Recommendations for choral works with small instrumental ensembles?
  • ProfKwasniewskiProfKwasniewski
    Posts: 242
    This coming year I will have a small instrumental ensemble (exact components as yet unknown, but likely to include a couple of violins, a viola, and a cello, a few wind instruments, and organ) to work with, in addition to a talented 4-part choir. I was wondering if any of you out there have had good experiences with "amateur-friendly" choral-instrumental works that you could recommend. So far, Mozart's Missa Brevis settings and Ave verum Corpus have been consistently recommended to me, and that is good, but Mozart can't be the only one... So, any suggestions would be most welcome.
  • JDE
    Posts: 588
    Haydn's Missa Brevis settings, esp. the one called Sti. Ioanni de Deo, are very approachable.

    You might also look at some Fasch or Zipoli. They're both high Baroque, so some of the tenor parts are a bit on the squeaky side, but they're pretty approachable and would be a nice change from the Classical period sound.

    And (although I know this may spark another exchange of fusillades over the appropriateness of using music by non-RC composers), you might also look at Praetorius.
  • Felipe Gasper
    Posts: 804
    I’m not sure if W. F. Bach was Catholic or not, but he took his father’s incomparable BWV80, the “Ein’ feste Burg” cantata, and set Latin texts to mvts. 1 & 5 and added trumpet and timpani parts to both. I’m looking into it myself; check out a video on YouTube:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eehgRD2G7TQ
  • francis
    Posts: 10,828
    Hi ProfKwasniewski:

    I have a Mass I composed in 2001 for strings, flute (tubular bells, optional) and satb which is looking for a premier if your are interested.

    Here is a demo of the Kyrie.

    http://www.romancatholicsacredmusic.com/seehear/kyrieFmin.html

    This work also has a couple of Motets, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei if you want to hear more, all for the same instrumentation.

    (added)

    This is the demo of the Agnus Dei.

    http://www.romancatholicsacredmusic.com/seehear/agnusDei.html
  • dad29
    Posts: 2,232
    Bach's Magnificat also calls for some brass, oboe, and tymp--but well worth the effort.

    Have you looked at Schubert's Mass in G?
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    I think you should have little problem with your forces acquiring the Faure REQUIEM, the Vivaldi GLORIA, some select Buxtehude pieces etc.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,828
    I should have asked if you are looking for concert or liturgical music before I offered my post. The music there is somewhat lengthy for the liturgy.
  • paul
    Posts: 60
    Right off the bat I would suggest (okay, I know it's a little threadbare) the Rutter Reqiem. Well composed and audience friendly and uses a whopping (as I recall) 5 instruments. Also somewhat "already discovered"--Vivaldi Gloria. Small string ensemble, one trumpet, one oboe, and you're home free. Very well composed and a great place for conductors with moderate amount of experience to get a little more experience. On a smaller scale, there's a a great little version of psalm 117 by Telemann--only two violins and cello (plus organ) called Laudate Jehovam. Two smaller works by Mozart that I love are the marian motets Alma Dei Creatoris and Sancta Maria. The first one uses some soloists (very minor) but Sancta Maria is chorus straight through. I know they're both just for strings, but I'm not sure if you need violas for them or not.
  • Mark P.
    Posts: 248
    I'd recommend the "Missa sexti toni" of Johann Ernst Eberlin, Mozart's predecessor at the Salzburg Cathedral. Three-part strings and organ with four-part choir and soloists. It is very short. Available through Carus. I know people like the Rutter Requiem. I think it's saccharine and Protestant.
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