Favourite Catholic composers, Mass settings, etc

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CutlerB

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Being in full communion with Holy Church and the Successor of Saint Peter as of Saturday, I also consider myself in communion with the great Catholic heritage of art and the grand musical traditions it nourished.

Who are some of your favourite Catholic composers, those that one could broadly (though musically incorrectly) term “classical”? Do you have a favourite Mass setting by anyone or renditions of other “classic” Catholic music, such as chant or the psalms?

To me, Palestrina is the king of Sacred Music. I’ve listened to quite a few of his works, and they are stunning. Among them Missa Papae Marcelli, Sicut Cervus, Ave Regina caelorum and a few others. Incredible beauty and skill.

Here is one from another composer I came across, an Alma Redemptoris Mater for 6 voices by Diego Ortiz. It is an incredible piece of music, one that lifts my soul up every time: youtu.be/iVT9sxyr2I0

I look forward to discovering more of our (I can now say it!) musical tradition and the exchange here. 🙂
 
An absolute favourite piece of mine to hear on Good Friday are the cantors singing The Reproaches at our cathedral, St Francis Xavier.

One of the most moving pieces of music/singing I’ve heard…

Sometimes just before the service I quickly go to the bathroom, just across from the cathedral in a block of offices and the cantors are in one of the rooms warming up and rehearsing. I could just stand in the corridor and listen the whole time, but I always need to hurry back to my seat! 😛
 
Palestrina, Byrd, Victoria, Rachmaninov, Tallis; did I miss any?
 
Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis. There’s also several Schubert Masses including B-Flat Major and Deutsche Messe. Even Bach, a Lutheran, composed a very famous and excellent Mass in B minor. I also can’t forget the Requiems: Verdi, Mozart, and Faure.
 
Leonard Bernstein composed a Theatre Piece For Singers, Players and Dancers called “Mass”. It was created for the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
 
Gosh!!! There is such a vast repertory of gorgeous Catholic works, I don’t know where to begin.

I love a lot of Durufle’s work, especially his Requiem and his Ubi Caritas. He was a wonderful modern, 20th century composer and had such a subtle, yet brilliant way of incorporating the ancient chants to modern music. It is something you rarely see.

Ubi Caritas
youtube.com/watch?v=KwR_dM-1MlU

Requiem
youtube.com/watch?v=TneUTtCAJlE

I am also a major fan of Faure. His Requiem is sublime, which most people know, but he also has so many beautiful sacred motets and secular works. We had this “Ave Verum Corpus” and “Ave Maria” by him done at our wedding. They are simply beautiful…ethereal.

Ave Verum - Faure (video includes his Tantum Ergo - also beautiful)
youtube.com/watch?v=KuM4ibLy_MY

Ave Maria - Faure (video includes the Maria, Mater Gratia)
youtube.com/watch?v=lqWqMI0WK-g
 
CutlerB said:
Being in full communion with Holy Church and the Successor of Saint Peter as of Saturday, I also consider myself in communion with the great Catholic heritage of art and the grand musical traditions it nourished.

Who are some of your favourite Catholic composers, those that one could broadly (though musically incorrectly) term “classical”? Do you have a favourite Mass setting by anyone or renditions of other “classic” Catholic music, such as chant or the psalms?

To me, Palestrina is the king of Sacred Music. I’ve listened to quite a few of his works, and they are stunning. Among them Missa Papae Marcelli, Sicut Cervus, Ave Regina caelorum and a few others. Incredible beauty and skill.

Here is one from another composer I came across, an Alma Redemptoris Mater for 6 voices by Diego Ortiz. It is an incredible piece of music, one that lifts my soul up every time: youtu.be/iVT9sxyr2I0

I look forward to discovering more of our (I can now say it!) musical tradition and the exchange here. 🙂
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In my opinion, nothing beats a good interpretation of Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus. As for more congregational pieces, any of Father Faber’s hymns are wonderful.
 
If there are any former Paulist Choirsters here, I forget that absolute best as a 2nd soprano for Fr. O’Malley. Not Mozart, Gounod, Beethoven, Lintz,… help please!
 
I have always liked Antonio Vivaldi and was very pleased when I learned he was a priest. 🙂
 
Dan Schulte.
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Okay, must be positive. Ludwig Beethoven and other classical composers.
 
Carlo Gesualdo is an intesting one. His uncle was St. Charles Borromeo and he led a colorful life. Mostly dark colors.
 
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