Best score for Sicut Cervus?
  • amindthatsuits
    Posts: 860
    Hey, folks:

    I see CPDL has many scores for Palestrina’s Sicut Cervus.

    Anyone have opinions on which is best? And what key is the original in (if we know)?

    Thanks.

    Kenneth
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,192
    The original was in F (one flat), best for ATBB or TTBB voices. Most editions at CPDL transpose it up to G, A-flat, or A. The (currently) most recent edition by David Masao Zimmerman in G is excellent.
    Thanked by 2M. Jackson Osborn amindthatsuits
  • amindthatsuits
    Posts: 860
    Thank you. That is very helpful. I suspect to be a useful chorister, I should get used to singing it in several keys. I have in fact had someone turn to me at Midnight Mass and ask if I knew it becasue they were down a voice. I do chant but I decided I should branch out.

    Thanks again.

    Kenneth
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • NihilNominisNihilNominis
    Posts: 1,021
    Peter Hilton in G is my go-to!
    Thanked by 1amindthatsuits
  • amindthatsuits
    Posts: 860
    Excellent, thank you.
  • Jenny Donelson
    Posts: 256
    The CMAA's Parish Book of Motets has a great one in A-flat, with practice tracks.

    https://churchmusicassociation.org/pbm5/#sicutpalestrina
    Thanked by 1Gaudium
  • SponsaChristi
    Posts: 402
    I suspect to be a useful chorister, I should get used to singing it in several keys.


    I found my strong sight reading, ear training, vowel production, and intonation were what made me most useful as a chorister. I had to sight sing my way through most of the full chant propers my first Good Friday and Easter Vigil in the EF because there just wasn’t enough time to go through everything in rehearsal. I had to learn almost 20 years of built up repertoire in 6 weeks.

    Strong musicianship skills and vocal technique are what will make you the most useful.
  • PolyfolliaPolyfollia
    Posts: 5
    Hi, my favourite is "Wenn der Hirsch schreit", Psalm 42 by Mendelssohn.
    German version of Sicut cervus...
    Can be found on CPDL:
    https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Psalm_42,_Op._42_(Felix_Mendelssohn)
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
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