Simple English Kyriale
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,477
    Talking to JT about this, and he said we should bring it to the forum.

    I've started writing simple (Psalmtone-ish) settings of the new translations in each of the modes.

    I think this could be the beginning of a CMAA publication, the Simple English Kyriale.

    Based on requests JT's has gotten, we were both thinking the contents might be something like:
    ICEL Chants (in square notes!)
    Simple Modal Settings
    English Adaptations of the major Latin ordinaries
    Bonus section 1: English adaptations of standalone Latin movements
    Bonus Section 2: New English standalone movements

    That seems like a whole book. And people like getting Bonuses.
    Plus, maybe there could be an organ accompaniment edition or something.


    Thoughts? Volunteers?
  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    This has to be done at some point. I've already received many requests from religious houses for such a publication. We started this somewhat last year with some incomplete results.
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    Adam,
    Before you commence to slavin' over a hot Finale Tamale, see if you can find a copy of J. Michael Thompson's SIMPLE KYRIALE (I'm a poet, din't know it), I believe it was a WLP product. It dates around 1999. It might give you some ideas as to content and brevity.
    Don't forget Fr. Weber's got one out already, some of which in last issue of "Sacred Music."
    Go head on widdit!
    C
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,477
    I'm not committed to my compositional idea as part of this, but I was thinking if there was a simple setting of each part in each of the 8 modes, it would serve as an easy fill-in or pairing with just about anything else.
    (For example, so that you could program an easy Agnus Dei in the same mode as the communion antiphon which will get sung shortly afterwards).
    (Note- I don't know if anyone would want to do that. It was just a thought).
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Adam, this sounds like a nice project, though I'm not sure how needed it is at this point . . . a few random items:

    --I honestly hope that there aren't too many chant-like settings flooding the proverbial market until we can be sure that the ICEL chants are well-learned on the part of our congregations.

    --What congregations do we envision wanting to cycle through a whole host of English chant settings? It seems like churches that traditionally-minded will just want to go with the Latin originals . . . I may be wrong on this point.

    --And a big issue that I don't think has a solution (and somewhat of an aside): various composers adapting the Gregorian originals differently, and creating a mish-mash if the two+ melodies should ever meet within a shared liturgy. For example: I went to Fr. Columba Kelly's workshop a few weeks ago in Renssalaer, IN . . . he showed us some of his adaptations of the ICEL chants, which differed (sometimes greatly) from the ones in the upcoming Roman Missal. I just kept thinking, "why would you ever want to put these in front of a congregation and duke it out with the settings that everyone else will be using."
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    One more . . . Adam, I'd prefer a new project for you: Kathy Pluth and yourself combining forces and writing hymn texts for the entire liturgical year! : )
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,477
    Thanks for your thoughts!

    Yeah- I just don't know how useful my "Well Moded Kyriale" idea is.
    And its not like I have a shortage of good ideas to be working on (like three years worth of Lectionary Hymns, or my Shaker Mass, or P&W Propers [yes], or blogging about something other than new mass settings, or making money...)

    Whether that is included or not, JT seems to think a CMAA Kyriale is in order.
    Maybe it's just:
    -ICEL Chants
    -Full English Adaptations of Gregorian Settings
    -Latin Gregorian Settings
    -English stand-alones
    -Latin Stand-alones

    (or does having the Latin settings overlap with PBC too much?)

    I'm trying to imagine a parish where the pew hymnal rack has:
    PBC
    V2 Hymnal
    Simple English Kyriale

    and the choir has:
    SEP
    Graduale
    Catholic Choir Book

    I know I'd get back about 3-5 hours of planning, buying, copying, ordering, laying-out, scanning, picking, selecting, wandering... every week.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,817
    Heath said

    "--What congregations do we envision wanting to cycle through a whole host of English chant settings? It seems like churches that traditionally-minded will just want to go with the Latin originals . . . I may be wrong on this point."

    No, Heath, you are dead on.

    If you compose exclusively for anglos, your music will be limited, and possibly linked with the fad of the era. Stick with the real thing... Latin is cross-cultural, universal, global and timeless (for the truly serious-minded Catholic). We may be a small remnant, but numbers mean nothing.
Add a Comment