I'm so excited my parish is hosting Bishop Athanasius Schneider for its first ever Pontifical Solemn High Mass for the Feast of St. Raphael! Any suggestions for a good polyphonic Mass setting? I'm gonna be recruiting choir members from far and wide for this one! We usually have barely two on a part.
If you can pull it off - Rheinberger's spectacular Mass in E Flat Major "Cantus Missae" Opus 109 would be fabulous. It's for double choir. The setting caused Rheinberger to be awarded the Order of St. Gregory from Pope Leo XIII. Where is this happening?
Palestrina - Missa Brevis (oldie but a goodie) or Missa Ave Regina Caelorum (a very beautiful setting). Either is easily learned, but will require some work / coordination.
If you can get the singers, you may want to give Monteverdi's Missa In Illo Tempore for 6 voices a try. He also wrote some 4 voice Mass settings that are very nice as well.
Joseph Zangl's Ludwigmesse is a decent little mass. Yes, it's from the Caecilian Period, but it's still a good-sounding piece and it's not too hard to learn, either for voices or organ.
To participate in the discussions on Catholic church music, sign in or register as a forum member, The forum is a project of the Church Music Association of America.