Missa Ascensionis Domini : Gloria in excelsis
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,189
    Note: The score here has been revised. See my subsequent posting in this thread for the revised score. - CHG

    Because it is newly completed (as of Leap year day, except for a few tweaks since then), I'm attaching a provisional (but more-or-less final) score for the Gloria to the Mass setting (Missa Ascensionis Domini) which I'm working on. The Kyrie and Agnus Dei for this setting are substantially the same as the earlier compositions (in A) which I have posted at CPDL. Indeed, that earlier Agnus Dei inspired and is musically rather closely related to this Gloria setting. I have just begun the composition of the Sanctus-Benedictus.

    The attached synthesized MP3 recording gives some idea as to how it might sound. The opening "Glory to God in the highest" could be intoned/chanted by the Priest or Cantor(s) with everyone joining in after that, but it could just as well be sung by all with an opening A major chord as cue to enter.
    Thanked by 2Kathy tomboysuze
  • kevinjngalie
    Posts: 94
    Mr. Giffen - I just listened to this MP3 now and I sincerely liked it very, very much. It seems to strike that balance of being tuneful, yet still good music, and I think has a wonderful sense of sacredness and beauty about it. I've been looking for masses, and I think a lot of people striving to write good church music, all respect to them, do what I call diatonic tone cluster music - alla Matthias and the Anglican music from the 80's - it's sounds great if one has a great choir and great acoustic, but otherwise perhaps less so. I think your piece is something that could be successful in various settings - congratulations again, I hope people try it out - Kevin Galie'
    Thanked by 1tomboysuze
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,189
    A minor revision (in bars 65-67) and tweaking of the score of this Gloria is attached. In addition to the full score, there are also attached an organ score (with melody part), and a unison congregational score. An MP3 sound file is also attached.
    Giffen-Ascension Mass-Gloria.pdf
    124K
    Giffen-Ascension Mass-Gloria-Organ.pdf
    97K
    Giffen-Ascension Mass-Gloria-Congregation.pdf
    65K
    Giffen-Ascension Mass-Gloria-96.mp3
    2M
    Thanked by 2tomboysuze Ben
  • tomboysuzetomboysuze
    Posts: 289
    Chuck,
    Thank you very much! This is indeed a lovely mass setting which, as you know, I plan to use during the Christmas season. I agree with kevinjngallie that it has a deep sense of sacredness and "gravitas" that work very well. Many thanks for sharing this setting for free.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,189
    This Gloria in A has just been published at CPDL.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,189
    Responding to a request from Scott Turkington for a higher key version of this Gloria in excelsis for his children's choir, I have prepared the enclosed transposition, up a minor third, to C Major. The sound of the C Major version is even brighter and more joyous than the already joyful A Major original.

    The SATB full score and the organ (+melody) scores of this transposed version are probably suitable for choir performance, although the E4 – F5 ambitus of the melody part probably makes it unsuitable for congregational use (the original in A Major has an ambitus of C#4 – D5, which is quite comfortable for congregational singing).

    Chuck
    Giffen-Ascension Mass-Gloria-High.pdf
    124K
    Giffen-Ascension Mass-Gloria-High-Organ.pdf
    98K
    Giffen-Ascension Mass-Gloria-High-96.mp3
    2M
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