Mark, good on ya, mate.

Some questions/observations:

1. Because you've examined "chant books" like a graduale or liber, etc., you do know that proficiency with reading Gregorian neumes is a basic, right? If not, it's not the end of the world- there are websites and older hymnals that have certain chants "interpreted" in modern notation.
2. The "thing" about those hymnal resources is that they exist to accomodate the hundreds of repertoire programming possibilities that are options OTHER THAN using the assigned texts of the Sunday or Feast, the Propers: Introit/Gradual/Offertory/Communion antiphons.
If I'm hearing you correctly, you want to use these Propers, if at all possible. There really isn't such a chant/motet resource for Propers. You just use settings of those.
3. A Graduale Simplex is a starting point. All of the major publishers offer them, as does CMAA. However, verses for the antiphons aren't published in the simplex.
4. Dr. Kurt Poterack of CMAA compiled a fairly comprehensive collection of the Proper Communion antiphons for the 3 year lectionary cycle/and the EF that have the verses, titled COMMUNIO. But, again, notation isn't modern as you ask for.
For my groups, I "transcribe" the antiphon from COMMUNIO into 5 staff, modern notehead notation and try to use tenuto and other markings for nuancing the declamation flow and stressation. The verses are canted by the more experienced singers, reading neumes.
5. Visit musicasacra.com and examine their bookstore, very helpful, as is CanticaNova will both chant resources and lists of polyphonic motet settings of Propers and Masses.

And yet: there is no substitute for learning neumes. You will spend far more time digging for resources than it takes to just learn a bit about solfeg and modes. There are quick tutorials all over the place. Google "Idiot's Guide to Square Notes" (the title is not meant to imply anything about people who can't read neumes; it is just a popular motif.)

I concur with both of you fine gentleman regarding neume necessity!
Just trying to help Mark out a tad.
There are two more little volumes in modern notation:
OCP-"Laus Tibi Christe"
WLP-"A Simple Kyriale" (J.Michael Thompson)
Another option not discussed thus far, and not without problems (that would likely not affect your goals in the near future) would be to examine
"By Flowing Waters" LitPress by Paul Ford

Mark's initial request is for a one-stop shop for next week's chanted-and-maybe-some-polyphony Mass.

Maybe it would help if we just starting posting the pew booklets that we make. Nothing teaches like a good example? Mark, would that help?

Otherwise, Mark, your main resources for an OF Mass would be these:

- the Adoremus hymnal prints the (approved) Order of Mass with chant notation for the dialogues and responses -- there are also booklets available from churches doing all this

- the Kyriale has settings of the Ordinary

- the Graduale has the Propers; go to CanticaNova and get their translation of the Graduale's Latin apparatus so you know how to use it

- or, you can just go here for all the Masses of the liturgical year with images of the chants used and mp3 files (of varying quality) for audio

- Cecilia Schola Cantorum has a nice online collection of basic polyphony

- cpdl.org is a treasure trove of polyphony

Keep us posted on your progress.

BTW the Adoremus Hymnal is in great need of expansion. I use it all the time, but it needs more good traditional hymns to fill out needs of the year.

moconnor

Thank you, Mary. I am glad you are using the Chabanel Psalms!

By the way:

Just in time for Advent! The Chabanel Psalms site [ Chabanel Psalms ] has what a Church director needs for Advent.

Posted there are:

hymns [ hymns ] for Advent (in various keys, with scores for vocalist and organist);

Responsorial Psalms for Advent in Year A [ year A ];

Seasonal Responsorial Psalms [ Seasonal Psalms ];

several somber, Advent-worthy, and chant-like Mass settings [ 2 ADVENT HYMNS you probably don't know ];

and even selections in Spanish [ Spanish Mass for ADVENT ].

Also, there are some Eucharistic Hymns people might like: [ Beautiful Eucharistic Hymns ]

I'll say it: Communio is the magnificent work of none other than our indefatigable, meticulous, always-thoughtful, and incredibly generous Richard Rice!

