Wedding Music

  • Thread starter Thread starter slewi
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
S

slewi

Guest
I’m having a NO wedding in October. It will be as traditional as the NO can get around here, with some latin. Based on what I hear every Sunday at Mass, I do not trust the music director to bring me traditional music ideas. I don’t want music from ‘Phantom of the Opera’. Does anyone know what sacred music is appropriate for a wedding? I do plan on having them chant the responses during Mass as well.

Also I thought it would be beautiful to have the singers doing gregorian chant before the cermony, as the people are being seated. I was hoping it would add an air of sacredness to what usually is a circus. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Stephen
 
40.png
FrCorey:
I like handels water music and the wedding march.
Click to expand...
Yow!! Both are secular music and inappropriate in a Mass.

Panis Angelicus, Ave Maria, Ave Verum, though not one of my favorites Holy God We Praise Thy Name is still well known and folks will sing it, get a good hymnal and pick out what you like. The Orbis Factor settings of the Ordinary are wonderful. The Faure Kyrie is magnificent - though probably beyond the choir based on your concerns.
 
Panis Angelicus and the Ave Maria are pretty popular wedding songs…although I love when couples request the “Ave Maria by Barbra Streisand”…oops…

I’d avoid Here Comes the Bride and There Goes the Bride.

Some possibilites…any setting of “When Love is Found” the text by Brian Wren.

Michael Joncas wrote a very good Nuptial Blessing that uses classical song design for the verses and refrain.

Psalm XXIII is a good processional, as is Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring…Trumpet Tune, Trumpet Voluntary.

If you want something chant like, find a setting of Psalm 128 from the Grail…Michael Guimont wrote one that works pretty well.
 
I had contemporary Christian music…“he is exalted” for the recessional, we read the psalm, candle lighting we did God you are my God by Rich muellens.
 
Monteverdi, Gabrielli, and Vivaldi all wrote wonderful liturgical music for choirs which has been transcribed for organ and trumpet which can be used for processionals and recessionals at weddings. Ask your organist for suggestions. Hey, we used the medieval Agincourt Carol as a recessional for our wedding many years ago but that is another story.
 
Pax vobiscum!

My cousin just got married last summer and he and his wife had a very traditional wedding (it certainly helped that my uncle was the celebrant!). They used the music from the Missa de Angelus (the Kyrie, Agnus Dei, ect.) and also had Panis Angelicus and Ave Maria. We also did the Litany of the Saints during the Presentation to Our Lady and St. Joseph. I’ll find the booklet for the Mass and post the exact songs for you.

In Christ,
Rand
 
While people are being seated:

Wachet Auf, - Bach
Schaefe koennen sicher weiden - Bach
Air on a G String - Bach

for the procession

Trumpet Tune - Purcell
Water Music - Handel
Royal Fireworks Music - Handel
Bridal Chorus (from the opera Lohengrin) - Wagner
Canon in D, by Pachelbel
Largo from (from the opera Xerxes) - Handel
Where’er You Walk - Handel
Trumpet Tune - Clarke

for the interlude during the ceremony

Ave Maria - Bach
Ave Maria - Schubert
Panis Angelicus - Franck
Dance of the Blessed Spirits - Gluck
Meditation (from the opera Thais) - Massenet,
Clair de Lune - Debussy
Reverie - Debussy
Gymnopedie #1 - Satie
Andante Cantabile - Tchaikovsky
Nocturne - Mendelssohn

for the recessional

Wedding March - Mendelssohn
Allegro (from Spring, the Four Seasons) - Vivaldi
Trumpet Voluntary - Stanley
And the Glory of the Lord (from the oratorio Messiah) - Handel
Alleluja (from the motet Exultate, Jubilate) - Mozart

These songs plus some others are listed as suggested wedding music on a Traditionalist website that is not in union with Rome.
 
