It would be impossible to choose favourites, for they would change by the day; even as one might be captivated by Machaut one week, Brahms the next, and Tallis or de Grigny the next. To have to choose would be unfair. However, some that regularly move me are:
Alleluia, Pascha nostrum (this may be The One I would choose if I really had to)
Te Deum - solemn tone
Lauda Sion Salvatorem - sequence
Verbum supernum prodiens, nec patris - hymn
Puer nobis - introit
Jesus, thou joy of loving hearts - hymn (as in Hymnal 1940)
In splendoribus - communion
Laetatus sum - psalm (in English [Coverdale] or Latin)
There are so, so many. And few are without merit - this is, I think, rather like asking a loving father to choose among his children.
Hodie Christus Natus Est
Divinum Mysterium
Ave Verum Corpus
Salve Mater Misericordiae
Rorate Caeli
Asperges me
Vexilla Regis
Victimae Paschali Laudes
O Filii et Filiae
Lauda, SIon, Salvatorem
O Sacrum Convivium
Salve Regina, Mater Misericordiae
The Rosy Sequence (English)
Jesu Dulcis Memoria
Without opening my Liber, I'll give a a gut reaction. I'm sure there's a few Graduals and Alleluia's I'll forget
1- Salve Regina Solemn Monastic
2- Ave, Maria (offertory)
3- Epiphany Offertory (Reges Tarsis?)
4- Ave Maris stella
5- Factus est repente (Pentecost Communion)
6- Libera me (Requiem)
7- In paradisum (Requiem)
8- Puer natus in bethlehem- hymn
9- Victimae paschali
10- Viri Galilei (Ascension introit)
I like Greg's list, amen to all that.
Already I'm thinking of a few Kyries and a Gloria and a hymnn and an Alleluia. Oh, this is a very difficult exercise, but some good food for thought as I retire to bed. What a treasure we have, indeed!!!
Vidi Aquam Assumpta est Maria (Alleluia from the Feast of Assumption) Rorate Caeli Resonet in Laudibus Alma Redemptoris Mater Ave Regina Caelorum Tollite hostias (Communion antiphon) Kyrie from Mass V, Magnae Deus Potentiae Kyrie from Mass II, Fons Bonitatis De Profundis (Offertory)
P.S. Just one more: Passer invenit (Communion antiphon)
1. Rorate Caeli : Advent 4 INT 2. Ave Maria Advent 4 OFFERTORY 3. Factus Est Repentes:Pentecost COM 4. Comidite Pinguia 3Lent c COM from the Grad or SEP 5. Orbis Factor Mass English ( Meinrad) 6. Pascha Nostra Easter COM 5 .Christus Factus Est GRAD 6. Salve Sancta Parens and the English transcriptions by Fr. Weber and Fr. Kelly 7. Jesu Dulcis 8. Dies Irae: though we never sing this 9. Exultet 10. Ave Maria: Chant Hymn
11. Memento verbi 12. Quinque Prudentes 13 Alleuia from the exultation of the cross.
No order of preference. Text was given as least as much weight as melody.
IN. Ad te levavi IN. Dominus dixit IN. Nos autem gloriari GR. Christus factus est GR. Dirigatur oratio mea GR. Priusquam te formarem AL. Pascha nostrum OF. Precatus est Moyses CO. Lutum fecit AN. In paradisum
Very honorable mention: Reciting tone for the Lamentations during Tenebræ.
I've been thinking about this one recently, so evidently I don't have enough to do:
the Offertory for the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost is De Profundis . In the inscrutable depths of Divine Providence, it begins the same way as the much more modern Misty Mountain melody from Peter Jackson's film.
Now-- to the question at hand.
1) Jesu Dulcis Memoria 2) Te Deum 3) Dies Irae (without which, my sons would consider me failing to adequately represent good music) 4) Lauda Sion
I really like the Tone VIII melismatic Alleulia that you find all ovwr the Graduale Romanum. Although I usually sing the verse to a psalm tone instead of the long melismatic tunes used in the gradual.
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