What Mass Settings are you using?

[jskumro]

Hello everyone!

So I now have my first steady gig at a Church! I'm playing for Saturday 4PM Mass and Sunday 10AM Mass.

But I'm still new to liturgical music. I have been bouncing back and forth between the Mass of Creation and Heritage Mass, because that's the only two that this congregation knows, (and that I know well.) I really enjoy the Mass of Creation, but it's done so much, that I don't want to overuse it. I really don't like the Heritage mass at all.

Does anyone have any recommendations on good Mass settings that I could use? I'm looking for something that could be used with Choir, but more importantly without Choir, something the congregation could easily sing, and be enthusiastic while singing - the way they are while singing the Mass of Creation.

Thanks!

[Menschenstimme]

How about? --

Owen Alstott's "Good Shepherd Mass" (except for the fact that it does not have a Gloria)

OR

Schubert's congregational Mass (English translation)

[njschranz]

I wouldn't rush into a new Mass setting just yet.....the new English translation of the Mass will go into effect in America soon, so all of these mass settings will become obsolete. Composers are just starting to write settings to the revised wording. For more information on the new translation check out usccb.org

[g3]

We use the two mentioned above, but also like The Hurd Mass and The Mass Of Hope. We often use piano and organ with The Mass Of Hope. We also use Peloquin's Gloria from Mass Of The Bells.

George (G3)

[ab1078]

We currently rotate Mass of Creation(Haugen), A Community Mass(Proulx), Mass for the City(Proulx), and the St. Louis Jesuits Mass(Dufford) with some other settings of the Gloria and Lamb of God thrown in for variety. Proulx's Mass for the City is my favorite out of those. Although, as another member already noted, the new translations should be going into effect soon and will unfortunately make most of the current mass settings unusable. You can 'preview' some of the new settings on OCP's website ocp.org. (there should be a link on the homepage.) I listened to a few and wasn't really pleased with what I was hearing. Most of them sound strongly pop/folk/contemporary influenced and not very "organ friendly" if you know what I mean.

[jskumro]

Thanks everyone for the recommendations so far! Do you think that I should just continue using Creation for a while then? The congregation sings it well, but it seems as if it's frowned upon to always use the same mass setting. - Like I said, I'm new to liturgical music so I'm getting familiar with the music, and the nuances of the mass.

[njschranz]

At the episcopal church where I attend and occasionally play we use 2 settings. One for Advent and Lent (Schubert's Deutsche Messe) and the other (Proulx's Community Mass) for the rest of the year. The Schubert of course is the simpler of the two in keeping with the mood of the season.

[onedayeremains]

jskumro (because the others dont know you IRL) I have TONS of copies of some other Mass settings I would be happy to give/lend you. Some of them, while they may be unfamiliar to your congregation, are so simple anyone could learn them over a couple Sundays (even those stubborn South Buffalo Catholics)

I find that when you've just recently started playing for a particular congregation, you have to be VERY careful with introducing new music. Go over it with them briefly before Mass (before any formal prelude but while there are a good number of people present.) Also, if they'll allow it, run off some copies (properly licensed of course ;0 yeah right) to put in the pews. I hate the old "we dont know that one here", its not like they dont give you the words and music in that little book there in the pew...

I will scour my music at home and at my parent's place (I have to go there and try and fix my Allen sometime this week) and I will surely be seeing you soon, I am going to email a gentleman about getting us in to the Seminary in East Aurora for some console time. I figure how can he say no if I am bringing the two CMG scholarship winners with me? I will hopefully have a nice little pile of music for you (maybe lend you that Gospel Acclamations book too, the way it's laid out you could easily copy just a few pages and have nice Alleluias to play vs. those oversung Respond and Acclaim acclamations)

Community Mass is one of my favorites, and the church in Boston NY I told you about uses Haugen's Mass of Remembrance (probably the only thing I like that their organist uses. Sometimes his playing makes me chuckle, but everyone else who is singing is giving me the "cant you push him aside and take over?" look) the other nice thing about Remembrance is that the Eucharistic Acclamation II is just the refrain of the song "We Remember" which could then be worked in as a Communion hymn.

If you have a copy of OCP's RitualSong, I find that there's a nice little extra section of Mass parts that may not be complete Masses (missing a Gloria, or just some of the in between parts that never get sung at any Catholic Mass I've ever been to) and if you dont have a copy, I have more of them than I will ever need. I don't have the organ accomp. book but if you find a melody you like I am sure I could find the organ parts somewhere in my collection.

[njschranz]

I hope you get to play the Schlicker at the seminary in East Aurora. It is a great little instrument......I especially like the 8' Pommer - so gentle and yet so sweet. Too bad the instrument was never completed.....

[onedayeremains]

Too bad the instrument was never completed.....

I hear that they finally did finish it off, with the positiv division in the corner right behind the console. I love the 8' Pommer too! I havent played it in years but I do remember that particular stop was wonderful, and with the acoustics of the chapel at the Sem it really sounds lovely (im a big fan of stops like that, as I am a big fan of playing very softly while the priest is speaking certain parts of the Mass.)

Hopefully in two weeks or so we will all get out there. I have fallen in amongst a wonderful troupe of young organists including forum member jskumro) and we have been traveling Buffalo and the surrounding areas playing all sorts of instruments.

As for now its off to another church to see another organ, and then a long night of work for one of the nations leading family style botulism farms, Dennys.