Nick Baty wrote:I will probably be censored for going off-topic but we haven't used hymn books for many years as they are so limiting. We produce a service sheet each week which contains everything the assembly needs including Gloria, psalm refrain, Eucharistic acclamations, communion song etc. Also, if we tried to used "complete" settings we'd have a smaller repertoire: we currently have six sets of acclamations but only three Glorias and four lambs.
What do people use at weekday funerals etc and Sunday masses that don't involve you?
We have tried a number of masses (and, like Phil, I mix 'em up). The most popular seems to be Chris Walker's Belmont setting, which we use as the 'standard' setting on Sundays and it goes well, generally unaccompanied, at mid-week masses, funerals, holydays etc. On those occasions, the missal chants (English, Latin or mixed) also get a look-in - usually unaccompanied (with the exception of the missal chant English Gloria setting, which is, I think, dreadful).
We tried the Psallite Mass (Collegeville Press), but it was not universally popular, Paul Inwood's revised Gathering Mass, but everyone just got confused (rehearsals went well, but it kept falling apart with the congregation), and a few others. Funnily enough, the one that really raised the roof at the Christmas Night Mass was the Missa de Angelis Kyrie, when I thought that there would be no-one around who would remember it! James MacMillan's Gloria and Agnus Dei from his Mass for Blessed John Henry Newman are pretty popular with everyone, and they get an outing at big events , but not teamed with his Sanctus, which does not go well with our congregation. The biggest problem with MacMillan is that Boosey & Hawkes issue (relatively expensive) congregation cards and my search for print permission (we do the same as Nick does with printed sheets with the music on) was a major trial because they just did not 'get it' (the the staff are very nice and helpful though!). I would love to know how many full music copies have been sold since the John Henry Newman Mass was actually published.
I used Christopher Walker's Glastonbury Acclamations for a huge deanery mass (2,600 in congregation) and they went well, and Alan Smith's Pershore Mass Kyrie & Gloria and Peter Jones's St Chad Acclamations for the rededication of our city's mother church and (i) they went well and (ii) they are used in the parish. I have high hopes for Martin Barry's new Mass (not yet published, but tried out at the SSG WInter Assembly in November).
keitha wrote:.......On those occasions, the missal chants (English, Latin or mixed) also get a look-in - usually unaccompanied (with the exception of the missal chant English Gloria setting, which is, I think, dreadful).
I couldn't agree more, which is a big reason why we only use the Missal Chants during the Penitential Seasons.
Our attempts at the Belmont have succeeded. It took quite some time but it's now sounding lovely and the congregation is very much more confident. Time to start thinking about introducing the next setting!
I can't remember where, but I heard a rumour a couple of years ago that Peter Jones was going to do an SATB version of his "Parish Mass". Did that ever come to fruition?
