Free Score: 'Alleluia de Angelis'
  • This week our parish is going to begin learning Missa VIII (Missa de Angelis). Our plan is to introduce it in stages, and once we know it all, alternate every other week throughout ordinary time with our current ordinary (Mass in Honor of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, by Michael Olbash). Starting this weekend, until Lent, we will sing the Kyrie only.

    As I was in need of a new gospel acclamation for ordinary time, and desirous to teach the people a little bit more of the ordinary of the Missa de Angelis without them knowing it, I decided to adapt the beginning of the Sanctus into an Alleluia, which works surprisingly well, IMHO, so that way when we go to learn the Sanctus, the opening lines of it are already familiar to the people. Lower the barrier to entry after Eastertide, as it were. As soon as the choir sang through it the very first time, there was unanimous agreement that it was very nice and felt very comfortable which was very pleasing to me; they are coming to truly embrace chant and I love it!

    All that out of the way, I'm sharing the score free on my blog for anyone else who might like to use it. I've provided two versions in the PDF: the first has OT2-7 already set, and then the second page has the generic formula without any text for pointing other weeks throughout the year.

    https://psallitedomino.com/blog/alleluia-de-angelis

    Youtube demo: https://youtu.be/o_DVROOs2O8
  • sdtalley3sdtalley3
    Posts: 263
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  • RachelR
    Posts: 44
    I had forgotten how beautiful the Missa de Angelis is. I am lucky enough to be very used to it, ironically that has made it harder to appreciate. This score is a reminder of just how lovely that Mass setting is. You have a fine voice. Thank you very much.
  • Very nicely done.
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • A few decades back, I encountered an Alleluia that was "forced" onto the Amen of the Gloria de Angelis.
  • What's the verdict here? Hopefully it does not appear forced to you. It feel pretty natural to me, and the congregation responded well on their first hearing (especially considering they don't know the Sanctus and therefore have no reference for it).
  • davido
    Posts: 935
    I like it. And I don’t usually like Alleluias culled from other tunes
  • KVH50
    Posts: 1
    It seems natural to me. The melody is fairly similar to the ubiquitous Mode VI alleluia, so I doubt it would come across as forced to someone unfamiliar with Mass VIII.
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  • LIZ3
    Posts: 1
    I have been wanting to introduce the Missa Angelis to our parish but our priest wants to keep the same mass parts for now. Just came across this and I'm excited to try this Alleluia out in lieu! It's beautiful! Thanks for this.
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  • josephw
    Posts: 10
    Very beautiful! I am working on pulling together a choir for our rural parish and this would be a welcome addition. Thank you for sharing! :)
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  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,874
    Here's a harmonized version, if that is helpful.
    Alleluia De Angelis • Full score • Alleluia (2nd - 6th in OT, Year B) FINAL.pdf
    382K
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  • NihilNominisNihilNominis
    Posts: 1,017
    How did this go? I’m just seeing this in the first time, and while I think it’s lovely, it’s not difficult to imagine immediate confusion with the famous Mode 6 Alleluia.
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,874
    My last parish learned it very well, and the choir enjoyed singing the satb version with gusto.
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,874
    Made it a lot easier to transition to the Sanctus when the time came, as well, because the first part was already in their ears.
  • When I saw "Alleluia de Angelis," I immediately thought of an Alleluia that was set to the "Amen" of Credo III. Possibly in Worship II.
  • rich_enough
    Posts: 1,047
    I find this Alleluia to be quite natural, even "traditional," given that the Sanctus of the Missa de Angelis is itself an arrangement of the Magnificat antiphon "O quam suavis est" from the Vespers of Corpus Christi.