Missal tones advice

[zarlino]

Dear all,

I am hoping to submit a setting of the Eucharistic Acclamations for publication approval. One of the documents states: "It is necessary to include an indication of the pitch of the Missal tones for the Invitation to the Memorial Acclamation and Doxology. Composers may include their own setting of these texts but the Missal tones should always be included."

The settings are in a major key (E flat major), but as far as I can tell the Missal tones are modal, ending on la. The first note of each setting is E flat and the first chord is I. What pitch should I indicate for the Missal tones? Just ending on E flat, or would the resulting modal confusion be frowned upon? Might this be considered too low?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Zarlino

[Peter]

My suggestion for what it's worth would be to start on F, so that the Mystery of Faith tone uses F, Ab and Bb. For all the theory about modal tones, you're writing a tonal piece and in that context the Bb you finish on sounds like a dominant inviting a start on your tonic Eb. By the same token, the Doxology starting on F to Ab naturally finishes F-G-F leading naturally back to Eb for the start of the Great Amen. The setting I use is in D, starting on the tonic, so I specified E as the starting note for Missal tones: I find it works in practice - and the Panel approved it!