Men's Choir Advice
  • nchichester
    Posts: 6
    I am working with an all-male choir made up of Knights of Columbus from a local council. They're having an exemplification ceremony with a Mass preceding on August 5. I'm only able to work with them for an hour and a half for one evening a week. I'm teaching them the Missa de Angelis and I would like them to chant a couple verses of the introit before the processional hymn as well as a couple verses of the communion antiphon. I think they'll be okay with the chants, so I would also love to do a communion meditation with them. I arranged Palestrina's Jesu Rex Admirabilis and Allegri's Adoremus in Aeternum for TTB but I'm not sure how well they can learn either in only two rehearsals. Most don't read music and I don't want to overload them with too much too fast. Most of them don't regularly sing with a parish choir either, so I would like this to be a "recruitment" opportunity for the parish choirs as well, and inject some much needed traditional liturgical music into the parish. The pastor has only been there a year but is very supportive. Any advice is much appreciated.
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,371
    I am not competent to advise, but as a member of an untrained choir perhaps suggest. How about Ubi caritas? If they can learn the chant, add some harmonisation like that of Durufle, in his first verse. Has the advantage that it is an official communion option (in the Graduale Simplex). (if you do it, note that the text has officially changed from Ubi caritas et amor to Ubi caritas est vera )
    Thanked by 1nchichester
  • CCoozeCCooze
    Posts: 1,259
    The Menegali "Jesu, Salvator Mundi" isn't difficult, and can be quickly learned.
    i've only heard it as SSA or SAB, but I'm sure it could be lovely for TTB, as well.
    Thanked by 1nchichester
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    This may be too difficult, but it's a thought - you could do the responsorial psalm verses to Anglican chant, and the Alleluya verse as well.
    This would be beautiful with an all male choir singing TTBB.
    Thanked by 1nchichester
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,916
    If you have enough for TTBB, try the Corsican chant of Tantum Ergo. The Kelecom edition on ChoralWiki is what we use.
    Thanked by 1nchichester
  • nchichester
    Posts: 6
    Thanks for the suggestions! Unfortunately, I think learning something TBB is going to be difficult enough, let alone TTBB. I'm planning on using the Chabanel Psalms and the Simon LeMoyne acclamations from CC Watershed, which they should pick up pretty easily. But I'll definitely hold on to all these suggestions for the future when we have more rehearsal time.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,151
    Here is a TBB version of my Communion Antiphon "Because There is One Bread."
    Giffen-Because There Is One Bread-TBB.pdf
    61K
    Giffen-Because There Is One Bread-TBB.mp3
    2M
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