Changes in Mass Settings

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Dlee

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How often does your parish change the Mass Settings? Our music director has changed them twice in the past year - is this something done to coincide with perhaps Lent and Advent? Prior to that, we had used the same settings for three years. I will say the new setting seems very peppy and difficult to sing. One of the responses has the cantor, choir, and parish singing three different parts. It is very confusing!
 
The Bishop decides what Mass setting we use and when. Not our music Committee.

If your Mass setting is difficult to sing, tell the Priest. 🙂
 
Around here, most parishes change about 5-6 times per year. If you don’t like one, it won’t be around long.
 
Hmmm. Out in the wilds here the Mass setting has not changed in 7 years at one of the three available churches, it changes every 4 months or so at another, and the third has one setting for Lent/Easter and one setting for ‘the rest of the year’ which likewise have not changed in 7 years.
 
We’ve used the same setting since November 2011. I’m sick of it, though to be honest I’ve disliked it from the beginning. My opinion is that we should have at least 3. One for Advent/Lent, one for Christmas/Easter, and one for Ordinary time. But since I can’t sing, play an instrument, and read just enough music to spot errors, nobody in the music ministry is going to give my opinion much weight.
 
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We have three that we rotate through, usually changing seasonally
Advent
Christmas/Ordinary Time
Lent
Easter
Ordinary Time
(we often switch settings during Ordinary Time around The Assumption)
 
We change for Advent/Lent, Christmas, Easter, Ordinary Time, other major celebrations and sing in both the vernacular and Latin. We sing even if the cantor isn’t present and there is no time to get tired of the tunes. 😄

OP. There are lots of previous post if you do a search “Mass Settings”.
 
GiftofMercy said:
The Bishop decides what Mass setting we use and when. Not our music Committee.
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Your bishop seems unusually involved in decisions that are generally made at the parish level. You must have a great deal of uniformity in your diocese.
 
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I agree. It’s less somber and peppy. I prefer the old style myself.
 
Attached is a link to the part we have trouble with, “Lamb of God.” It’s David Haas Mass for a New World. There are three parts and the congregation doesn’t know where we sing. Somehow, when it ends, I know I haven’t sang all the words. It starts at 12.0

Has anyone else used this?
 
Dlee said:
Attached is a link to the part we have trouble with, “Lamb of God.” It’s David Haas Mass for a New World. There are three parts and the congregation doesn’t know where we sing. Somehow, when it ends, I know I haven’t sang all the words. It starts at 12.0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LghFhltnhj0

Has anyone else used this?
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I’ve never been in a parish that used this one, so I don’t know what exactly your choir director is doing, but…

I can see if you’ve been listening to that Youtube video why you’d think there are three parts, but according to the previews of the Assembly Edition and Choral Accompaniment Edition for this Mass (available on www.giamusic.com) there are only two parts, the cantor, and then everyone else (choir in unison and assembly) who echos the cantor.

I hope this helps.
 
We’ve used this in parishes around here. It’s really lovely! It’s two parts - cantor and congregation (with choir on whichever). It’s somewhat of a call & response setting.
Cantor sings: Lamb of God
People: Lamb of God (while cantor begins: You take away)
etc.
The alternating always occurs between cantor/people on the last word in the phrase being held slightly longer. (People singing “Lamb” as cantor sings “God”.)
 
It is two part until we reach the end - the the choir splits. You’re right about the echo effect, it is beautiful. Thanks!
 
nightshade said:
What is a mass setting?
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It’s the music you use to sing the Ordinary of the Mass (Kyrie, Creed, Gloria, Sanctus, Mystery of Faith, Amen, Lamb of God). In Canada, when the new Missal was promulgated (back in 2011), the CCCB commissioned three Mass settings and one of those is what you generally hear across the country. It’s so unusual to hear another one that, when I do, I make sure to approach the musicians afterward to find out which one they are using.
 
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In the churches I have belonged to since I became Catholic the Mass settings have
remained the same. No changes.
 
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