Obscure Marian Mass antiphon help
  • Ali
    Posts: 31
    Our deanery has been doing a monthly "pilgrimage" for the 100th Anniversary of the Our Lady of Fatima apparitions. This month (this Wednesday!) is my parish's turn. I've convened a larger than usual "festival choir" (something I've done for Christmas and Easter since I took over 4 years ago) and used rehearsal videos produced at ccwatershed to have some major fun and do some real 4-part polyphony and hymnody.

    Here's where I need help. I planned Marian hyms for an entrance, offertory, and recessional + the Iste Sanctus Mass setting by Guerrero (thank you, Jeff O. I've been completely obsessed with the blog since I was hired and now I'm forever indebted and yes, I am giving monthly to your good work!). Father picked a Mass TODAY (my big rehearsal is tomorrow). I figured I'd do whatever communion antiphon is assigned to the Mass he picked. But he picked the Mass from "A Collection of Masses to the Blessed Virgin" and we are doing "The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Reconciliation" which is far harder to find than a regular ol' votive Mass.

    The communion antiphon is "Glory and praise are yours, Mary: from you rose the sun of justice, Christ, our God."

    Can anyone point me to a resource where I can find this set to any sort of music or chant? Bonus points if it's a digital resource since I'm plum out of time. We use the Lumen Christi Missal and Hymnal and I'm not seeing it in my accompaniment volumes. The wording is sort of similar to the entrance antiphon for the Nativity of Mary.

    By the way, excuse my ignorance. I'm a completely self-taught music director and a Catholic convert.
  • Richard R.
    Posts: 774
    It is more or less the Communion antiphon for Dec. 8, the Immaculate Conception, according to the current Roman Missal. ("Glorious things are spoken of you, O Mary, for from you arose the sun of justice, Christ our God.") You will need to find a collection that sets the Missal texts, rather than the Gradual texts (I believe LC uses the Gradual texts). My setting of the Missal text is attached, should you be interested. I have also made a version using the exact text you cite, if you would prefer.
    RRice_ComAnt_Dec8.pdf
    312K
    RRice_Com_BVMMotherReconciliation2.pdf
    357K
    Thanked by 5M. Jackson Osborn Andrew_Malton Cantus67 Ali CHGiffen
  • Ali
    Posts: 31
    Thank you so much, Richard!!
  • Ali
    Posts: 31
    I must note that this forum has been a gigantic help to me. I've learned an incredible amount from reading and have only needed to post a handful of times. Whenever I have posted, the Lord has answered my prayers through all of you. I'm truly honored you whipped that together for me. Thank you so much!
    Thanked by 2StimsonInRehab Richard R.
  • Ali
    Posts: 31
    So, I thought I'd come back and update.

    Some very brief background - I'm a trained vocalist (years of voice lessons, top choirs in high school and college, etc), but my formal education is in something else. After I left teaching full time to raise my children, I began cantoring at my parish for a little extra income and one thing led to another and I felt called to lead our music ministry. I've been DM for 3.5 years. I've made a lot of changes incrementally towards a more dignified and proper liturgy.

    Last night we had a special celebration of Our Lady of Fatima's 5th Apparition that included a Living Rosary, Candlelight procession for a statue of Our Lady and a big, giant Mass (Novus Ordo). My pastor is not a details guy and lets me plan whatever I want to do as long as I give him good warning on what to expect. Back in the late spring, Corpus Christi Watershed re-posted their Polyphonic Rehearsal videos on their social media page and I felt the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to give polyphony a whirl at my parish (we've been focusing on chant for the past year - chanted psalms, sequences, and communion antiphonal thus far). I decided to do the Missa Iste Sanctus and a couple 4-part hymns plus I chanted this communion antiphon that Richard gave me (THANK YOU SO MUCH!). My volunteer choir, with men and women from all over the county, was about 2 dozen strong and practiced a lot at home. We had only 7 hours of rehearsing together over 3 days. Some of these folks had never sung harmony let alone a 16th century polyphonic Mass setting! But, they were all willing to give it a whirl because they like me and they like singing.

    I had a few professional ringers - one of my choir members is a retired soprano from the Air Force band and choir and she recruited a few of her friends (one still active duty!) to lead each section. The results were superb! Everyone from the congregation to the concelebrating priests were utterly blown away. My pastor asked me how I had pulled it off. I told him lots and lots and lots and lots of PRAYER. Seriously, all glory to Our Lord and His Blessed Mother who I know polished us up at the last second.

    Anyway, I don't know how many people will read my update since the title of this post is random, but thanks again to all the CMAA members I've learned from over the past 4 years. I could never have dreamed of a result like this without taking risks based on the advice of all you devoted Church musicians.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Cantus67
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Richard Rice is one of the most gracious contributors to CMAA and RCC Church Music alive today, and represents the comradery of CMAA folks everywhere. Your story is a salve and refreshment in a landscape that more often seems deserted. Thanks, Ali.
    Thanked by 1Ali
Add a Comment