Planning for the fall
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,501
    Here I am again, asking for advice! Thanks so much for all the help to date!

    One of my basses (who is new, fantastic and doesn't attend enough) mentioned that he was away to sing the Mozart Requiem and that my choir should learn it. I nodded my head, while considering the idea, wondering when I would ever need to sing it! So that being said, I will give a little background:

    For Christmas we have been plugging through "O Magnum" and hopefully we will learn it! We did learn and sing Palestrina's "Sicut Cervus" for Easter Vigil, but not without some blood, sweat and tears. We also managed many of the chants for Good Friday and Pergolesi's "Stabat Mater," Franck's "Dextera" and Aichinger's "Regina Caeli" . We also know a Gregorian Ordinary for Lent/Advent, Easter/Christmas and ordinary time. I mention all of this background, so I can receive some much needed advice looking to the fall. Half of my members read. We have four parts, all volunteer and so-so attendance.

    I don't wish to learn the Mozart requiem, but I would like to know my next "must have" in our repertoire. We don't perform concerts. I was debating whether or not we should try an offertory Gregorian chant once a month (we sing the SEP for introit, offertory and communion weekly). Not sure if that would go over very well.

    Any other suggestions? Thanks!

  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    You could do a lot worse than the Byrd Ave verum corpus.
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  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,798
    The warhorses are easily found in anthologies: we happened to have a closet full of The New Church Anthem Book, from which a few of my favorites are Victoria's O quam gloriosum, Schubert's Where Thou reignest, the reattributed-to-Loosemore O Lord, increase our Faith, Maurice Greene's Thou visitest the Earth, Saint-Saens' Panis angelicus and of course Byrd's, Elgar's and Mozart's Ave verums. If a library really isn't handy, you can peruse some tables of contents at CPDL and use the links to public domain works.

    Our blood sweat and tears piece was Josquin's Ave Maria. virgo serena, which we do every year and almost have by heart. Since you have so much accompanied rep, why not tackle Bach? Easier to fit into the 3 year plan [oops, Jonathan Dimmock no longer maintains his N. O. Bach-lectionary page] than a requiem, though movements from Mozart's sequence can fit nicely into late November Sundays.
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  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Several ideas:

    1) While you're on a roll, learn Orbis Factor, because its intended use is from Pentecost to Advent. I taught it to homeschoolers in one summer.
    2) If you have the energy, Nolo mortem peccatoris of William Morley is a good idea. It has texts (in the original) in both Latin and English.
    3) Several hymns: Adoro te, devote - or, Fr. Hopkins' translation of it; there is a chant setting of the Anima Christi; a Marian antiphon or two....
    4) If you're interested in a 3-part polyphonic Mass, I suggest that you start with Byrd's, but there are others.
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  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    If you have the forces, which I think you do IIRC, and which I do not (sigh) I'd consider
    either Grieg's AVE MARIS STELLA or the adventurous Norwegian composer Trond Kverno's amazing setting of same.
    Staple time: Stanford BEATI QUORUM VIA, Casal's EUCHARISTICA, Stravinski (Happy Birthday, Igor) "AVE MARIA."
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,092
    Some relatively straightforward 20th century chestnuts to fill out the list of older warhorses; when I get home, I will amplify:

    O Taste and See, RV Williams
    Sing My Soul, His Wondrous Love, by Ned Rorem
    The Souls of The Righteous, by Stanley Marchant (for early November)

    For Advent or last weeks of Ordinary Time:
    E'en So, Lord, Quickly Come, by Paul Manz
    The Eyes of All Wait Upon Thee, by Jean Berger
    Ave Maria, Stravinsky (Advent IV)
    The Glory of The Father, Egil Hovland (Advent IV or Xmastide)

    And one can never have too many Magnificats up one's sleeve, and they make wonderful Communion motets....
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  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    The Eyes of All Wait Upon Thee, by Jean Berger

    This coming Sunday! Yea.
  • barreltone
    Posts: 32
    I'd like to echo the suggestions of settings of Ave Verum, by Mozart, Elgar, and Byrd.

    My congregation loves to hear the Mozart.

    And, speaking of pieces in English, how about If ye love me and Verily, verily I say unto you by Tallis?

    - Matthew Norwood
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,501
    Thanks so much. Yes, we have Mozart's Ave Verum nicely under our belts, but the Byrd will be next. If ye Love Me is another we know. We have the Oxford Easy Anthem book and use it often. We have lots of Marian Music including "Angelus Domini" by Beibl, the Immaculate Mary from the Christmas Anthem Book and have changed the words for ordinary time, and a couple of Ave Marias, including the simple chant.

    Since you have so much accompanied rep, why not tackle Bach? Easier to fit into the 3 year plan [oops, Jonathan Dimmock no longer maintains his N. O. Bach-lectionary page] than a requiem,


    Which Bach? Sorry, I don't know much about it but would like to learn more especially if it will fill in needed repertoire during the year.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    Which Bach?

    Offen
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  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    CD, there is an oft forgot companion to the ubiquitous Tallis "If ye...", which is "I give you a new commandment." That's worth a look.
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  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700
    I have some personal fondness for the Webbe Agnus Dei and Ave Verum, available on CPDL. Give the men of your choir some time for personal prayer and let the sopranos and altos do them alone. Or have the tenors and basses sing the Agnus Dei and then sopranos and altos sing the Ave Verum.
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,092
    A couple more modern:

    Still Still With Thee, by Fred Gramann (text by Harriet Beecher Stowe) - if you have a flutist....

