How do folk feel about a polyphonic setting of a Marian antiphon at the end of mass. my singers have been asked to provide polyphony for a Christmas midnight mass that would otherwise be a low EF mass. We haven't time to learn new repertoire, so we're thinking of Casciolini's Missa Brevis a 3 for the Ordinary, Vaughan WIlliams' Quem Pastores for Offertory, and Adeste Fideles for Communion. We already have Palestrina's Alma Redemptoris learned, and I thought we might be able to use that at the end of mass. If it's good, at what point precisely does it happen?
after the Last Gospel, of course, silly me. what about the clergy and servers - do they remain in place after, and should the corresponding versicle+collect be sung also?
Yes. After the Last Gospel. The sacred ministers and acolytes begin the procession to a 'station' or to the sacristy during the singing of the antiphon.
Another alternative would be to sing a solemn Te Deum at this point, with thurifers throwing smoke at the altar and swinging their thuribles by their sides in complete circles. Te Deum is then followed by some V's and R's and a final collect of Thanksgiving. (Ohhhh!, the ways we do make a fuss over God!!!)
At our church after the last Gospel the Sacred ministers and servers line up, we sing the Domine Salvum (only on Sundays) followed by the Marian Anthem. The Anthem can be intoned by the Celebrant. Usually the Sacred ministers and servers process out as the choir sing the rest of the Anthem.
The Latin Mass Soc. in England has a practice where the Versicle and Response and collect are said / sung, after the anthem, then all process out.
@tomjaw the practice of the Versicle & Response + Collect after the anthem are what I recall, as I used to sing at the London parish of Corpus Christi, which is one of the HQs of the Latin Mass Society :D not a clue if other places do that, as apart from that place I haven't been a practicing RC for about 15 years.
To participate in the discussions on Catholic church music, sign in or register as a forum member, The forum is a project of the Church Music Association of America.