Pax! I am preparing some music for a first Mass taking place on Ascension Sunday. Do you have any recommendations for motets of lively nature; similar to Exsultate Justice by Viadana and Pitoni's Cantate Domino. I could use those but I thought others might have different suggestions. I am looking for SATB and strictly Latin. This would be for Offertory. Any Communion recommendations would also be appreciated! Thank you in advance and God Bless
^I would stick to the Ascension theme (I believe that ATBJ3 is in a TLM context where most of the Paschal stuff disappears at the Ascension, as it also does in the Byzantine rite incidentally) although if you haven't, post that motet in a thread or bump it if you did share it already. I'm sure that people would use it.
I don't have any recommendations sadly, just noting that a paschal theme is a bit out of place after the Ascension.
Here's a routine reminder: Be principled not polemical.
Am I correct in thinking that since I plan to sing the propers, the theme has already been presented and that I could use something more general such as a Cantate Domino text for Offertory for example? Would Palestrina's Regina caeli be out of place?
Any Communion recommendations would also be appreciated!
F.W.I.W. Here is my SAB setting of the Communion for Ascension Day (the cantus firmus in the B is the traditional Gregorian chant for the text). It has proven quite effective elsewhere (other voicings are also available, the original was SMzA). The simulated audio MP3 gives some idea of how it sounds: Antiphon, a sample Verse (the verse is 2-part SA harmonized), then the Antiphon with the final ending.
Surexit Christus Hodie (Scheidt) (double choir, but you have have your group sing the choir 2 parts, have a soloist on the Soprano for Choir 1, and play the other voices on something reedy! Works wonderfully.
Also, cantate Domino by Hassler, Monteverdi; Jubilate deo by Mozart, Lassus, Exultate Deo Palestrina. Alleluia, Ascendit Deus by Byrd, Caelos Ascendit Alleluia by C.V. Stanford
I would second the suggestion by @Nathan_the_Organist: "Ascendens Christus in altum" by Victoria. The piece is thrilling not only due to the smooth polyphony, but also due to some madrigalesque text interpretations. It also seems to cite some cantus firmus chant at "dedit dona hominibus. Alleluja" (and maybe other places) , which I could not yet identify.
As it has a responsorial structure, the choir already knows half of the second part after learning the first part. Beware, however, that in the original version the alto goes very low at a few instances, which might be problematic for modern choirs. When we once sang it with our choir, I therefore made an edition which fixes this by voice exchange at the problematic places.
If you do not have five parts (SSATB), you might also find my own setting of "Ascendit Deus" for SABar useful, although it is shorter and much less elaborate. It utilizes some text interpretations, too.
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