Drake, this is quite lovely. Haunting and lovely.

@ServiamScores, I've bumped up the lyric font size, so if you grab it again, it should be easier to read the lyrics. Thank you for the feedback.

Heart-breakingly beautiful, Drake! This is deeply moving, a poignant masterpiece. Thank you for composing and sharing it.

I am really touched by your kind words and compliments. I showed this thread to my wife, and she said, “Invite them all to dinner!”

MJO, I would gladly attempt a setting of that text if you would like, but I wouldn't want to take your project from you either.

It is harder for me to respond to your first paragraph because, in a certain sense, I shouldn't be able to write music as I do. I have no music degree and little formal training. I had piano lessons in childhood, a bit of choir in school, only the introductory music theory and ear training classes in college (and also a bit of music history), and I have sung with parish choirs. Aside from receiving a sheet of voice leading tips from my piano teacher's husband (himself a professor and composer) I've had no formal training in music composition.

Therefore, I can only credit God for giving me a talent (certainly I did nothing to merit that) and for putting me in the place He deigned so that I would receive an immersion in the traditional liturgy, both at the parish where I sang for a good number of years and briefly at the FSSP seminary (where I learned enough about chant to direct a schola). Also, having immediate computer playback is a composition crutch that I greatly benefit from and which was unavailable to composers until very recent history.

I, in turn, am in awe at your vast knowledge of music history, hymns, composers, choir methods, and all things organ. And I am most grateful that you (and others) continue to encourage me in my composition efforts.

God will choose to place his gifts wheresoever he will.

I was going to quote the very same thing until I read your response, MJO. It's truly wonderful and beautiful.

(As an aside, it's probably a good thing you didn't have too much formal training; no chance for some high-brows to spoil you. I can personally attest to the fact that studying serialism and many other types of music formally in college will do little to help you compose beautiful music... time wasted, really. I'd have been much better off, at least in regards to composition, simply sitting, listening to some Palestrina/Tallis/Byrd and then spending some time at a well-worn piano, pencil in hand.)

Or, as our Lord said - 'seek and ye shall find' (what you seek).

I would exult over it if some of our gifted composers would compose a polyphonic series of sets of the complete propers in English - meaning, for each Sunday or Solemnity 1) Introit, 2) Gradual or Tract, and Resp Ps for those who would need it, 3) Alleluya verses, 4) Offertories, and 5) Communions. Has anyone since Byrd done this?