Our parish's lifeteen group sings the propers (all of them) from the Anglican Use Gradual. This is good in that each proper always sounds the same from week to week.
But I was wondering if anyone has ever composed a counterpoint or harmony to the tones used in the AUG?
I don't mean simply following a fifth or fourth below, though that could be a first step.
Notes for myself and for anyone else desiring to follow this path:
The Anglican Use Graduale (AUG) uses the Gloria Patri tones for the antiphon parts of the propers. These tones can be found on p14 of the Liber Usualis.
Every Sunday is the same, and for this reason we use it with our LifeTeen group.
AUG use: Tone 7 for the Introit. Tone 2 for the Offertory. Tone 1 for Communion.
The goal here is to find accompaniment, so that the pieces can be sung in two, three or four part harmony, as the choir gets comfortable with the basic tones.
The Nova Organi Harmonia (NOH) does not seem to have a one page summary of these Gloria Patri Tones. However, it does include the Gloria Patri as part of the Introits.
Thus, you will need:
An example of a Tone 7 Introit. Adorate Deum---NOH v.1 p126 An example of a Tone 2 Introit. Dominus dixit--- NOH v.1 p49 An example of a Tone 1 Introit. Exsurge--- NOH v.1 p138
Have you thought of using several easy Anglican chants, the same ones each week, for your purposes?
This would be a perhaps more musically satisfying alternative, since you want harmonised chant.
If you are interested and want examples, e-mail me.
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