Mass Settings Queery

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Greetings all. So my first year as music director at my church has gone well. More traditional music, more chant, choir that can sing in harmony…all has gone well.

I can’t stand our mass settings however. I replaced Mass of Creation with the Proulx Community Mass (Sanctus and Acclamations) and Alstott Heritage Mass (Gloria and Agnus Dei). While these settings are ok, I’m finding them a little bit bland. Does anyone have any recommendations? I’m looking for something in English that would be inspiring to the congregation that does not deviate from the given text at all. Suggestions?
 
If your choir can handle a capella music, I would recommend Bob Hurd’s Ubi Caritas. I normally don’t care for Bob Hurd’s music, but this one was different. He takes the Ubi Caritas tune and makes a mass setting out of it.

Beware of the Gloria though, it will make you go :eek: . It sounds like it’s from The Lion King.
 
Mass of Creation isn’t so bad if you can play it in a certain manner. It can be done on organ and isn’t so bad, plus everyone knows it.

Mass for the City by Richard Proulx is a favorite in cathedral parishes, but isn’t limited to them. It is singable.

Also check out the older settings: People’s Mass, Danish Mass, Mass for Christian unity, with the first and last being written by Jan Vermulst, and all published by World Library Publications.

For ease of singing, you can’t beat a good call and response type setting, such as the Eucharistic acclamations by Paul Inwood published by OCP.

Sing Praise and Thanksgiving by Michael Joncas, published by World Library is quite singable and I have found it to be effective as well.
 
E.E.N.S said:
I personally would stray away from anything to do with the OCP.

Crisis Magazine put out and article on them here:

crisismagazine.com/january2002/feature2.htm
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Not a reason to stay away from OCP.

The composers who work for them compose things which can work in a variety of parishes.

The “Heritage Mass” that the original poster referenced is published by them.

At least use a more neutral source if you’re going to bash an entire publishing arm of the music industry.
 
PaixGioiaAmor said:
Mass for the City by Richard Proulx is a favorite in cathedral parishes, but isn’t limited to them. It is singable.
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I second the Proulx Mass for the City — kind of contemporary-sounding, but very nice.

Another one I like that is very singable by the congregation is the Schubert German Mass (English version adapted by Proulx) — uncomplicated and lovely.
 
E.E.N.S said:
I personally would stray away from anything to do with the OCP.

Crisis Magazine put out and article on them here:

crisismagazine.com/january2002/feature2.htm
Click to expand...
Wow. What paranoia. I bet OCP wishes they had HALF that influence. It’d be good for business.

I’m not a fan of them; in one parish I got rid of their missal and music issue and in another I refused to adopt it.

But that being said, they are no better or worse than any other publisher of Catholic music in America today.

As for the liturgy planning guides, I find that the suggestions for music for the day are often not very good. But that’s why I don’t use it; I read the scriptures myself and search various hymnals and sources. That’s how I plan my liturgies.

Basically, these planning guides and workshops are designed for Mrs. Mary Music Director, who just got the job because she’s been a parishioner all her life and knows how to play the piano, but she has no idea how to plan for liturgies or how to do her job.

But who is to blame for that situation? Pastors who don’t hire professional, full time musicians.
 
E.E.N.S said:
I personally would stray away from anything to do with the OCP.

Crisis Magazine put out and article on them here:

crisismagazine.com/january2002/feature2.htm
Click to expand...
I agree the Crisis magazine is way to critical. I always said that modern Catholic music is okay if done properly. One OCP artist that I like is Ricky Manalo. One song that my parish sings of his that the congregation loves It is called The God of All Graceand it sounds great when done with an organ and a brass section.

Like with all artists though, he has his hits:) and his misses. 😦
 
I actually am trying to move the parish away from OCP. We’re waiting until the new mass translation, and then we’re going to get hymnals with 4-part harmony.

I’ve thought about the Schubert, I’m rather partial to that one myself. I don’t know Mass for the City at all, I’ll have to find it.
 
E.E.N.S said:
I personally would stray away from anything to do with the OCP.

Crisis Magazine put out and article on them here:

crisismagazine.com/january2002/feature2.htm
Click to expand...
I am not exactly sure why this diatribe should be considered worthy of much more than lining a bird cage. I mean, who would want to sing any songs that are based either on passages from the Old Testament, New Testament, or a combination of the two?

Let’s see: On Eagles Wings - out of one of the Psalms. Nope. Sure would not want to sing that! I could go on and on, but it simply isn’t worth the effort. There is so much inuendo in the article, I wouldn’t even know where to begin.
 
pm1853 said:
Greetings all. So my first year as music director at my church has gone well. More traditional music, more chant, choir that can sing in harmony…all has gone well.

I can’t stand our mass settings however. I replaced Mass of Creation with the Proulx Community Mass (Sanctus and Acclamations) and Alstott Heritage Mass (Gloria and Agnus Dei). While these settings are ok, I’m finding them a little bit bland. Does anyone have any recommendations? I’m looking for something in English that would be inspiring to the congregation that does not deviate from the given text at all. Suggestions?
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Hang around this blog awhile:

thenewliturgicalmovement.blogspot.com/

The bloggers there are also good about answering questions if you email them personally via the links provided on their blog.
 
pm1853 said:
I actually am trying to move the parish away from OCP. We’re waiting until the new mass translation, and then we’re going to get hymnals with 4-part harmony.

I’ve thought about the Schubert, I’m rather partial to that one myself. I don’t know Mass for the City at all, I’ll have to find it.
Click to expand...
Excellent! 👍
 
PhilotheaZ said:
I second the Proulx Mass for the City — kind of contemporary-sounding, but very nice.

Another one I like that is very singable by the congregation is the Schubert German Mass (English version adapted by Proulx) — uncomplicated and lovely.
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I love the Schubert!!! Only problem is that you can’t do the Agnus Dei anymore because of the improper text. We usually do another Agnus Dei in place of it, but the melody for the Schubert is so beautiful. I introduced that to the church I used to work at and the congregation sang it very well. (They were an ethnically German parish). Although you said there was an English adaptation by Proulx. I don’t think my edition was adapted by Proulx. If it has the proper Agnus Dei setting, can you please let me know because this is probably my favorite mass setting. Thanks! 🙂

The Proulx Community Mass isn’t bad, but not great, although I rather do that than the Creation Mass. I also like the Vermulst Mass for Christian Unity. But Hurd’s New Plainsong mass is nice especially the “Amen”. Mass for City is also nice. They tried to get that as the mass for the archdiocese, but unfortunately didn’t seem to “catch on”. Although they still do it at the Cathedral. I’m not crazy about the Heritage Mass, but the people know it and sing it well. It sounds better when with choir, organ and brass/timpani. Danish Mass is also nice especially when you can do the Choral Expansions on the Amen. A couple are by Victoria and Byrd.
 
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