DaveHarries Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 Hi all, Just thought I would ask what is your favourite setting for a Eucharist? Mine has to be Speller's "Mass of St. Louis" but whats yours? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 Are we talking choral or congregational? I don't think I have any one favourite choral Eucharist setting but I'll think about it. I definitely don't have a favourite congregational one. I can't think of one I even like (but I haven't gone gone out of my way to acquaint myself with what's around these days). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfortin Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 Its such a huge question as the repertoire is so vast, covering everything from Dom Gregory Murray (not a personal favourite) up to B minor mass or missa solemnis. In terms of what I personally would most like to experience as a liturgical experience in a cathedral on a Sunday morning I think Vaughan-Williams in G minor takes a lot of beating, and Vierne's Messe Solennelle also works spectacularly well. Personally I think its a shame that the stalwart parish settings I grew up with, such as Darke in F, Sumsion in F, Ireland in C, have all but disappeared, although in the overall canon of mass settings they can't rank as great music. Whilst I enjoy classical masses as concert works I'm not convinced that the increasing trend to included these in the Sunday morning repertoire does a lot for the congregation & the service as a whole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 Whilst I enjoy classical masses as concert works I'm not convinced that the increasing trend to included these in the Sunday morning repertoire does a lot for the congregation & the service as a whole. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yes. Great music, but not well suited to the Anglican liturgy IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcnd5584 Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 My favourites are: Vierne - Messe Solennelle and Langlais - Messe Solennelle. However, in the case of the latter, it does not always work well liturgically. I remember playing for a performance at Winchester a few years ago and, during the Agnus Dei, in the distance, over full Pedal, GO and Swell, hearing a priest yell "THE BODY OF CHRIST!!" I was, for the record, using the dynamics specified by the composer and the registration required by the conductor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil T Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Personally I think its a shame that the stalwart parish settings I grew up with, such as Darke in F, Sumsion in F, Ireland in C, have all but disappeared, although in the overall canon of mass settings they can't rank as great music. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Sadly cathedrals don’t do these and many churches won’t do them as it excludes those who can’t sing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwhodges Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Sadly cathedrals don’t do these and many churches won’t do them as it excludes those who can’t sing.<{POST_SNAPBACK}> When I was a chorister at Christ Church in the 1950s, we only did two eucharists a year with organ - Christmas was Ireland in C and Easter was Darke in F. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJK Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Hi all, Just thought I would ask what is your favourite setting for a Eucharist? Mine has to be Speller's "Mass of St. Louis" but whats yours? Dave <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well it would probably be one of the Byrd settings. Sadly not practical in my church, where we have a newly formed choir who have to work at singing hymns properly (in unison) - not that I'm complaining, they are enthusiastic, and improving and have my respect! However, I'd be interested in people's views on congregational settings. We have used the Tambling Holy Trinity setting, and currently the Bill Ives Salisbury. These are quite good, and better than many others, but I'm ever on the look out for something new that would work without a strong 4-part choir. JJK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Coram Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Well it would probably be one of the Byrd settings. Sadly not practical in my church, where we have a newly formed choir who have to work at singing hymns properly (in unison) - not that I'm complaining, they are enthusiastic, and improving and have my respect! However, I'd be interested in people's views on congregational settings. We have used the Tambling Holy Trinity setting, and currently the Bill Ives Salisbury. These are quite good, and better than many others, but I'm ever on the look out for something new that would work without a strong 4-part choir. JJK <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ives is good; Nigel Allcoat Parish Mass is well worth a look & has some very nice optional (SSA I think) descant-type parts. Also the Rite A setting in the back of New English Hymnal can be v rewarding, as for that matter can Merbecke - in both cases you can have some fun improvising accompaniments - our vicar arrived ceremoniously at the altar steps to a rather unexpected blues chord in the Gloria last week, which a few people commented on... Very fortunate am I however to play for an extremely strong men/boys outfit - a very wide variety of choral settings in frequent use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcnd5584 Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Ives is good; Nigel Allcoat Parish Mass is well worth a look & has some very nice optional (SSA I think) descant-type parts. Also the Rite A setting in the back of New English Hymnal can be v rewarding, as for that matter can Merbecke - in both cases you can have some fun improvising accompaniments - our vicar arrived ceremoniously at the altar steps to a rather unexpected blues chord in the Gloria last week, which a few people commented on... Very fortunate am I however to play for an extremely strong men/boys outfit - a very wide variety of choral settings in frequent use. