Brass Parts for Missa de Angelis?
  • DanielT
    Posts: 9
    Dear friends,

    I'm thrilled that I get to use Mass VIII (Missa de Angelis) for Christmastide this year, and thrilled that I'll have a brass quartet for some of our Christmas Masses. The only thing I'm not quite as thrilled about is the prospect of writing brass parts for a Gregorian Mass, and I would therefore appreciate any advice! Some particular questions include:

    - Has anyone already done this, so that I don't have to reinvent the wheel?
    If I have to write them myself:
    - Should I "metricize" the chant to make it easier for the brass quartet to read?
    - Should each player's score include the chant "lined up" with their own part so that they can see where their part changes in relation to the (unmetered) chant?

    Thanks, all, for any words of wisdom and helpful insights. Happy almost-Advent!

    Daniel
  • PaxTecum
    Posts: 314
    I would suggest not doing this as you are thinking. If you are going to use brass with the chant, use them for a lively introduction between the "Gloria in excelsis Deo" and the rest of the prayer and perhaps add them back in on the Amen or just after for a 'fanfare' if you will.
    Thanked by 2WGS francis
  • JacobFlahertyJacobFlaherty
    Posts: 331
    Daniel,

    I did do something like this for this past Sunday's Christ the King Mass. It actually sounded pretty cool. I tried hard for it to feel like the chant was predominant and the brass was just icing on the cake. Accordingly, I did not change the way the chant was metered or written out, but merely instructed the brass verbally with how their modern notation should "fit" within the chanted framework. Send me a PM and I can send you a link. I think most folk on here might have my head if they saw what I did. :) I'll also send you a recording.

    BTW, I only got the Gloria done, but it's a start...

    Thanked by 1NihilNominis
  • NihilNominisNihilNominis
    Posts: 1,021
    You are such a remarkable musician, Jacob. It sounded *so cool*!
    Thanked by 1JacobFlaherty
  • JacobFlahertyJacobFlaherty
    Posts: 331
    Thank you; it needed a little more rehearsal time (we took 2 minutes), but it mostly got there. Also the livestream recording does not reflect what it sounded like in reality. It was way more significant in the space than under the weak power of a few small mics.
  • davido
    Posts: 942
    Livestream link?
  • Chaswjd
    Posts: 268
    There is the Peter Latona Gloria with polyphony by Cima alternating with the Missa de Angelis Gloria. Brass can double the choir parts.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DCXkIjp6Sc&t=97s
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