More new Mass settings: Mass for Christian Unity
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    Richard Proulx's revision of this Mass by Jan Vermulst is now available for preview at www.singthenewmass.com.

    So far the only settings I've considered have been chant-like, viz. those of Richard Rice, Christopher Walker, Paul Ford, Andrew Mills, Proulx's own Gloria Simplex, and of course the ICEL settings. This is the first organ based setting with SATB harmonizations that has really caught my eye. It's composed of long and short notes, mostly syllabic, mostly stepwise, in a comfortable range, and at least the Gloria is modal. My only objection is a couple of syncopations, but others will likely not be offended. Unfortunately, the People's Mass revision is one of several that would have us sing "peace to People of Goodwill."
  • Have you taken a look at the settings slated for inclusing in LitPress's "Lift Up Your Hearts," in addition to the "Psallite Mass" introduced by Paul Ford in an earlier post?
    http://www.theromanmissal.org/LUYH.htm

    You might also check the Vermulst People's Mass revision again on the WLP site (http://www.singthenewmass.com/Revised_Musical_Settings.html). Last time I looked, the rhythm of "peace to people of goodwill" seems to have changed.
  • I have tried my utmost to compose for my parish. I'm only in my first year of composition, but here is a sample of my "Missa Sicut Cervus". Please don't be too harsh, I know it is horrendous, but I wrote it with my parish choir in mind. They don't want to do it so, I'm hoping for pointers!
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    This website has several Masses composed by M E M B E R S _ O F _ T H I S _ C M A A _ F O R U M !!!!
  • It's not horrendous for a start. And you've got some good ideas in there. Some choirs can be ruthless in their reaction to music by people they know, for some reason or other. You need to decide what you want to do - if you want to please the choir and people and create something they would like to sing, it might be best to try and write something with melody straight through for them to sing. Organ interludes tend to make them worry about when to come in, even when they are melodically interesting as yours are. This sounds strange, but to write a successful piece of music for your choir and congregation, follow the form of one that they already sing, and flesh it out with your melodies and harmonies.