Polyphony similar to Grassi's Magnificat that can be used for psalms?
  • Michael_Osborne
    Posts: 23
    Does anyone have anything similar in structure to Grassi's Magnificat that can be used to sing any psalm text? Polyphony, with a polyphonic reciting tone, basically?
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 3,387
    Fauxbourdon and/or falsobordone (the terms are somewhat conflated) is what you’re looking for.

    Asola here.

    One problem is learning the rules. I am working on the Victoria tone 7 originally found with Sunday Vespers per annum (ps 109 and ps 112). But I think I made a (big) mistake, and then you just have to make things work in the best way possible.
  • Jeffrey Quick
    Posts: 2,240
    Which combination of voices? If you're looking for 3-equal like the Grassi, my Little Compline Music has tones for each mode, plus Peregrinus. Unusually, there's an extra chord provided for use if you need a flex.

    For mixed groups, besides the Asola, there are a number of settings in 4 and 5 voices by di Lasso. There are many other falsobordoni. (I note that That Iconic Good Friday Piece With The High C is just a falsobordone.)

    In my experience, they don't work all that well with English words, because of the difference in accentuation patterns. Anglican Chant was invented for that reason.
    Thanked by 1m_r_taylor
  • Michael_Osborne
    Posts: 23
    Jeffery, I'm looking for 3 voices. I found your Little Compline Music, and it looks pretty interesting! Thanks a lot!
  • Michael_Osborne
    Posts: 23
    Matthew, do you have a link for the Victoria tone 7?
  • rich_enough
    Posts: 1,086
    Here are two other 3-voice settings you might find helpful - from Ravanello's Secunda Anthologia Vocalis, the source for the Grassi Magnificat.
  • Michael_Osborne
    Posts: 23
    Wow! There's a lot of amazing stuff in there! Thanks!
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 3,387
    Yes, I do. Victoria Dixit Dominus.

    There is a set of tones well-known in Spain that I found on CPDL in 4vv, and someone here arranged the Parisian tones for 3vv (I believe that they are in 4vv originally).

    I think that they're worth having in the kit ready to go for when you want to branch out.
    san_lorenzio_falsobordoni.pdf
    57K
    parisian_fauxbourdon_3v.pdf
    70K
    Thanked by 1davido
  • dannyboi0513
    Posts: 36
    Adoremus by Haller uses the same style. But the refrain is Polyphonic.
    I also found this Benedictus.
    Benedictus.pdf
    250K
    Haller_Adoremus.pdf
    39K
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 3,387
    Do you know who composed the falsobordone for the Benedictus? It's obviously for Tenebrae; my big gripe is that modern practice in the Roman liturgy limits us to even verses and to singing the doxology (which is ordinarily sung) in chant, and many settings are much more complicated to change from odd to even. I just checked Stercky again; the settings where odd verses including the first after the asterisk (which makes that Benedictus unusual) are legal in that respect. He specifically says that the Gloria Patri may be sung in figured — polyphonic — music, which applies particularly to the Magnificat, which is more likely to be sung at an office with a choir capable of fauxbourdon or polyphony

    At least you can rather easily reset the verses there; it would be a bit strange hearing chant-chant-harmonization.
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