40.png
gelsbern:
While people are being seated:

Wachet Auf, - Bach
Schaefe koennen sicher weiden - Bach
Air on a G String - Bach

for the procession

Trumpet Tune - Purcell
Water Music - Handel
Royal Fireworks Music - Handel
Bridal Chorus (from the opera Lohengrin) - Wagner
Canon in D, by Pachelbel
Largo from (from the opera Xerxes) - Handel
Where’er You Walk - Handel
Trumpet Tune - Clarke

for the interlude during the ceremony

Ave Maria - Bach
Ave Maria - Schubert
Panis Angelicus - Franck
Dance of the Blessed Spirits - Gluck
Meditation (from the opera Thais) - Massenet,
Clair de Lune - Debussy
Reverie - Debussy
Gymnopedie #1 - Satie
Andante Cantabile - Tchaikovsky
Nocturne - Mendelssohn

for the recessional

Wedding March - Mendelssohn
Allegro (from Spring, the Four Seasons) - Vivaldi
Trumpet Voluntary - Stanley
And the Glory of the Lord (from the oratorio Messiah) - Handel
Alleluja (from the motet Exultate, Jubilate) - Mozart

These songs plus some others are listed as suggested wedding music on a Traditionalist website that is not in union with Rome.
Click to expand...
Wow. Thanks. Can you share with me the website where you got this? You can pm me if you like.

S
 
See?
I told you handel’s water music and the wedding march!
most 2 requested for a wedding in or out of mass.
 
40.png
FrCorey:
See?
I told you handel’s water music and the wedding march!
most 2 requested for a wedding in or out of mass.
Click to expand...
Maybe, but it is still inappropriate to use secular music at a Mass or other liturgy. Why not go with “Brown Eyed Girl”? How about “Catholic Girls Start Much to Late” They’re popular and have a wide audience.

That a priest would knowingly allow, let alone encourage, the use of secular music is another symptom of the problems with the Church today.
 
I’m not so sure that “Water Music” is that problematic…

The wedding march and Here Comes the Bride certainly have issues.
 
My favorite (and my biggest request for my wedding) was “Joyful Joyful” aka “Ode to Joy”(I think). It makes a great recessional! Also the Ash Grove (“Sent forth by God’s Blessing”).
I found cds with wedding music on them and many pieces were appropriate for a church ceremony. That way you can listen and see which you like and put names to them. I knew some of the pieces of music but not by name so it was nice to be able to indicate to the music director what I was talking about.

HTH
Elizabeth
 
We had Servant Song sung before the wedding and Ave Maria for the mothers coming down the aisle and then an instrumental version of Servant Song for when I came down the aisle (I think it’s really beautiful) lyrics as follows:
  1. Brother, let me be your servant.
    Let me be as Christ to you.
    Pray that I might have the grace
    To let you be my servant, too.
  2. We are pilgrims on a journey.
    We are brothers on the road.
    We are here to help each other
    Walk the mile and bear the load.
  3. I will hold the Christ-light for you
    In the night time of your fear.
    I will hold my hand out to you;
    Speak the peace you long to hear.
  4. I will weep when you are weeping.
    When you laugh, I’ll laugh with you.
    I will share your joy and sorrow
    Till we’ve seen this journey through.
  5. When we sing to God in heaven,
    We shall find such harmony
    Born of all we’ve known together
    Of Christ’s love and agony.
We processed out to Joyful Joyful

I was happy with our music choices…good luck!
 
40.png
slewi:
I’m having a NO wedding in October. It will be as traditional as the NO can get around here, with some latin. Based on what I hear every Sunday at Mass, I do not trust the music director to bring me traditional music ideas. I don’t want music from ‘Phantom of the Opera’. Does anyone know what sacred music is appropriate for a wedding? I do plan on having them chant the responses during Mass as well.

Also I thought it would be beautiful to have the singers doing gregorian chant before the cermony, as the people are being seated. I was hoping it would add an air of sacredness to what usually is a circus. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Stephen
Click to expand...
This posting is very passionate and moving. While I applaud :clapping: your conviction, have you even considered your Bride to be?

Does she have any say in this or is she yelding to your demands?

Who is paying for the wedding? If her side is paying for it, you really have NO say in any of the planning, If you are paying for it, you only have 1/100 say in the planning.
 
40.png
ehanway:
My favorite (and my biggest request for my wedding) was “Joyful Joyful” aka “Ode to Joy”
Click to expand...
Beethoven is hard to beat - though I caution against using well known tunes even modified for sacred purposes. The songs set to Haydn’s “Austria” always make me think of “Deutschland Uber Alles” - not exactly what I want to be thinking of. The use of Holst’s Planets for songs likewise brings to mind matters I’d rather not consider during Mass. However, at least they are great tunes, and the things I think of are at least only a personal matter.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top