I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s ugly, to me it’s just unappealing. My parish is currently using it now, and it just isn’t that uplifting. I was getting excited for a minute thinking it wasn’t going to get revised.
At least your parish choir doesn’t insist on singing the Gloria from Landry’s “Young People’s Mass”
I can honestly say that I have never heard that setting. I had to look it up (and I’m sorry that I did)
I never cared for it either. I’ve always disliked the Agnus Dei. People were never able to sing “…You take away the sin of the world” right. I’d always hear cracks on the D in the congregation. It’s not high as I’ve heard the same congregations sing well other hymns and such that has a D and even E’s, but it seems the interval from the b-flat to the D is troublesome to some people. I think it is the whole phrase in general, since most people aren’t trained to sing in a mental line and the intervals in that phrase does jump a little.
I suggested this to the good people at St. Michael Hymnal, and they assured me that in their next edition, the translation would be corrected.
I also hear this happen with the Agnus Dei from the “Holy Cross Mass”.
Mass of Creation Lamb of God:
I haven’t looked at the other ones too much, but I heard the gloria might be weird too.
Mass of Cremation! I love it! Very fitting name!
haha! That’s a new one. Some people I know refer to it as the Mass of Destruction.
This is wonderful to hear. Thank you for the good news.
“Massive Cremation” is what I’ve always heard
That’s what I’ve always heard it referred to. The worst part of that setting IMO is the Gospel Acclamation.“Massive Cremation” is what I’ve always heard
For me, I think the worst part is definitely the Agnus Dei. It’s completely out of keeping with the rest of the setting and it’s musically whiny and insipid; I’d wiped it from my mind enough to forget about it completely in discussing above whether MoC on the whole is faithful to the texts.
I think the first English Mass setting I learned was Somerville’s “Good Shepherd Mass”, later “(New)Good Shepherd Mass”. It was the ubiquitous setting in Canada, found in just about every English parish. Its simplicity was lovely and its Gloria is still my absolute favourite.
Or as one bride wrote down on her music sheet “I’d like the Massive Creation.” She actually thought that this was what it was called.“Massive Cremation” is what I’ve always heard
It’s been ages since I’ve heard that setting (my childhood), and honestly would love to hear it again. It has such a singable, stately Holy-Holy, and if I remember correctly, is absolutely faithful to the text. Not many settings sound good with organ, and this is one where I want to hear it with a descending Re-Do-Ti-La-Sol on “God of Pow’r and Might”. Gives me chills thinking about it.The unfaithful setting award would have to go to St. Louis Jesuits Mass.
Haha, I just listened to it again here – wow, what a trip back. I think my parish growing up used this for at least ten years; I can still sing it perfectly. As to faithfulness, the only changes are with the Hosannas: before the Benedictus there’s “Hosanna in the highest” → “Hosanna, Hosanna, on high”; and at the end “Hosanna in the highest” → “Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna, Hosanna, on high.”
The Sanctus isn’t that problematic, however the Great Amen is:Haha, I just listened to it again here – wow, what a trip back. I think my parish growing up used this for at least ten years; I can still sing it perfectly. As to faithfulness, the only changes are with the Hosannas: before the Benedictus there’s “Hosanna in the highest” → “Hosanna, Hosanna, on high”; and at the end “Hosanna in the highest” → “Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna, Hosanna, on high.”
Glad I listened to it again though
I’m not really sure if anything other than “Amen” is allowed in the Great Amen.
In the St. Louis Jesuits Mass, the phrase “God of power and might” is all on the same E note. I, for one, find that the “boom-chicka-boom-chicka” rhythm of these dreadful 1970’s Mass parts completely disrupts the solemnity of the Mass just before the consecration.
Unfortunately, it’s one of those sad experimental pieces that has gone unchecked. The Great Amen should only have one word: Amen. In other words, if it’s not in the Missal, text should not be added.
