Need Mass setting with brass
  • Fr. Raymond McDaniel
    Posts: 5
    Can anyone recommend a worthy Mass setting in English with brass? Anyone interested in providing brass decorations for Jeff Ostrowski's wonderful Robert Sherwin setting (with his permission if course)?
  • bkenney27bkenney27
    Posts: 444
    I have had good luck with just having the Brass play along with the organ accompaniment of the Heritage Mass. Initially I thought it would sound too dense, but then we rehearsed it and it sounded great. Not sure I know of one with dedicated brass parts. (I'm assuming you mean quartet/quintet?) However, when I have brass, I use Chepponis' Melodic Gloria which is brilliant with the full brass.
  • ContraBombarde
    Posts: 471
    I currently use the Mass of St. Francis Cabrini by Kevin Keil, and used it with full orchestra for Christmas of last year. It sounds so much better with brass, even with strings added.
  • kevinfkevinf
    Posts: 1,183
    Laura Lea Duckworth's Mass of St. Francis has brass parts for the setting. Its available through ILP Publications. ITs really nice, with parts for a quintet and timpani.
  • AP23AP23
    Posts: 119
    Lots of settings have brass. Perhaps use what your assembly already knows and see if there's brass parts to that.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    Do you have particular brass instruments in mind?

    image
    Thanked by 2bkenney27 ryand
  • AP23AP23
    Posts: 119
    I don't think French Trombonetrumpethorn things are allowed in churches.
  • AP23AP23
    Posts: 119
    Do you have particular brass instruments in mind?

    Seriously, though. What brass instruments do you have available?
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    I don't think French Trombonetrumpethorn things are allowed in churches.


    That is a serpent, the MOST appropriate instrument for accompanying the Gregorian chant.

    Those shoes, on the other hand, might be illicit.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    Strange little chair....though it is important to keep the serpent and player up off the oriental rug....there's a rule about this someplace.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    It's so that the 'condensation' collects on the surplice rather than the carpet.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • Fr. Raymond McDaniel
    Posts: 5
    The standard brass quartet (or perhaps quintet, I will need to check the files.)
  • AP23AP23
    Posts: 119
    And what mass setting(s) are you currently using?
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,933
    Those shoes would have been highly fashionable in the 70s. I think I had a pair something like that.
  • OrganistRob320OrganistRob320
    Posts: 156
    Richard Proulx's A Community Mass is quite nice and GIA does have the Brass parts for the revised version. I use it every Christmas with our quartet.
    Thanked by 5Adam Wood AP23 Gavin Ally ZacPB189
  • ny_ct_fl_ms_organist
    Posts: 33
    I couldn't agree with you more, OrganistRob. Those are some awesome brass parts. The organ introduction to the Gloria in the revised version is also really great. I was lucky enough to present the Mass with its full complement: organ, choir, brass and strings. The result was marvelous.
  • ryandryand
    Posts: 1,640
    Fr. Raymond,

    I wrote quintet parts for Curtis Stephan's Mass of Renewal (which my last parish was using). If that suits your congregation I can send those to you.

    I'd be willing to compose parts for the Sherwin mass, but it will be awhile before I have time for that. How soon do you need it? And please do check what instruments will be involved (including if the written accompaniment will be used)
  • AP23AP23
    Posts: 119
    How are you gonna make brass to the Sherwin mass? According to this link, it is a Chant Mass.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    I played for a Mass at Wyoming Catholic College a few years ago and we did a wonderful Gabrieli Mass with Brass quartet. Dr. Peter Kwasniewski can most probably tell you what it was. I cannot remember the name of it and I don't see it on CPDL, although I could be overlooking the title.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,499
    According to this link, it is a Chant Mass.

    Well Googled!
    Thanked by 2Ben ddoyle1220
  • davido
    Posts: 873
    Reviving an old one here, but does anyone have a mass from “the repertoire” that is for brass and choir (and organ…).
    I am thinking of doing some Mozart, but my brass quintet is more reliable than my strings.
  • Felicia
    Posts: 110

    The Community Mass by Richard Proulx was sung at the Mass for the beatification of Bl. Stanley Rother in 2017. The Gloria begins around the 1:02:00 mark, with organ, brass, and gigantic choir.

    Enjoy,

    https://www.facebook.com/ewtnonline/videos/live-mass-of-beatification-of-fr-stanley-rother/10155126825497582/
  • Casavant Organist
    Posts: 800
    At St Michael's Cathedral we use the Community Mass (S/B/MA I) with brass quintet at Easter and sometimes Christmas (when we have brass)- it sounds fantastic! It's very exciting and perfect for the big days.
  • Casavant Organist
    Posts: 800
    The other excellent option is the Mass of St Michael by Paul Halley. Set for Brass Quintet and Timp (optional but it adds a lot, though if you have a strong organ with lots of 16's and 32's you should be fine without), it's very exciting, especially the Gloria. You need a fairly large and accomplished choir to pull it off and the congregation may struggle if you don't introduce it now, but it's thrilling even just to listen to.
    Here's a link to the perusal score (choral/organ score only):
    https://www.pelagosmusic.com/Current/pages/Sheet Music Pages/PEL5000_Liturgical/PEL5033Choir_MASS_ST_MICHAEL_Perusal.pdf
  • davido
    Posts: 873
    What I was really wondering, is if there pre-Vatican II settings of the mass in Latin that incorporate brass ensemble. Published/edited editions of Gabrielli, Caecilian composers, American 19th or early 20th century composers? Choral, maybe even professional music. Not congregational settings with all the fixings.
    Thanked by 1Chris Garton-Zavesky
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,148
    G. Gabrielli: (1597) Kyrie, Gloria, and Sanctus/Benedictus a 12 (SATB x 3) with 6 part brass accompaniment (2 Tpt, Hn, 3 Tbn), available with parts at CPDL.
  • GerardH
    Posts: 410
    Bruckner No. 2 in E minor?
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,148
    Bruckner No. 2 in E minor?

    2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones.
    Thanked by 2StimsonInRehab GerardH
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,916
    Check out Manfred Hößl's website for a whole lotta pre-V2 masses with orchestral settings.
    Thanked by 1chonak
  • SponsaChristi
    Posts: 392
    What I was really wondering, is if there pre-Vatican II settings of the mass in Latin that incorporate brass ensemble.


    Sort of, but you have to go Bach to Lutherans. Bach composed brass settings for Palestrina’s Missa Sine Nomine. It uses the ever controversial and prohibited trombone.
    Thanked by 1StimsonInRehab
  • Chaswjd
    Posts: 254
    What I was really wondering, is if there pre-Vatican II settings of the mass in Latin that incorporate brass ensemble.

    Actually, take almost any polyphonic setting and use brass to double the vocal parts. The idea that polyphonic masses were all sung a capella is probably wrong. A capella would refer to how they were performed in the Sistine chapel. Outside that space, it is more likely that there was instrumental doubling.
  • SponsaChristi
    Posts: 392

    Actually, take almost any polyphonic setting and use brass to double the vocal parts.


    That would require a lot of transposing.
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,767
    Bach composed brass settings

    Bach copied doubling parts for the 6vv mass now identified as Beata Dei genetrix, for which CPDL has XML files.
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