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Es16t0WefY

    Fred Gramann also has a lovely anthem setting of Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.
  • Musicteacher56
    Posts: 621
    How about some suggestions for smaller choirs (6-8) people who all need to sing in unison? We have some chants under out belts, Ave Maria, Ecce Panis, Pange Linqua, Adoro Te Devote, Jesu Dulcis Memoria.....

    We also need to continue working on hymnody, as most of these people are still being difficult about changing from more contemporary music to sacred hymns.
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  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Musicteacher 56:

    Depending on the skill of your musicians and the diversity of voices, I have composed both a 3 and a 4 voice setting of Jesu Dulcis Memoria. Both are quite straightforward, and should be easy to learn.

    stisidore@prolifeamerica.com

    God bless,

    Chris
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  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,798
    We've done (when we had- sigh- a good violinist) the opening choral of BWV 7 for Baptism. looking at the calendar I see I've considered BWV 140 for OT19 (not an easy organ reduction) and we may do the opening movement of BWV 39 (3 manuals) for OT22 or perhaps OT25. For Christus Rex, the last movement of BWV 21 instead of the usual Worthy is the Lamb. I keep hoping to do the 3rd Kyrie from the B minor one of these years too.

    We just sang Nolo pecatem mortis (I think that's Thomas Morley) this Sunday, our first go at non-Roman Latin! "Mortis", Salvatoris" in the refrain have to rhyme with "my will now all is this". Here's the Summer lineup so far:

    June 23 OT 12 Elgar: As torrents in Summer from King Olaf
    June 30 OT 13 Farrant: Call to remembrance*
    July 7 OT 14 Vaughn Williams: O taste and see (but dont forget the PD Sullivan setting!)
    July 14 OT 15 A. Scarlatti: Ad te Domine levavi
    July 21 OT 16 Corteccia: Optimam partem
    July 28 OT 17 Stravinsky: Pater noster (or Arensky**)
    Aug. 4 OT 18 (all vanity) Brahms: O armer Welt **
    Thursday Aug. 8 weeknight rehearsals resume 7:30-9
    Aug. 11OT 19 passover/the hour (Wachet auf?)
    Thursday Aug. 15 Assumption of the BVM 6:00 warmup for 7:00 Mass Josquin: Ave Maria**
    Aug. 18 OT 20 fire Farrant: Hide not thy face*
    Aug. 25 OT 21 narrow gate Lassus: Expectans expectavi
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  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,501
    Like the idea of a difficult organ reduction... my organist (not me PTL!) needs a good challenge! :)

    Thanks all for the ideas. I was thinking of starting to learn a Byrd Mass, but I'm just not sure!
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,414
    All the suggestions above are excellent ones.
    There is some Howells which is not difficult.
    Ditto G Holst's setting of Mortal Flesh.

    CHG says that you could do a lot worse than Byrd's Ave Verum Corpus!
    Actually, you couldn't do much better!
    (Although I really like his Sacerdotes Domini.... and his.... and....)

    You could just buy Oxford's Sixteenth Century Anthem Book and learn everything it it.
    Novello's New Church Anthem Book is full of easy to moderate, as well as rather challenging gems, both antique and modern.

    Do you have Oxford's The New Easy Anthem Book? Full of old and new commendables.

    Why would one learn the Mozart requiem unless he were already capable of the likes of Gesualdo or Britten every Sunday at mass?
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  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    MJO ... I agree, one could indeed do much better!

    Many of the works mentioned here are in the various volume of The Catholic Choirbook and The Catholic Choirbook Anthology ... for free!!

    (And I'm not tooting the horn for CPDL ... which, of course, is also good)
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,501
    I'm glad you mentioned that resource... So true that church music lovers have spent so much time bringing us the "must haves" for free! There are no excuses now!
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,798
    IIrc, the Credo of the Byrd 4-part is a little hard to pitch comfortably for mixed choir, though the Agnus is especially heavenly. But, if you're in a position to do pieces that don't fit the offertory slot at Mass and have an accomplished organist, why not do the Mozart/Schubert/Liszt/Bruckner Masses, or for that matter the Requiem?
  • ny_ct_fl_ms_organist
    Posts: 33
    The Camille Saint-Saens Christmas Oratorio has move than a few "accessible" movements.
  • rich_enough
    Posts: 1,048
    Here are some easier motets, some not well known, many of which have served me well over the years:

    Advent
    Rorate Caeli - Christopher Tye (attached)

    Christmas
    Puer natus est – Morales (SAT)

    Verbum Caro Factum Est – Compere

    Lent
    Parce, Domine – Obrecht (SATB)

    Adoramus Te, Christe – Clemens non papa

    Thou Knowest, Lord – Purcell

    Pentecost
    Veni Creator - Josquin (attached) - arranged from a section of his Ave Maria . . . virgo serena

    Corpus Christi
    Cibavit Eos - Tye (attached)

    Blessed Virgin Mary
    Ave Maria – Cornelius Verdonck

    General
    Laudate Nomen Domini – Tye

    Oculi Omnium – Wood

    Tua Iesu Dilectio - Palestrina (SST)
    Rorate Caeli - Tye.pdf
    271K
    Veni Creator Josquin.pdf
    133K
    Cibavit Eos - Tye.pdf
    144K
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  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,501
    Wow. Thanks Rich!
  • SamuelDorlaque
    Posts: 318
    Some great suggestions above. I personally don't see the efficacy of the Mozart Requiem for a parish choir. Sunday we're singing Purcell's "O God, Thou art my God," the source of the wonderful hymn tune "Christ is Made the Sure Foundation." CPDL has a wealth of embarrassing riches of di Lasso motets, always appropriate for offertories and communions. Try singing the chant proper and then going into a motet based on the text. I wish you well!
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