1. If you had unlimited resources and talent etc., what would be your ultimate Christmas music lineup including 30 min of choral prelude plus a communion meditation piece?
2. If you had a small parish budget, part-time director, plus volunteer choir, what would your above lineup look like?
My dream might change from year to year, but this is what I'd like to do at the moment.
1. Selections from Messiah prelude, then Missa Magnum Mysterium with its motet at Communion. Hark the Herald recessional followed by the Hallelujah Chorus.
2. Proper chants, with Of the Father's at Offertory and The First Noel at Communion, followed by In Dulci Iubilo and Silent Night. Hark the Herald recessional followed by Bach's In Dulci Iubilo BWV 729.
(this is presuming full throated singing on any of the below from choir and/or congregation)
1/2. Prelude (OF/EF): Quem Pastores Laudavere What Sweeter Music (Rutter) Es Ist Ein Ros' (alternating German and English- 1G, 1E, 2G, 2E, etc) A Spotless Rose (Howells) Personent Hodie Noel Suisse (Organ and Choral Alternatim) O Come All Ye Faithful (Willcox) or The First Nowell (Willcox)
1a. (EF) Mass: Processional: Of the Father's Love Begotten Propers: Graduale Ordinary: Missa "Hodie Christus Natus Est" (Palestrina) Credo 4 Motets: Quem Vidistis, Pastorem (Victoria), O Magnum (Victoria) Recessional: Puer Nobis Nascitur
1b. (OF) Mass: Processional: Of the Father's Love Begotten Propers: Graduale or Fr. Weber (all option 1) Ordinary: Mass VIII with Alternatim Gloria Credo: 3 a la ServiamScores (revision of ICEL credo) Offertory: Unto Us is Born a Son (Willcox) Communion: O Magnum Mysterium (Lauridson) Recessional: In Dulci Jubilo
2a. (EF) Mass: Processional: O Come All Ye Faithful (Willcox) Propers: Liber Bevior w/ Chant Abrégès Ordinary: Missa Tribus Vocibus (Dalitz) Credo 3 or 4 Motets: Tollite Hostias (C.St. Saens), O Magnum Mysterium (Mariano Garau)
2b. (OF) Mass: Processional: O Come (Willcox) Propers: Fr. Weber (option 1 or 2) with SATB Introit a la Willan Ordinary: Mass of the Immaculate Conception (Latona) Credo: 3 a la ServiamScores (revision of ICEL credo) Motets: Gesu Bambino (Pietro Yon), O Magnum Mysterium (Garau)
I would like to do what I did a couple days ago, with one very important exception. Finding the exception is an exercise for the reader :)
(EF, needless to say)
Matins, chanted except DuFay, Jesu Redemptor Calvisius, Verbum Caro Victoria, Te Deum Then Victoria, Missa O Magnum Mysterium Osculati, Quem vidistis pastores Adeste Fideles, Corde Natus, Hark, organ improv, etc.
#1: I'd really like to give Bruno Oscar Klein's Christmas Mass a go. But then there's the Charpentier, and Malcolm Missa ad Precepe, or the Tallis Missa Puer Natus est Nobis, or...
For prelude music, while we're dreaming big, the Schütz Weihnachtshistorie. We could stretch the prelude a bit, or cut the recits.
This was my lineup for Christmas this year. With a little more rehearsal time I would have added Pueri Concinite at Offertory or Communion, which we've done in previous years. The Choral Prelude, as you'll see, is interspersed between mysteries of the Rosary (usually the Joyful, in honour of the feast.) Our version of Angels We Have Heard on High has an epic descant by one Mary Strawn Vernon — never found the source, but it's the best one I've heard anywhere. I'll add a recording/score if anyone likes.
FIRST MYSTERY Angelus ad Virginem Gabriel’s Message SECOND MYSTERY In the Bleak Midwinter Silent Night THIRD MYSTERY Angels From The Realms of Glory It Came Upon A Midnight Clear FOURTH MYSTERY Sleep of the Child Jesus Away in A Manger FINAL MYSTERY Salve Regina - Simple Chant Sussex Carol Ding, Dong, Merrily on High (a cappella) BLESSING OF THE CRIB: O Come, All Ye Faithful Mass II — Credo I Offertory: Flos de Radice Jesse Communion:Corde Natus Ex Parentis Puer Natus in Bethlehem Resonet in Laudibus Quem Pastores Laudavere REC: Angels We Have Heard on High Postlude: Sleep, Holy Babe
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