Suggestions for music for an evangelistic conference
  • Patricia Cecilia
    Posts: 400
    I would welcome your suggestions of music for the closing Mass of a small Catholic evangelistic conference (Vigil Mass, 1st Sunday in Lent, OF). I have the propers covered and the diocesan-chosen Mass setting will be used, but am particularly looking for motets in English, freely available, that would fit the themes of deepening one's life in Christ and evangelizing (think New Evangelization) and/or general Lenten themes for use during Communion. I am organizing a diocesan-wide youth choir anchored by my schola (adults) and the choir of my son's Catholic high school, so am looking for 2-to-4 part motets which are accessible to willing amateur singers (and which can be effectively done with more women than men--that's life) on only one rehearsal. (I will do rehearsal aids--mp3s and Scorch files--if none exist.) There is no budget for music, so I am looking for pieces that can be distributed electronically (pdf) and printed by the individual singers.
  • benedictgal
    Posts: 798
    A Lenten-themed piece could be O Sun of Justice, which is beautiful. I am curious, which is the diocesan-chosen setting? Maybe you could expose the participants to the ICEL chants (if the default ICEL settings are not part of the plan)?
  • Patricia Cecilia
    Posts: 400
    benedictgal,
    The diocesan setting is Keil's Mass of St. Frances Cabrini. I haven't chosen all of the proper settings yet, but everything that has percolated through the Musica Sacra forums and CCWatershed is included in what I have under consideration. One chant from the GR might appear in Latin. I haven't decided yet.

    Are you referring to a particular setting of Iam Christe sol Jusititiae in English (or Latin, or both)? I need ENGLISH-texted music that is either in the public domain or Creative Commons. My plan of having one Ave verum corpus (preceded by the chant) will be about what would be acceptable. Since I don't know the level of singing of the singers, I have chosen the Elgar Ave verum corpus. That, while simple, is probably unknown in 95% of the parishes. I am hoping that by exposing these high-school and college-age singers to the beauty that is the Church's treasury of liturgical and sacred music, it will be carried by them out into their parishes. I know a few seventh- and eighth graders who want to slip in as well in order sing wonderful music. :-)
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    Geez
    Top of head immediate no brainer-
    If ye love me Tallis
    O Lord increase my faith Gibbons
    God of mercy we implore thee Monteverdi
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,192
    One of the best English texts for Communion, especially in Lent and for what seems to be the purpose of this evangelistic conference is "Let Thy Blood in mercy poured" (by John Brownlie, translated from Greek). While there are hymnal settings of this text, you might wish to consider my own setting, which is free and available from CPDL. Although actually a hymn, this can easily enough be sung as a motet.
  • Patricia Cecilia
    Posts: 400
    Charles--yes, Tallis is where my brain went first! It and the Gibbons are regulars with my work parish (Anglicans). Judging by last year's Mass, at Communion we will probably have time for two motets, a hymn, and the Communion antiphon with a few psalm verses.

    CH--I have already downloaded your setting and put it on the schedule later in Lent for my Anglicans--it's lovely. Thank you for reminding me!
  • MarkThompson
    Posts: 768
    The Gibbons O Lord Increase My Faith was my first thought as well. Farrant's Lord, For Thy Tender Mercy's Sake would also be a good choice for a conference of this sort held during Lent.
  • FMPress
    Posts: 2
    If Ye Love Me, Hear My Prayer, O Lord, the Ave Verum you already have and others that might be useful are in The Catholic Choirbook Anthology 1, if you do not already have it.

    While many of these works and more are available on the excellent resource, CPDL, these all have rehearsal accompaniments and a consistent layout, which many choirs have welcomed.

    There are also some works in The Catholic Choirbook 1 - General, including a setting of the Chant Ave Verum with Antiphon/Verses that works for Conregation/Choir.

    www.TheCatholicChoirbook.com - available hardbound, paperback or by free download. Over 1,300 churches have downloaded the Anthology so far, with more than half the downloads going outside the US to Europe and Asia. Sing from the same book being used at Notre Dame Cathedral, Saigon, Vietnam.
  • benedictgal
    Posts: 798
    I am referring to the hymn,O Sun of Justice,which appears in the old Worship III book. It is set to Jesus Dulcis Memoria. It is easy. The children's choir at the Cathedral was able to pick it up fairly quickly.
  • Patricia Cecilia
    Posts: 400
    Mark--thanks!

    FMPress--know the CCA and love it, use it all the time with my schola and my work parish.

    benedictgal--thank you for the clarification. I'll have to go page through and take a look. I was actually thinking about something chanted for pre-Mass music, as the conference is held in a huge barn-like structure at the fairgrounds, the noise level can be atrocious, and there has been very little 'transition' between the last talk and the Mass.

    I am actually worried much more about the whole issue of sound amplification than I am about repertoire. Last year the choir was about 30 high school and adult singers and we sang lovely repertoire (including the Biebl Ave Maria), but the sound system was absolutely inadequate and the choir was inaudible beyond five feet away (frustrating all around). I'm working on changing that with a colleague who has much successful experience with big-venue Masses.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,816
    Nice CHG!
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