a polyphonic proper
  • Anhaga
    Posts: 55

    This is a clip I took last Christmas at St. Agnes in Manhattan.  I tried to find the score but I could not even find in the Polyphonic Propers of The Recovering Choir Director.  Is there anybody who knows this piece?


    It was an offertory of the (daytime) Mass of the Nativity of Our Lord: "Tui sunt caeli et tua est terra, orbem terrarum et plenitudinem ejus tu fundasti.  Justitia et judicium praeparatio sedis tuae."

  • Richard R.
    Posts: 774
    This is a formula. Andrew was known for adapting Anglican chants to Proper texts (in English) when he was at St. Peter's, DC. I wouldn't be surprised if this is his own adaptation to the Latin text. You should write him to find out the musical source.

    Old St. Mary's in DC has been using similar adaptations of Propers for their mixed quartet Mass (first Sunday); if only they were as eloquent as this example, I might be inclined to believe in them more.
  • Daniel Bennett PageDaniel Bennett Page
    Posts: 834
    This is actually a Renaissance- (or early-Baroque-) era fauxbourdon verse, which would have originally been used in alternation with its corresponding chant tone for psalmody or for canticles. There are many, many examples out there. I use the settings contributed to ChabanelPsalms.org by Sam Schmitt, which handle the monophonic and homophonic text setting (in English) extremely well. Morley gave many examples in his treatise, etc.
  • Anhaga
    Posts: 55
    Thank you for the replies! The St. Agnes in Manhattan, NY has thriving Church Music. I wish I could visit there again. About an hour drive away from St. Agnes, there is Our Lady of Fatima Chapel in Pequannock, NJ, which is run by FSSP Fathers. They also have a wonderful schola and choir. That is another place I wish to visit again for Missa Cantata.
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    Judging by your clip, St. Agnes appears to have a really nice choir that SINGS IN TUNE
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