Polyphonic Responses
  • ryancarrick
    Posts: 8
    Curious if the community could make some recommendations for polyphonic responses in Latin? Would be used primarily at the TLM (possibly even a Nuptial Mass), but adaptations from vernacular renderings are highly encouraged! I've found that Anglican Preces and Responses are especially beautiful (but I need it in latin), as well as some of the Byz Polyphony from the past couple centuries (but I've only have found in Slavonic/Russian/Ukrainian/etc.). Material from the Novus Ordo is also welcome, I'm just trying to avoid having to adapt something from vernacular into latin. I suppose material composed for the Office would be useful as well. I just need Et salutare tuum da nobis, Et clamor meus ad te veniat, Et cum spiritu tuo, Amen, Gloria Tibi Domine, Habemus ad Dominum, Dignum et justum est, and Sed libera nos a malo. Would just be nice to spruce these "common responses" up a little bit so they feel a little less common, and possibly sneak some music from other rites into the TLM!
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 3,013
    "Sed libera nos" and (iirc) the Sursum responses are in a source included in the new Lasso edition, vol. 25
  • SponsaChristi
    Posts: 833
    Byrd had some good stuff from when he had ad hoc choirs for clandestine Masses. I’m particularly fond of this particular Deo Gratias of his (when it’s not sung painfully slow. Listen at 1.25x speed). The chord at the end is sounds delicious.

    https://youtu.be/inVdKAnxOLI?si=zLan2VPX0E69rUvH
    https://imslp.org/wiki/File:PMLP248883-Deo_Gratias.pdf
  • Charles_Weaver
    Posts: 255
    This page has some nice versions:

    https://schola-sainte-cecile.com/2014/12/24/adam-de-villiers-reponses-polyphoniques-aux-recitatifs-de-la-sainte-messe/
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 3,766
    Not that I was unaware of the Lassus but now I’m off to find the part books (I prefer to transcribe myself and then add ficta based on published versions). There’s some really neat stuff there.
  • Xopheros
    Posts: 165
    Here is a polyphonic response for the prayer of the faithful that works in arbitrary voice combinations as long as some men sing the bass voice.
  • SponsaChristi
    Posts: 833
    that works in arbitrary voice combinations as long as some men sing the bass voice.

    You don’t need men to sing the bass voice. You just need someone who has the range to do so. I am a woman and have no difficulties singing the “bass” voice. It’s not even that low.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Xopheros
    Posts: 165
    @SponsaChristi Yes, and it even works when only sung with upper voices. In a random mixed congregation, however, I guess that the probability of having an alto that knows how to transpose a bass line is even smaller than having men that can read a bass clef ;-)
  • stulte
    Posts: 359
    We sang these as part of a 1st Holy Communion Mass several years ago.
    Preface_Solemn_Tone_SATB.pdf
    48K
    Thanked by 1StimsonInRehab
  • SponsaChristi
    Posts: 833
    I guess that the probability of having an alto that knows how to transpose a bass line is even smaller than having men that can read a bass clef ;-)


    Who’s transposing from bass clef? Why is mediocrity in basic musicianship skills tolerated in choirs? I do not understand this.
  • Xopheros
    Posts: 165
    Why is mediocrity in basic musicianship skills tolerated in choirs?

    There seems to be a misunderstanding. With "polyphonic response" I understand a response by the congregation in the pews, not a choir singing instead of the congregation (howsoever you would define "active participation", this would be a far stretch IMO). That is what this setting is meant for and why it is set in such a way, that it works with anyone singing any one part, provided someone sings the bass part. The (new) "Gotteslob" includes several of such settings. As I found the polyphonic pew response GL 181 used in our parish for the Prayer of the Faithful dissatisfying, I thought that something more interesting yet still simple would be worthwhile.
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