Hello Hello!

Isaac is here!

Thanks for the ice breaking ceremony Pes. I was hoping to see Jeff Herbert here sooner. Yes, forums are like theses statements. Narrow them down into categories and we'll stay organized. Dear Jeff (Tucker)...Thank you! Well we best start somewhere and I am thinking if what we need is a forum description (kind of like what you started) so that we don't drift away. Also, Jeff, if you're eavesdropping (haha) is it possible to create sub-discussion boards? under these?

Isaac.

One of my favorites is Schenk's Modal Mass. Regrettably it has a responsorial Gloria, but I think the work is a great example of what the pope has been asking for.

moconnor

Nice forum, nice topics, particularly this one. Hi, Mike. Birds of a feather....
I think there's more in the question to ponder before the answers that are "at the ready."
Item: Discarding the implications of "best" (in that such responses will be subjective,) the next criteria applied are "liturgical," then "polyphonic," then "vernacular."
But keep Benedict's/Mahrt's mantra "paradigm of beauty" rolling while I spin.
Liturgical, for me, simply means that it possesses certain attributes that work to elicit "participatio" whether "actuosa" or "actuoso." It, therefore, should not purvey attributes that obviously call forth attention unto itself as an artistic endeavor, or to the virtuosity of its performers/performance. I freely admit that these are not lines easily drawn or to be seen by all.
Polyphonic, in light of all recent harkenings from the Vatican, means an adherence and respect for compositional attributes such as counterpoint, melodic/motivic equanimity, independence and interdependence of same among voicings, modality and/or tonality, etc., as represented classically by Victoria, Pierluigi da Palestrina, Hassler, Lassus, Morales et al perhaps all the way from Rome to the Venetians (Gabriellis, Monteverdi) and to England (Byrd, Tallis.) Obviously the awakenings of homophony and tonality are present in this "Roman" ideal; but are in lesser measure than true polyphony. So, one has to dismiss from discussion all that reflects latter musical development or traditions, whether Baroque counterpoint, Orthodox homophony or Haydn/Schubertian classicism. Okay, so far?
Vernacular, that's easy: not sung in Latin.
Haven't heard the McMillan, will look up. Also the Schenk. I generally love Poulenc, but I believe that must be in Latin, yes? Like his famous Gloria?
Elsewhere I've posted my affection for a lovely little setting that humbly meets the criteria I've outlined above: Rev. John Schiavone's Missa breva "Holy Family Mass," which is permanently out of print from OCP. Subsequent settings by Schiavone haven't come close to the compact elegance of this little gem.
But I think, as the tide is turning, that this question of finding beautifully crafted, polyphonic ordinaries in the vernacular will garner major interest, just as CMAA is ground zero for the resurgence of interest in the actual employment of chant in "real time" parishes here in the US.
I eagerly await more responses.

What exactly is meant by "polyphony" when we talk the 20th/21st century? The term is tossed around a lot, but I usually consider "polyphony" as a genre (not as a musical technique) as having ended at the Baroque period.

Sorry about that - I missed the stipulation of a vernacular setting.

I've always found David Hurd's "New Plainsong" to work very well. It is singable without being obvious or "sing-songy", is rhythmically subtle and varied, and stands up well to frequent repetition. The accompaniments are nice as well. It's in Worship III and (I believe) the Hymnal 1982.

Healy Willan's unison settings (e.g. have many of the same qualities, though they are more "conventional" in harmony and rhythm.

I'm not certain that these pieces qualify as great music (as the Macmillan might) but I have found them to be very serviceable over the years.

Sam Schmitt

Gavin, your question is well taken. Polyphony is a genre in both senses of your understanding. In the musicological sense (chime in, Mike, if I don't nuance this well) the form evolved from the High Renaissance rubrics of voice movement, etc. into a hybrid period bridged by Monteverdi and the early Baroque (false term) opera composers. The principle watermark was the clear intent to codify tonality over modality in harmonic constructs in the early "baroque." Polyphonic characteristics never have really gone away since the 16th century. The architecture just got bigger, more complex, more ornamented, grander. Periodically, the classical techniques (primarily deigning a capella choral rendition) enjoy neo-renaissances of their own via composers like Stanford, Vaughn-Williams and Bruckner in the Romantic era, and in our own era, Lauridsen, William Hawley and Tavener. Oddly, I wouldn't place Pärt with two feet into the modern polyphony practicioner bin, though with many of early works (I love his 60's vintage "Solfeggio!") emulate classic traits.
Of course, one needs to consider the translation of some Proper and devotional texts (ie. Sicut Cervus) from Latin into a vernacular, such as one done by Fr. Eugene Lindusky in the 70's with mixed success. But I would pause before composing or auditioning strict Roman polyphony settings of the ordinaries IN ENGLISH! Yeah, it's been done. Anybody using 'em you know?
I think Chironomo's last statement is very insightful. But, again, one needs to consider what will constitute "new texts" as revisions of translations are promulgated.

Charles, that does sound like a nightmare. I think I mentioned that my students laughed when they heard the Sistine choir at the end of the "Out of Darkness" episode from the Man and Music Series. Let's hope the Spirit has had enough of the warbling and "manly" chanting.

Regarding polyphony, I think the term in this context may mean "multi-part" music that allows for reverent settings of homophonic textures as well. Pärt certainly achieves the "spirit" of polyphony w/o always engaging in it.

moconnor

Frank Martin's (d. 1974) Mass for Double Choir has been highly praised. Latin. As always, one needs very accurate singing to render the close dissonances. I haven't heard of this being used in liturgy. He also wrote a Requiem.

oh...also I forgot to add this, I have not heard it before but apparently there was a mass in honour of our late Holy Father, John Paull II which was composed by John Taverner (the contemporary one, evidently) and was sung at the Juventutem at Koln last WYD. I have never heard it yet. Does anyone know this?

I think it's called Missa in honorem Ioannes Paulus II

Isaac

Isaac and G:

Indeed I was connected with Juventutem 2005 in that I sang in the Pilgrims' Choir (which was to me very much like the CMAA Colloquium, except it was 14 days on a musical Mount Tabor instead of 7).

John Tavener did have the aforementioned Mass setting premiere at a celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass. (The Pilgrims' Choir did not premiere this work, by the way.) Based on my faulty memory, it is comparable to a Renaissance setting in length. However, the demands on musicianship are rather high; well-trained ears are mandatory to execute the work. Can't find a reference to a recording at the moment.

Let's also add:

Mass in G Minor - Vaughan Williams

Is that all that we can find?
Isaac

Hi:

I met some of you in 2005 at the Summer Colloquium. I offered a couple of movements from original polyphonic ordinaries which were brand new at the time, and I would like to make them available to all who wish to use them for free.

Hear an Agnus Dei here: http://www.bizextend.com/soundFiles/mijp5.mp3

If you are interested, I will send scores. I will try to leave a pdf of this movement here.

Two votes: Missa in honorem Reginae Pacis, AND Missa in honorem Sancti Josephi, both by Flor Peeters. The first is a two-part ordinary, the second is a three-part.

JP

Amongst 20th-century Latin-and-Greek settings, Britten's Missa Brevis is worth consideration, especially if you work with children's choirs. It was written for the choristers of Westminster Cathedral, back in George Malcolm's day, and is set for three-part treble chorus and organ. Look it up on YouTube.