Getting back to Mark's original question, for extreme short term I agree with Laus Tibi Christe. It only costs about $3 and it's not bad for starters. But it's basically a tricycle with training wheels and dad running alongside.

For your next step take advantage of the many online resources before you start picking up $25 hymnals for each member of the schola (or church!). And do take the time to learn the chant notation. It's alien at first, but in a short time you'll find it's WAY better for the chant and much easier to teach to the rest of the schola.

I'm with priorstf on this. Several of my schola guys don't read modern music at all, but they are getting quite comfortable with neumes.

moconnor

John H:

I'm 101% in agreement about that need. Going through it at the moment. here's a very basic suggestion I would make for the group just getting started:

1. Laus Tibi Christi. About 50 hymns, Mass parts, etc., in modern notation. $3.00 each from OCP: http://www.ocp.org/products/12098

2. An Idiot's Guide to Square Notes, 6 pages. FREE download : http://ceciliaschola.org/pdf/squarenotes.pdf

3. Jubilate Deo, 44 pages. FREE download: http://www.ceciliaschola.org/notes/jubilatedeo.html

4. Gloria Patri tones, 2pages, FREE download: http://www.musicasacra.com/pdf/gloriapatri.pdf (Often referred to as psalm tones.)

The first of these will get you off the ground with common chants in a musical format familiar to those who can read music.

It will take some convincing to take the next step and learn to read Gregorian notation (thanks for the convincing, Kathy!) but once you make the breakthrough chant becomes much easier. So go for it.

Numbers 2-4 will keep your schola busy for the first year, and provide enough variety to sing for almost any occasion.

For the leader(s) of the schola I recommend the Graduale Romanum ($42.00 from OCP: http://www.ocp.org/products/12247). This has the weekly and daily chants for the liturgical year. Check out the 7 Communio that are considered appropriate at any time through the year; you can add them when your schola starts building confidence.

In the meanwhile, if demand for your services becomes weekly, the Graduale Simplex ($30.00 from OCP: http://www.ocp.org/products/12831) has the year's liturgy in the psalm tones you all learned in #4 above.


Also, get ye to one or more of the workshops held around the country throughout the year. There's one coming up in Colorado Springs in mid-January, and others sprouting up all over the place. The more of your schola-ites, the better.

Then attend the big conference in Chicago next summer.You'll be ready to plan out your second year!

Priorstf and Gavin: Thanks so much for your responses. I will look into your suggestions. I prefer to have Gregorian notation whenever I look at chant -even if I don't completlely understand the rules behind it. Gavin mentioned the issue of psalm tones and that is something I know I need to understand better. I am most greatfull for this forum and the wealth of information and help I find here. I shall be checking in often. Pax et Bonum to all.

John H and Carl D, I put together a little PowerPoint tutorial on reading chant notation here specifically for complete beginners. I'm collecting feedback on how it could be improved. The obvious improvement will be the inclusion of audio (!). But if there are other things that are unclear about the presentation, or any general feedback, please let me know at pespodatus at gmail dot com. Thanks!

I agree with Jeffrey. Everyone here started somewhere and most of us still remember those first attempts very clearly! For me, The CMAA Colloquium filled in the practical piece that was missing from my chant knowledge. It was fabulous to have people around who really knew the Solemnes method so that I could learn first-hand. I can't recommend the Gregorian Chant Masterclass (from Abbey of Regina Laudis) enough. The CD really provides excellent aural examples. Also listening the www.choraltreasure.org with all the chant they play really drives it home.

moconnor

Very nice explanation of psalmody is here: . And I believe that psalmody is where beginners should start.

I am thinking you can buy the Graduale Romanum, Gregorian Missal, Liber Cantualis, Cantus Selecti, etc. directly from the publisher, Paraclete Press at http://www.paracletepress.com/store.php (unless I am mistaken).

Hope I am not too off-topic, but I have been reading the posts from well-trained musicians bemoaning the lack of a choir and choirs lacking trained directors and often schola and director lacking a supportive pastor and so wish we could put them together more efficiently :)