hymns that are moderate in difficulty. We do not have a tenor at present, so SAB would be ideal. My husband can rewrite parts if necessary. (We do that a lot, which causes the alto section to sing a bit lower than is ideal.) We have also done Mozart's "Ave Verum Corpus" fairly successfully in the past in 4 parts.
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,933
    Josquin's Ave Verum, if I recall, is three-part, and not too hard.
    Thanked by 2Carol rich_enough
  • Incardination
    Posts: 832
    Stim is correct - Josquin's Ave Verum is 3-part. Could also do some Allen - you can check out his pieces (with vocal examples) at Corpus Christi Watershed. Desidero Mi Iesu is quite beautiful both textually and musically. Also his Panis Angelicus. Although some on the forum are against using Eucharistic Adoration pieces, you could do the Webbe O Salutaris which would be quite beautiful and quite likely within your SATB abilities if you've done Ave Verum by Mozart.

    However, I think you are more looking for vernacular hymns? You could consider doing some that are typically in 4 parts, but only use SA (or SAB depending on the hymn).
    Thanked by 1Carol
  • Carol
    Posts: 856
    I was interested in anything you all thought might be suitable, especially for the Washing of the Feet. Vernacular hymns are fine as is chant that I may be overlooking. What may be obvious to you may not be to us.
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700
    You might take a look here:
    https://illuminarepublications.com/scores/holy-week/

    You'll need to sign up for a membership, but it's free.
    Thanked by 1Carol
  • Incardination
    Posts: 832
    For the Washing, it is hard to think of anything (beyond the chanted antiphons / responsories of the Liber) other than Ubi Caritas. However there are other English versions of that chant that you might find interesting. I see GIA has Live in Charity, and hymnary lists a number of options of that hymn.

    Others may have better resources, but I've always found hymnary.org to be helpful. You can search on a phrase like "Washing of the Feet" or a feast like "Holy Thursday" and it will show some options that might be of interest.

    If you are more interested in motets beyond some of the suggestions above, you might look at CPDL.org - you can also search this by same ideas as above and it will return a mixture of hymns and motets that you might find useful.
    Thanked by 1Carol
  • Carol
    Posts: 856
    Thank you all for your thoughts and advice. I knew you would be able to point me in a good direction. "Ubi Caritas" by Rosania has a tune that is very trite to my ear, especially the verses. I will check out the GIA you have suggested and search the sites you have suggested. We would like to try something new that is appropriate.
  • CCoozeCCooze
    Posts: 1,259
    If you haven't already looked through this thread, perhaps it might be a starting point:
    What will the Triduum sound like at your parish?
    Thanked by 1Carol
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,982
    My pastor stopped foot washing when it was opened up to women. It was his decision to make and I admire him for sticking to his guns. Other than the traditional hymns, "At That First Eucharist," etc., the only anthem we will sing is the Franck "Panis Angelicus."
    Thanked by 3CCooze Carol teachermom24
  • PaxTecum
    Posts: 314
    Ubi Caritas - ICEL or Latin Chant is also a great choice
    Thanked by 2CharlesW Carol
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700
    Doing a different setting of the same text each year is a fun way to keep track of time.. we do a different setting of the Ubi Caritas each Holy Thursday.
    2014- Durufle
    2015- Mueller
    2016- Garau
    2017- Dalitz
    2018- Weber
    Thanked by 1Carol
  • liampmcdonough
    Posts: 297
    Wesley has a nice, homophonic version of Ecce Panis Angelorum in SATB

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVDbtNCEutU
    Thanked by 1Carol
  • hilluminar
    Posts: 121
    What is appropriate for the washing of the feet on Maundy Thurs., is the chant specifically ordered for that action. A very well done English version of that chant can be found in Bruce Ford's American Gradual.
    Thanked by 1Carol
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    A few years ago, at the request of someone on this forum, I arranged the Mozart Ave verum for SAB voices. Rather than look for a link to another thread, here is the score.
    Mozart-Ave_verum-SAB.pdf
    97K
    Thanked by 1Carol
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,093
    Well, as a gloss on the nature of the love that Christ commands in the Mandatum, one could do worse than Ireland's beloved setting of "My Song is Love Unknown" as a choral anthem if you have enough soprani to divide the SA parts and altos to take the T part:

    https://hymnary.org/hymn/HTLG2017/page/116

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3668067/The-story-behind-the-hymn.html

    Thanked by 3CHGiffen Carol CharlesW
  • Bobby Bolin
    Posts: 420
    https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/mandatum-print-g8401

    This is satb but is a very nice piece from Peter Latona.
    Thanked by 1Carol
  • CGM
    Posts: 700
    There's a lovely piece at #603 in the Worship III Hymnal, "This is my commandment," which is a good setting of the Mandatum that I've occasionally programmed for the Holy Thursday foot-washing.
    Thanked by 1Carol
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    From my "Bread from Heaven" book: "Hoc Corpus" text adapted into English, set to a Palestrina excerpt:

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/q910g7uaygy645j/Hoc Corpus-Palestrina-SAB.pdf?dl=0

    Thanked by 2Carol chonak
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