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> David, was the blues chord unexpected by the Vicar - or by you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfortin Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Also the Rite A setting in the back of New English Hymnal can be v rewarding, as for that matter can Merbecke<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Can't say I agree about the "New Folk Mass", or whatever its called, from NEH. I've been lumbered with it over extended periods and find it dull and unispired. Its clearly trying to be the "New Merbecke" or "New Martin Shaw" but, for me, fails miserably. I've yet to find a congregational setting of the series 3/rite A/common worship texts that I find very satistfying or compelling - but I can't claim to have heard or tried them all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJJ Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 There is quite a nice setting by David Halls from Salisbury Cathedral that we use on occasions - it's in one of the Salisbury Diocesan Festival books. AJJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveHarries Posted October 26, 2006 Author Share Posted October 26, 2006 Well it would probably be one of the Byrd settings. Sadly not practical in my church, where we have a newly formed choir who have to work at singing hymns properly (in unison) - not that I'm complaining, they are enthusiastic, and improving and have my respect! However, I'd be interested in people's views on congregational settings. We have used the Tambling Holy Trinity setting, and currently the Bill Ives Salisbury. These are quite good, and better than many others, but I'm ever on the look out for something new that would work without a strong 4-part choir. JJK <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I've heard "Mass of St. Louis" done by Bristol Cathedral's boys choir on a couple of occasions: let them sing it and it sounds superb. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfdg Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 The vicar of the church where I'm organist said something about using a new congregational eucharist setting (at present we're using a setting by John Rutter for congregation and SATB choir). Does anyone know how to get hold of the Ives? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Barry Williams Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 Can't say I agree about the "New Folk Mass", or whatever its called, from NEH. I've been lumbered with it over extended periods and find it dull and unispired. Its clearly trying to be the "New Merbecke" or "New Martin Shaw" but, for me, fails miserably. I've yet to find a congregational setting of the series 3/rite A/common worship texts that I find very satistfying or compelling - but I can't claim to have heard or tried them all. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I agree that none of the settings of Rite A/Series 3/ICET/ICEL goes well. The best of a bad bunch is Dom Gregory Murray's New People's Mass, though this is a much reworked setting of the Latin dating from, I think, 1948. However, it is available in a four part harmony version and the congregation can sing the melody. With a little adaptation it can be sung unaccompanied. Barry Williams Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJK Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 Does anyone know how to get hold of the Ives? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> We obtained it from the RSCM - with great difficulty. They seemed to hold virtually no stock, and when it did arrive some of the printing on some copies was illegible. JJK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nigel ALLCOAT Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 I wrote one when a congregational setting was required by a famous Anglo-Catholic establishment. (They were abandoning High Mass with Choir and having only one sung service in the morning. It is quasi gregorian with grand moments for a choir. Big organ part as it had to use all the resources to the full. It also can be sung unaccompanied by Congregation/Choir for Ash Wednesday & Maunday Thursday. It was writen out of diplomacy to keep everyone happy!) It is fully 'traditional' and I am told, very easy to learn. If you want a copy I can PDF/Word one. Print at will. Seperate Congregational copy too. By the way, it includes a responsorial Psalm. The Chant and Antiphon remains the same - the words are changed. It is in the spirit of the old English Gradual. Ask, and ye shall receive. I am only too happy to share with fellow liturgical musicans. If some of it is of use, I am only too happy to help out. Best wishes, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Clark Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 Hi all, Just thought I would ask what is your favourite setting for a Eucharist? Mine has to be Speller's "Mass of St. Louis" but whats yours? Dave <{POST_SNAPBACK}> A favourite of mine is Mass of the City by Richard Proulx. Anybody here know/use it? It needs a competent choir and organist with a conductor. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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