Ideas for Offertory Motet for Confirmation Mass held in ordinary time.
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    On the 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time I am directing the music for a confirmation mass. I was wondering what your thoughts were for a suitable offertory motet.

    I have at hand:

    "Ad te Levavi" - Franz Xaver Witt
    "Exultate Justi in Domino" - Viadana
    "Laudate Nomen Domini" - Tye
    "Sicut Cervus" - Palestrina

    There are more motets about the place. The scola has also recently been learning "Verily, verily" by Tallis.

    Any ideas or suggestions? I'm not sure what I'll pick just yet.
  • Joseph MendesJoseph Mendes
    Posts: 99
    Perhaps one of the many settings of the Veni, créator Spiritus?
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    Or Veni Sancte Spiritus.
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    We're using an English Translation of the Veni Sancte Spiritus for the invocation of the Holy Spirit during the Rite of confirmation. (From the Catholic Hymn Book, Gracewing)

    I might be using Tallis' "Verily, Verily I Say Unto You". It actually matched last week's reading on Jesus telling people about eating his flesh, but I think it also relates to confirmation, since he will be recieving first communion with the Catholic Church that day.

    It is turning into an all-English Liturgy, so I hope that what I put together reflects well on the modern rite. At least I don't have to chant the Te Deum (which is required in the old rite).
  • SamuelDorlaque
    Posts: 318
    There are several settings of the appointed Offertorium: "Confirma hoc Deus". There is a setting by Palestrina, one by Salieri, and of course the famous Rheinberger antiphon, which was arranged with the simple chant by Richard Proulx after the Montani setting in the Saint Gregory Hymnal. Try singing the appointed Graduale chant and then going into one of the choral settings.
    Thanked by 1Charles in CenCA
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    Unfortunately I am limited to what a few beginners can manage to learn on the morning. They've done the Tallis a few times over the past few weeks in our college schola rehearsals. At this stage, I am already throwing the Asperges Me and the Veni Sancte Spiritus at them on the morning and some of them don't know the new ICEL Chant Gloria. The propers will largely be new to them, but I decided to go with one of the Ad libitum propers (O Taste and See from the SEP) because it will be the first communion for the newly-confirmed and it is also dead easy to sing. I think that it is also similar to the responsorial psalm for that day.

    If this were a parish choir which had regular rehearsals into which I could regularly throw new music, I would, but sometimes I don't know what sort of talent I have until they walk in for mass.
  • Joseph MendesJoseph Mendes
    Posts: 99
    "…first communion for the newly–confirmed…"
    Restored order for the win! :thumbsup:
    Thanked by 1Ben
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    >>sometimes I don't know what sort of talent I have until they walk in for mass.

    I have this problem, even though I have a regular choir at a regularly scheduled Mass.

    Two things I've learned:
    1. Chant plus drone plus organum totally counts as a choral arrangement.
    2. Always have a backup plan that you can sing by yourself.
  • MaryAnn Carr WilsonMaryAnn Carr Wilson
    Posts: 1,738
    Tallis 'If ye love me'?
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    Is the Veni Creator Spiritus appropriate for the invocation of the Holy Spirit when the Veni Sancte Spiritus would normally be chanted? I went to the trouble of creating a simple setting for the former, and then discovered that the latter was what I was supposed to to.

    *FACE PALM*

    At least I now have a simple setting of the Veni Creator Spiritus.
    Thanked by 1E_A_Fulhorst
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    Currie's "Hymn to the Holy Spirit", published by GIA . . . mostly in English, based off of the "Veni Creator" chant, beautiful choral writing, and not too difficult.

  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    I think the operative keys were "at hand" and from the other thread "read by beginners." HM, is this a "y'all come sing choir" but at a Newman Ctr or collegiate setting? Hard to recommend without a tad more info.
    And do remember "at hand" also includes the multiple universes of wonderment that is CPDL.org
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