The Mass setting that my choir needs
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    I've been giving some thought to the needs of the choir and congregation regarding a setting of the new English translation of the Ordinary for our principal Sunday Mass.

    Most helpful for us would be a polyphonic setting, with a fairly simple melodic theme, in the tenor or soprano lines, riding along the top of the other voices. It would have to be very audibly the melody. The harmonization in the other voices should be interesting enough that the piece could be profitably sung a cappella.

    I'm sure there are such pieces out there. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Many thanks!
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    The Psallite Mass would get my vote.
  • IanWIanW
    Posts: 756
    Most helpful for us would be a polyphonic setting

    We have an approval process in England & Wales for settings of the new translation that's in the hands of those who won't countenance a polyphonic Sanctus, and they'd probably baulk at choral settings of other parts of the Ordinary, too. ICEL won't grant permission to publish without that approval (tho' push comes to shove, significant parts of the Ordinary are in the public domain). Don't you have something similar in the Sates, Kathy?
  • benedictgal
    Posts: 798
    Ian, whatever happened to the setting that had been used for the 2010 Papal visit?
  • IanWIanW
    Posts: 756
    BG: I don't remember it as being polyphonic. Mind you, I don't see it for sale yet, and his publisher is English, so perhaps it's been held up by the approval process?
  • Jeffrey Quick
    Posts: 2,048
    http://www.boosey.com/cr/sheet-music/James-MacMillan-Mass-of-Blessed-John-Henry-Newman/40133
    There's an ISMN for it, but it's not out yet.
    It's for unison voices with optional SATB. So perhaps "semi-polyphonic"
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,934
    I want to buy that, but have been waiting for months. Wonder what the hold up is?
  • Bobby Bolin
    Posts: 417
    Same here. There's so much controversy surrounding the whole mass that it's almost like I have to have it.
  • advocatusadvocatus
    Posts: 85
    I received my copy of MacMillan Mass today from Boosey & Hawks. It is basically a unison Mass with some homophonic moments and a few choral extensions. The accompaniment is integral, so it might not be quite the thing Kathy is seeking.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    SATB Martyr's Mass might be of interest?
    martyrsmass090110a.pdf
    162K
  • daniel
    Posts: 75
    Which company publishes the Psallite Mass? Would like to order a review copy. Composer is Paul Ford?
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    Liturgical Press
    http://www.litpress.org/Detail.aspx?ISBN=9780814634066

    (shamless plug... click on the "Editorial Reviews" tab... woo hoo!)
  • WittManWilsonWittManWilson
    Posts: 76
    Have you seen Missa ad Gentes by Joncas? It's at GIA. The Sanctus is actually very nice and has a polyphonic sound to it (choir intones in Latin, the congregation responds in English). I'm not a fan of much of the rest of the mass setting (e.g. Gloria, etc.) but the Sanctus is worth looking at. The Agnus Dei is not polyphonic, but it has a nice meoldy.

    http://www.giamusic.com/search_details.cfm?title_id=11343
  • kevinfkevinf
    Posts: 1,184
    In Louisville, there is a setting by a local composer named Laura Lea Duckworth. It is very fine and is in unison and SATB. Through composed Gloria . Very close attention to text rhythm and lovely harmonics. While it is accompanied, it appears to be able to be sung acapella also. You can contact her via her church, St. Francis of Assisi in Louisville. We read through it at our mass reading session last week. I was very impressed and thinking I will use it.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    You also might like Chris Mueller's setting
    My review here
    Setting's Home page here

    He claims it is congregational. I disagree, but you might think so. At any rate, it's beautiful.
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