Your favourite Masses
  • rich_enough
    Posts: 1,076
    I think where the "Too much Renaissance" problem comes from in Trad. circles is the over-use of Palestrina because of it's alleged "canonization" in Tra le. I don't often hear of Ockeghem Masses being performed, or even Josquin.

    I beg to differ - most of it is simply practical logistics.

    In addition to what Jeffrey said (the bar for entry is quite a bit higher), the last time I sang a Josquin Mass it took twice the time just to get the notes and the Sanctus kept the priest waiting (he didn't mind). The result was thrilling, but it was a real workout even for the pros and would be pretty tough to pull off with a completely amateur choir.

    More often than not the voice ranges of Ockeghem et al. do not lend themselves to a standard SATB choir, and the lines are so long that it's very difficult for a small ensemble to sing unless they are really expert. Ditto for the duets in many Josquin masses - they're not for the faint of heart!

    Perhaps Palestrina and the Roman school can become bland after a while for some, but most non-musicians in the pews delight in what is familiar to them rather than what might excite the members of the choir.

    I'm grateful for any Renaissance I can do and don't see it as a "problem"!
    Thanked by 1Jeffrey Quick
  • John_F_ChurchJohn_F_Church
    Posts: 55
    Thanks for asking! I’ve often tried to put together a top ten of this very question.

    Of course I love any of the Gregorian Masses (especially Mass VIII — normie, I know. But also IX and XI.)

    Then Palestrina — Missa Aeterna Christi Munera and Missa Brevis are Faves of mine.

    But aside from classic chant and Palestrina, here are some others.

    Latin:
    • Monteverdi: Massa a quattri voci (1641) [also, his posthumous one]
    • Gounod: Messe Chorale
    • William Lloyd Webber: Missa Princeps Pacem
    • Rheinberger: Mass in Eb for Double Choir
    • Ralph Vaughn Williams: Mass in G minor
    • Perosi: Missa Cerviana
    • Max Filke: Mass in G (in honor of St Charles Borromeo)
    • Liszt: Missa Choralis
    • Lotti: Mass in D major for 3 voices
    • Caldera/Zelenka: Missa “Providentiae” in D minor

    As far as English goes, I like Clark’s JP2 Mass, and any mass by Jeff Ostrowski.
    Thanked by 1StimsonInRehab
  • Jehan_Boutte
    Posts: 268
    @ServiamScores

    I seriously contemplated introducing this mass at our parish this year. Even sent it to the pastor so we could discuss it. At the moment, I haven't taken the plunge, but I really do love it.


    Go for it. It is a great Mass to sing, especially for the greater feasts.
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • RedPop4
    Posts: 51
    Speaking of George Malcom – I just recently discovered him (as a composer) and I really like his Neo-renaissance style. But it seems to me that it's not that much what he wrote and it's hard to find scores. Do they keep it in a safe in Westminster? Or was I just unable to find the publisher? Thanks for help.

    My director, just this morning, asked me to find Malcolm's Benedic Anima Mea and it's like hen's teeth.
  • dad29
    Posts: 2,238
    Flor Peeters, 2 of them: Mass in honor of St Joseph, and the Missa Laudis/St John the Baptist (not in print.)

    Both fine for standard parish choir.
  • ronkrisman
    Posts: 1,403
    Frank Martin, of course.

    https://www.google.com/search?q=frank+martin,+mass+for+double+choir&oq=&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCQgAECMYJxjqAjIJCAAQIxgnGOoCMgkIARAuGCcY6gIyCQgCECMYJxjqAjIJCAMQIxgnGOoCMgkIBBAjGCcY6gIyCQgFECMYJxjqAjIJCAYQIxgnGOoCMgkIBxAjGCcY6gLSAQ0yMzAzMDI4MzRqMGo3qAIIsAIB&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:f3a63b4f,vid:uZvPdHhleYM,st:0
    Thanked by 2M. Jackson Osborn CHGiffen
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,486
    RVW
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 12,044
    Louis Vierne - Messe Solennelle.
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,486
    John Taverner - depending on what day it is -
    Missa Gloria tibi Trinitas
    or
    Missa Corona Spinea

    (On a very rare day - Stravinsky)
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,271
    The Taverner "Missa Gloria tibi Trinitas" is one of my favourites, having sung it several times when I used to sing with Zephyrus (early music ensemble based in Virginia), including one performance at the Cathedral of St. Matthew in Washington, D.C.
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • liampmcdonough
    Posts: 327
    Orlande de Lassus Missa super "Bel 'armfitrit' altera"
    Stanford Communion in C (with Benedictus and Agnus Dei in F)
    Thanked by 2M. Jackson Osborn SirIggle
  • A_Crabby_Crab
    Posts: 7
    I really like Dvorak's Mass in D Major to listen to.
  • vansensei
    Posts: 223
    Victoria -- Missa O Quam Gloriosum
    Faure -- Requiem
    Schubert -- Mass in G
    Rheinberger -- Cantus Missae

    Frank Martin -- Mass For Double Choir if I had 11 people + myself on baritone
    Refice -- Missa Choralis (too many pre-V2 choir + organ Masses, a lot of them are meh, this is tolerable)

    Another pre-V2 20th-century Mass that's actually quite beautiful is the Tyberg Mass in F. There's a recording of it from the dearly departed South Dakota Chorale; very accessible work.
  • SirIggle
    Posts: 11
    > Orlande de Lassus Missa super "Bel 'armfitrit' altera"

    Oh that's lovely, thanks. Lassus' writing for double choir is incredible. The Missa Vinum Bonum is a bit of a bucket list item of mine, but it's hard to find opportunities to sing that kind of thing.

    Palestrina's Missa Sanctorum Meritis is another good one if y'all are looking for more of his less performed works.

    My favorite will probably always be Dufay's Missa L'Homme Arme though. I feel like I appreciate it more every time I sing it.
  • francis
    Posts: 11,183
    Anerio : Missa Pro defunctis

    We sing this one regularly...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRHtpi29yhw

    https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/images/b/b8/Missa_Pro_Defunctis_Anerio.pdf
Add a Comment