Best English Masses?
  • novusgordo
    Posts: 16
    In another thread, @JonDeuling inquired about English-language settings of the Order of Mass. I too have been asking this question a great deal of late as I try to put together a parish Kyriale.

    So far, I have one recommendation to offer: Mass of the Parishes, composed by Victor Togni and adapted to the new liturgical texts by Dr. Jerzy Cichocki. (Those of you familiar with the CCCB's Catholic Book of Worship II may remember the original version fondly.)

    But I'd love to get further recommendations from people here. (Bonus points if the copyrights aren't held by GIA, given how difficult licensing anything from them tends to be!)
  • JonDeulingJonDeuling
    Posts: 22
    [edited for clarity --admin]

    Where are the best English Ordinaries for the Mass?
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,616
    Where are the best English Ordinaries for the Mass?


    [...]

    "Where" and "What" would be related but not necessarily congruent questions/answers. Any other desiderata/context/circumstances should be embedded in the initial post.
    Thanked by 1novusgordo
  • SponsaChristi
    Posts: 746
    Those of you familiar with the CCCB's Catholic Book of Worship II

    Is that the Fr. Perkovich polka Mass one? There’s three Masses I remember from that era. I have identified two so far. Haven’t been able to identify the third yet.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,503
    I reviewed a bunch a decade ago on the Cafe blog. I recommend the Psallite.
    Thanked by 1Paul F. Ford
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,503
    > GIA, given how difficult licensing anything from them tends to be!)

    It isn’t.
    Thanked by 1Marc Cerisier
  • Marc Cerisier
    Posts: 603
    I’m a fan of those published by Liturgical Press. We do two of theirs—Vogt and LeBlanc. We also do Russ Weismann’s (GIA) and Luke Mayernik’s (OCP).
  • davido
    Posts: 1,204
    The best is Mass of St Francis by CMAA’s Horst Buchholz. It is in the Adoremus Hymnal, Source and Summit Missal, and available from the composer. He had been very generous granting usage.

    In a chant style, Mass of Mary Star of the Sea by Michael Olbash is excellent. Mass in Honornof John Paul II by Richard Clark is also excellent.
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 834
    In my nearly fifty years as choir member, cantor and tenor at St. Mary's and St. Paul's Parish's in Akron, Ohio. I have sung a number of English and Latin Mass settings. I can't say that I have a favorite.

    For most of my choir career at St. Mary's for Ordinary Time, our Mass setting was "Mass In Honor of Pope Paul VI." This setting has been revised since the 1970s.

    My recommendation, based on my choir service is that you choose one mass setting and use it along with a core repertoire of 30 or so hymns. This allows the congregation to "own" the hymns and mass setting instead of just "visiting".

    The last two Mass settings from St. Mary's are not that bad. I think I would choose the Mass of St. Mary Magdalene over Spirit and Grace. I retired from the choir at the end of October last year.

    Mass Settings from St. Mary’s (1977-2010)

    English

    Mass in Honor of Pope Paul VI (Edward Connor)
    People’s Mass (Jan Vermulst)
    Mass of Christian Unity (Jan Vermulst)
    A Simple Hymn-Tune Mass in English (Lord Have Mercy - Kyrie only)
    German Mass (Richard Proulx)
    Mass in Honor of St. Joseph (Father Joseph Roff)
    Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen)


    Latin and English

    Missa de Angelis (very rarely)
    Christmas Carol Mass both English and Latin (James Korman)(every other Christmas)
    Mass in G (Theodor von La Hache - our go to Latin Mass)
    Mass in Honor of the Infant Jesus (Latin/English - W.J. Marsh)(Christmas)
    Mass in Honor of Our Lady of Loretto (Latin - H. Mentzel)(every other Easter)
    Mass in Honor of the Holy Family (Latin – Charles Cremer)(every other Easter)
    Mass in Honor of the Immaculate Conception (John Wiegand)(every other Easter)
    Mass in E flat (Wm. S. Brown – Agnus Dei only, not for the actual Mass, we treated this like a choral piece for offertory)


    Mass Settings from St. Paul’s (2010-2021)

    Missa Emmanuel (Richard Proulx)
    Missa Pacem (L. Randolph Babin, Gloria straight thru)
    Mass of St. Francis Cabrini (Kevin Keil)
    Mass of St. Joseph (Paul Tate)
    Mass of St. Paul the Apostle (Christopher Walker)
    Mass of Renewal (Curtis Stephan)
    Mass of Joy & Peace (Tony Alonso)
    Chant Mass as found in the Missalette (English or Latin)


    Mass Settings from St. Mary’s (2022-2025)

    Mass of Spirit and Grace (Ricky Manalo, CSP)
    Mass of St. Mary Magdalene (Sarah Heart)

    Thanked by 1Charles
  • RomanticStringsRomanticStrings
    Posts: 353
    I've never had the pleasure of using it, but Chris Mueller's Missa pro editione tertia sounds beautiful and accessible.
    Thanked by 1StimsonInRehab
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,443
    I've used Chris' Missa pro editione tertia with my choir at a parish where I used to work, and it's very lovely!
  • Ralph BednarzRalph Bednarz
    Posts: 501
    Richard J. Clark Mass in Honor of St. JP II https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SICReTsjFY

    Lee Gloria

    Simplex GIA

    Kevin Keil's St Frances Cabrini Mass. The choir likes the contemporary accessible style while having a more rigid structure. The Music really organizes the texts where it seems traditional. It was OCP , so I have not sung thi since we left them.


    Meinrad Mass settings based on MASS I and X.I I don't think a congregation unfamiliar with chant could sing this without a choir's support. Fr Kelley's style favors a Cardine approach. I can not say semiology because there are no signs for English Chant
    I think Mass I is missing some of the revised parts in the downloads in the Sanctus but Fr.K gave them to me. We have been sing these for18 years.
  • Benton
    Posts: 24
    @Ralph could you send me Fr K’s Mass I? I really would be interested in that. schmidtbenton@gmail.com
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 3,281
    I always shill for Olbash's Mass in Honor of Our Lady, Star of the Sea which you can get for free on CCW. It's unmetered, but memorable, and I absolutely love it.
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