Chorale style Gloria
  • davido
    Posts: 873
    Have any composers here attempted to set the ICEL Gloria text to German chorale style music? The principal challenge, as I see it, is that this translation does not lend itself to regular phrase structure.

    I have been reviewing music from the Gotteslob, and there is some wonderful music in there, especially that from the 1500/1600s or inspired by that musical language. Such accessible tunefulness, freely moving through tonality and modality, and with such rhythmic variety and interest. But nearly all of it sets lines of regularly metered poetry. The metrical poetry is the constant that allows the music such variety.
  • JaredOstermann
    Posts: 483
    I set it to an adaptation of the Marian tune "Wunderschoen Praechtige" (Austrian variant, which is different than the German Gotteslob). As you say, this almost inevitably results in some less than ideal text phrasing (particularly, in this case, "Holy Spirit"). The trade-off is a more regular melody that is easier to pick up. I've attached it if you're interested. An Austrian church musician friend provided the harmonization.

    This Gloria has worked well with our congregation for years now, so it is "field-tested"
    Gloria - Wunderschoen Praechtige.pdf
    212K
    Thanked by 1irishtenor
  • Elmar
    Posts: 500
    This Gloria has worked well with our congregation for years now, so it is "field-tested"
    Congratulations!
    Although I am not familiar with the Austrian variant, it resembles the German one enough for me to think of the sugar-and-honey-sweet Mary-I-love-you-so-much text while reading, e.g., "you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us". I guess your friend had a big smile on his face all the time when he composed the organ accompaniment!
  • GambaGamba
    Posts: 539
    No one should live a life that does not include watching Wolfgang Seifen accompanying and freely harmonizing “Wunderschön Prächtige“. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0lRRa6V4YoA
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