Approachable, single-movement Magnificat settings?
  • LauraKaz
    Posts: 65
    I'm planning a Vespers and Carols school event for early December and was wondering if there were any single-movement Magnificat settings out there. These would need to be approachable enough that my 6th-8th graders could learn the top parts, or at least the soprano line, in the relatively limited time we have.

    Thankfully, I am inheriting a relatively strong program. For reference, last year they sang And the Glory of the Lord from Handel's Messiah as well as the Faure Messe Basse. This year they will be learning Mendelssohn's Behold a Star from Jacob Shining along with whatever Magnificat we end up doing. I'm just trying to get a feel for the options out there; if there doesn't seem to be an approachable choral setting we could always fall back on the plainchant version.
  • CGM
    Posts: 627
    I can think of several.

    1. simple fauxbourdon by Morley (attached, in an edition by our own Serviam Scores)

    2. simple responsorial setting by Bębenek (attached, in an edition by me, and free to use due to the giveaway policy of the Dominican Liturgical Center in Kraków, for which it was composed)

    3. an anonymous simple fauxbourdon setting for 3-vc trebles (attached)

    4. a fauxbourdon-like setting for 3-vc trebles by Christoph Dalitz (attached)
    He also has additional settings here.

    5. there are eight settings by Soriano on CPDL. More complex than the first few options here, but still not too complicated.

    6. Gibbons wrote a glorious and relatively short setting that is a bit challenging but should be within reach.
    Magnificat_NuncDimittis_Morley.pdf
    82K
    Magnificat_Bebenek_Compleat_2022.pdf
    122K
    Ephesus_Magnificat_SSA.pdf
    139K
    magnificat_6_ssa.pdf
    113K
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen LauraKaz Lars
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,688
    I will enthusiastically second the Gibbons Short Service, which I picked as our first default setting. If you want latin though and have able accompaniment and a soloist, either of Mozart's are not hard (there's a third fragmentary vespers I don't yet know). Or look at Arvo Paart: my friend's high school choir really sank their teeth in that one.
    Thanked by 1Lars
  • PLTT
    Posts: 145
    If you are doing plainchant may I suggest the French 'ton royal' that they regularly sing in Notre Dame? It also has fauxbordon verses, but I don't know where to get a score for thos - perhaps another contributor here knows.....
  • Jenny Donelson
    Posts: 231
    My choristers have enjoyed singing the George Dyson in C minor: https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Evening_Service_in_C_minor_(George_Dyson)
    Thanked by 3ServiamScores LauraKaz PhilipPowell
  • LarsLars
    Posts: 97
    this is very approachable.. (sorry.....)
    Lassie Go?.pdf
    37K
    Thanked by 1LauraKaz
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,550
    My Soul Doth Magnify by Prætorius sings as a hymn, but is excellent. At least one nice version of it is on SJMP.
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,550
    Love the Dyson! (It was new to me, but brought an immediate smile to my face.)
  • rich_enough
    Posts: 1,001
    @CGM
    FYI, the Magnificat a 3 you posted is by Carlo Grassi (1868-1952), found in the Secunda Anthologia Choralis (p. 103).

    Thanks for your edition - I'm singing it for a wedding later this month and yours is much clearer - and with the solemn tone!
    Thanked by 1LauraKaz
  • LauraKaz
    Posts: 65
    My choristers have enjoyed singing the George Dyson in C minor

    I greatly enjoy that setting as well. Unfortunately, last year's 5th grade class just did it for their spring concert in May and it feels a bit too soon to bring it out again. Also, my parish music director informed me that any English setting we did would have to have the same translation as is in the breviary. So I'm leaning towards Latin settings as of now.
    this is very approachable.. (sorry.....)

    This was a favorite in my previous parish. Glad to be out of there.

    Currently the Grassi is in the lead...but I'll see how the other piece is shaping up before I decide how much additional music they will be able to handle.
    Thanked by 1Lars
  • PhilipPowell
    Posts: 87
    One of the first pieces I ever sang in a choir was Dyson's Magnificat in Cm (same one mentioned above) and to this day get it stuck in my head multiple times a week.
  • Anna_BendiksenAnna_Bendiksen
    Posts: 182
    I have an original hymn, six English verses with a "Magnificat" refrain, plus descant on the last verse. Let me know if you would like to see it.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,550
    I would!
    Thanked by 1Anna_Bendiksen
  • CGM
    Posts: 627
    And one more is the attached setting in the eighth tone by Lassus, as published in the Parish Book of Motets.
    30.PBM_Lassus_Magnificat_octavi_toni.pdf
    98K
    Thanked by 1rich_enough
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