Suggestions for wedding ceremony outside of the Mass - OF... clearly ;-)
  • Hi everyone,

    I am currently planning my wedding and it will be wedding ceremony outside of the Mass. Based on my perusing of these forums, I may very well be the first person ever to plan a wedding ceremony outside of the mass and want to have all of the musical pieces be sacred polyphony. I might even be the first person to want sacred polyphony for my processional and recessional, period...

    I have secured a group who will sing at the wedding, and they have assured me they have enough time to put together whatever ensemble I need of mixed voices. To be safe, though, I'm keeping my suggestions to six part and under (no Spem in Alium at my wedding...) They are very good, but typically perform in concert-type settings, not at Mass, and are asking for my suggestions of pieces.

    SO... I have been scouring the web for suggestions for appropriate music and am coming up with very little. My understanding is that I may have a prelude, a processional, and a recessional, plus the Gospel acclamation and responsorial psalm unless I choose to have a soloist (one of the bridesmaids) do the latter two. I am looking for suggestions for each of these pieces and also information on where to find polyphonic settings for the Gospel acclamation and responsorial psalm. It would be lovely to use the traditional introit in a polyphonic setting for the processional, as well, if anybody can point me in the right direction for that.

    Thanks to everyone for your suggestions!!
    Thanked by 1Chrism
  • I can't help but wonder if you're going through all the trouble to get this music why the wedding is outside of mass. Please don't answer if it's too personal. It just seems to me that you are very set on a wonderful ceremony, and nothing could be more wonderful than to exchange vows during mass.
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Contact Aristotle Esguerra via private messaging in this forum. He manages a site that spreadsheets polyphonic propers. Don't have time to get you URL, got first rehearsal tonight in half hour.
  • Chrism
    Posts: 868
    Welcome to the forum! Great question, thanks for posting it here.
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,499
    This may be helpful: http://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/comment/416

    Enjoy your wedding day and may God bless and sanctify your marriage!
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Thanks, Ben for URL. Y'know Abbot Marcel's brother is one of our permanent deacons? For me, he was the only reason to be at our retreat! I was hoping he'd stay and celebrate our Schola Mass, but went cross-town to our second largest parish (of four merged) so that he and his brother could be together in the sanctuary I think for the first time.
    He is a total treasure.
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    Small world! The abbot is awesome too. I've directed scholas for masses with him before, and not only is he very reverent and a wonderful man, but he's quite funny too.