Bread From Heaven: New Book of English Eucharistic Motets
An announcement from my colleague Heath Morber:
At the behest of (and with the help of) my colleague Ben Yanke, I’ve just released a collection of motets entitled “Bread From Heaven”, drawn from existing works from the Renaissance masters and set with English Eucharistic texts.
These are two- and three-part motets from des Pres, di Lasso, and Palestrina, drawn mostly from excerpts within their Latin Mass settings. Using seven Eucharistic texts (the “Ad Libitum” antiphons in the Roman Gradual), I fitted the English text to the original notes (modifying some rhythms) and transposed each for multiple voice configurations (SA, AT, SAT, ATB, etc.) Each text has a two- and three- part setting and multiple editions for a total of 14 different motets with 49 total settings!
I’ve sung nearly all of these with students here at St. John’s in Champaign, IL and they’ve been perfect for times when I can only round up a talented cantor or two and want something dignified to use for communion.
The collection can be found at lulu.com, direct link here:
Please note the extensive sample (also available here); it gives you a good feel for the flavor of the whole collection.
I do hope that this will be a great resource for your music program!
Don’t Forget: Early Registration for the Colloquium Ends in TEN DAYS
Have you been to the Colloquium before? Never been, but always wanted to? If you want to come this year, now is the time to get ready! For all the information you could need, visit the CMAA’s site here. In order to make deadline for the early bird registration, you must have your registration in by March 1, 2015, and you can save $50 from your registration fee. I’m currently working on my arrangements to be there, and I hope to see you there!
Check out all the old Chant Cafe posts on the colloquium here, including some videos I created last year, including the one below:
Massive Improvement from the Sistine Chapel Choir
The Sistine Chapel choir is the choir who sings for the papal Masses at St. Peter’s Basilica and other papal ceremonies in Vatican City. Unfortunately, it’s common knowledge among musicians that while their selections of music have typically been very good (such as gregorian ordinaries and polyphonic motets), their performance of said music has, in the past, often been overly operatic and low in quality.
However, I woke up yesterday morning, and saw a notification on my phone that the Papal Music youtube channel had uploaded a new video from the Consistory in Rome, so I opened it and expected more of the same. But I opened it up and was shocked to find their quality had massively improved:
I am not sure what is going on there with their choir, but whatever is going on, their gradual improvement is going very well, and I am very interested to see where this goes in the future.
For comparison, here are a few past performances of the same piece:
Serenades for Your Sweetheart: A Clever Valentines Sacred Music Fundraiser
Fundraising is something many choirs often deal with to help provide a budget for their program. One CMAA member is doing a clever idea this valentines day: Serenades for Your Sweetheart. For those who might be interested, I’d encourage you to check this out! All orders must be received by Friday, February 13th.
Over 30 young choristers from the Cathedral Children’s Choir in the Diocese of Joliet-in-Illinois are preparing to travel to the Vatican this December to participate in the 40th International Congress of Pueri Cantores.
You can help them raise the funds for their trip by ordering your loved one(s) a live phone serenade for Valentine’s Day!
For a donation of just $20/call, you can surprise your special someone with a gift they’ll remember far more than flowers. Make your selection from a dozen classic love songs including broadway, folk, and ballads. Click here to view details and order online, or to order by phone call Laura at 815.341.4140.
This gift is great not just for spouses/fiancés/boyfriends/girlfriends, but also parents, grandparents, siblings, children, godparents, godchildren, or friends!
You’re also invited to like the CCC on Facebook here, where you can follow their preparations, and where photo and video will be shared from their pilgrimage later this year.
The History of Solfege: Ut Re Me!
Many of you may remember when I posted a view a few months ago from Tom Allen at CBC Music on the Dies Irae and how it has seeped throughout musical history (link here). It was very nicely made, and I enjoyed it a lot. Now, they have done another one, this time on the history of the solfège system (hint, it was from a chant). This one is a bit more lighthearted, but just as informational and interesting.
Here is the actual chant that he’s discussing:
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| Click the image for a recording as well |
So that your servants may, with loosened voices, resound the wonders of your deeds, clean the guilt from our stained lips, O Saint John.
Te Deum Tuesday: Bruckner
This week, the Te Deum is by Bruckner. Thanks to Dr Peter Kwasniewski for sending it in!