Just getting my thoughts around planning the Mass for Corpus Christi (coming to a church near you a couple of Sundays from now). Looking at choices of choir pieces I was reminded I'd seen Messiaen's O Sacrum Convivium in among the recommendations for the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, in Preparing the Liturgy in the Winter 2006 Music and Liturgy.
Tongue in cheek, right? I'm not suggesting that no readers of M & L are likely to sing it when the occasion calls for it. My own choir's done it in the past, though I've left it a bit late to rehearse it for a fortnight away. I'm just saying that it's unlikely to feature in the top, oh, four hundred Eucharistic motets performed by choirs whose directors subscribe to all things M & L and SSG. Who were the editors trying to impress?
Besides, what was supposed to happen when we got to the alleluias? Humming?
mcb wrote:Just getting my thoughts around planning the Mass for Corpus Christi (coming to a church near you a couple of Sundays from now). Looking at choices of choir pieces I was reminded I'd seen Messiaen's O Sacrum Convivium in among the recommendations for the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, in Preparing the Liturgy in the Winter 2006 Music and Liturgy.
Tongue in cheek, right? I'm not suggesting that no readers of M & L are likely to sing it when the occasion calls for it. My own choir's done it in the past, though I've left it a bit late to rehearse it for a fortnight away. I'm just saying that it's unlikely to feature in the top, oh, four hundred Eucharistic motets performed by choirs whose directors subscribe to all things M & L and SSG. Who were the editors trying to impress?
Ouch! That's a bit sharp, mcb. I wasn't trying to impress anyone - merely recognising that a few of our readers are, like yourself, cathedral directors of music, and that M&L should serve them too. That's also why I include some of John Tavener's more demanding pieces. However, I always try to suggest a range of pieces, from easy through to difficult.
Besides, what was supposed to happen when we got to the alleluias? Humming?
LOL! That was a mistake, of course. Thanks for pointing it out (albeit publicly ); I will try to remember not to include it next year.
When we were discussing the use of Latin last July, I was thinking of setting an English translation of O Sacrum Convivium, and I asked if anyone was able to provide a faithful translation. I was just thinking of going back to the idea, which never took off last year.
Don't stop making such suggestions in the M&L Liturgy Planner, even though they may be way above the reach of most church choirs - they are inspirational (I have just listened again to my tape of the Messiaen). I've also wondered about Messiaen's second mode of limited transposition as a starting point for composition (see M&L Vol 32 No3 - Composition Workshop, Harmony). Dare we be different from Bernadette Farrell? Of course we dare (particularly when it's probably only going to be an academic exercise).
Moreover, we could do worse than Martin Barry's setting of O Sacrum Convivium, presented at Composers' Group Leicester in 2005 with James MacMillan - quite a little jewel to the best of my memory. There ought to be room in our liturgy for new music that appeals at a higher level than just a tune.
I'm not suggesting that no readers of M & L are likely to sing it when the occasion calls for it. My own choir's done it in the past, though I've left it a bit late to rehearse it for a fortnight away. I'm just saying that it's unlikely to feature in the top, oh, four hundred Eucharistic motets performed by choirs whose directors subscribe to all things M & L and SSG. Who were the editors trying to impress? 
); I will try to remember not to include it next year.
