Seems no worse than any other chant in honor of the Blessed Sacrament.

So short answer, yes.

Slightly longer answer, I think there is a hierarchy of preferable music during communion. These are just my own musings:

1. Proper chant of Communion antiphon
2. Other chants/polyphony which repeat/build on the antiphon, or texts which are closely tied with both the Blessed Sacrament and liturgical day
3. Other chants/polyphony in honor of the Blessed Sacrament
4. Other chants/polyphony "themed" for the liturgical day/season, which do not have to do with the Blessed Sacrament

So in an ideal world, I would majorly overthink each liturgical day, and plan something like follows:

- Proper Communion chant
- Verse (or two) from Versus Psalmorum et Canticorum (the book of psalm verses to sing with Communion Antiphons ad libitum)
- Polyphonic setting of the antiphon carefully pitched to flow naturally from the verse
- Repeat of verses and alternation of chant antiphon/polyphonic setting, maybe a couple of times, but not so much that it gets boring (I think there's a fine line)
- If time allows, a motet (or chant) or two which ties into both the propers and the Blessed Sacrament

Now, this may seem slightly impossible, but it's not. I've found polyphonic settings of the Communion antiphon which actually work with the chant antiphon and verses, sung acapella, respecting ranges and everything. I would also ask a competent organist to fill in any gaps with tasteful improvisation. I would have acapella music as the default, but occasionally ornament the singing with organ for special occasions (it should be a special spice, not a crutch. The organ is welcome to have its own voice and be used for preludes and postludes throughout the year without constantly being tacked onto the singing).

Sorry for the rant, hope something's helpful.

I think that I find office hymns as such a little odd for communion. I don’t mind a motet such as a polyphonic/homophonic Tantum ergo. Looking back I wanted to use a special tone of the Ave Maris Stella, so we did that after the proper, but it wasn’t ideal. I felt that if they wanted a Gregorian hymn, they needed to come to Vespers.

We stick to two verses and then there’s a motet and maybe more… tbh it’s too much. One proper, one motet. I would then switch to organ or to silence.

I am fine repeating the proper with verses but big one, slightly longer or more complex motet and then retire to silence in Advent and in Lent or the organ the rest of the time.

in my experience when you want to stick to the propers you need to use chant nearly always.

If you mean there is an actual rubric forbidding what I've suggested, I'd like to see it so that I know what fallacies to stop spreading. If you just mean that you don't think it works well, that's a fair opinion, which I happen to disagree with.

In the EF, I think there is usually time to have all of the chant antiphon, polyphonic antiphon, and additional motet. In one place (I think it was the Liber) I remember reading a suggestion for the Communion Antiphon to be sung with verses during the distribution, and then let the choir sing a motet during ablutions. There is generally time for a piece during ablutions, as long as it's not to long (depending on the speed your priest goes at). What I'm imaging is basically taking that idea of antiphon during distribution and motet after, and then just adding some variety to the repetition of the antiphon. Of course, how long the distribution lasts will have a tremendous impact on the musical options (if our parish had two priests, communion would be twice as quick).

As far as availability of settings which work well for this, it does take some searching, but I'm convinced that many such settings can be found (or composed). One example would be Ravanello's Pascha Nostrum, which can begin on the chord of the final of the chant. I would love to use his motet alongside the beautiful Communion Antiphon on Easter, and then still sing another motet during ablutions.

Now, I'm not advocating this idea as a universal practice to be implemented every Sunday. I just think it's something that is a nice option and people should think about. I would find a version of the antiphon for three equal voices, for a schola of all men or all women.

But regarding polyphonic propers in general, I wouldn't advocate for them indiscriminately. I would view them as special spice, like organ accompaniement, ison drones, organum, etc. Acapella chant is the default, but tastefully added spices on occasion can improve the dish. We just don't want to be pouring a pound of salt on everything. I think the Communion is the best proper for a polyphonic setting, because that time usually needs music much longer than the single antiphon. Ditto for the Offertory, but the Offertory has special verses of great musical value, and those should be the starting point imo. But arrangements incorporating some variety (a polyphonic respond, etc) could be quite nice. I wouldn't advocate for any polyphonic propers that would result in the complete omission of the chant. I might do a polyphonic Introit for the repeat, but not the first time. I might do a drone on the gradual verse, but sing the respond in simple unison. Maybe harmonize the Alleluia jubilus, but leave the rest alone.

But I don't believe that there's any good "one size fits all" approach. Different points of the liturgical year lend themselves better to different types of repertoire, some times make better use of silence, sometimes the organ may use its voice and sometimes not. I tend to think of music planning as a very fine art which requires careful balancing and good taste. But the further down the rabbit hole I go, the further I stray from the original topic, so sorry about that...

I'm thinking of the small volunteer choir... 6 have "enrolled," but on most Sundays one can only depend on 4 showing up (and Holy Days... three if you're lucky, but more likely only two). Then, the repertoire of various hymns is of great utility. Of course, it would be different if there were 12, or 16, or 20 choristers. But reality says, the valiant ones who still show up want to do SOMETHING, and not all volunteers come with the greatest of
gifts, bit a willing attitude. The number of tunes / melodies for Pange lingua allows a choir to keep it fresh. The chant Ave Verum sung alternately is always appreciated.
I really find it odd that only hymns that about "us" have been promoted so strongly for Communion at English masses, to the point where hymns about or addressed to Our Lord are strongly prohibited in some places.

C_S-- this is something I attempt to do, but haven't really achieved. (At least, we have YEARS of growing to do as a choir with my new group, before this will be a reality. My previous choir was close.) I try to make sure that mile-marker liturgies (feasts and solemnities) are covered with a motet that directly relates to the propers, but for the other days, we pad in some generic settings of O Salutaris, Ave Verum, and the like. The thing is, there are TONS of such motets out there, and they aren't all difficult. You don't have to sing Byrd or Palestrina every week. Witt's Ad Te Levavi is a great example. Such motets (and there are many) are within the reach of relatively modest choirs.

At any rate, Pange Lingua is above reproach, imho. And if there are alternate melodies in sources such as the Cantus Selecti or whatever, then so much the better. Use the alternate melodies and keep the big one for the feast or for special occasions.

Due to choir experiences like that, avoiding excessive ambition actually became a central principle for my programming. We have very few polyphonic motets that are only sung once a year. O Magnum Mysterium and Locus Iste (Bruckner) spring to mind.

Truthfully, I lean the same. I like good "bang for the buck" motets, or motets that have refrains with chanted verses. Lots of music for relatively minimal rehearsal time. I also love generic enough texts that you can use them any time you really need to. Of course, certain things are hard to avoid (Rorate Cæli immediately comes to mind) but there are plenty of "generic" motets to go around too. And to your point about not over-stressing the choir, I totally agree. It is disheartening to a choir to be stretched too thin or never sing any one piece particularly well. They take pride in singing something that they know well... well.