Want to start a Latin Mass choir

[badabing98]

I attend an Indult Traditional Latin Mass in Plymouth Meeting PA and want to know about how you form a choir (Currently we only do a spoken low mass). Can anyone email me with suggestions about organizing? Materials? Web links?

Thanks

[jrny]

What kind of choir do you want to start? A schola or a mixed choir? If your intention is to have a heavy emphasis on chant, I can try to help you out.

By the way, where is Plymouth Meeting? Also, by spoken Low Mass, do you mean a Dialogue Mass where the people vocally participate? If so, that is awesome!

[badabing98]

Hi - its actually on the edge of Norristown at Our lady of Mount Carmel blackhorse which is the mission churh of Holy Saviour in Norristown. Its not a dialogue mass. I would like to have a mixed choir with an emphasis on chant.

Any help would be great!

[siunevada]

Here's the basic Latin chants in reproducible form, I think if you do a search on the title you'll also find published material at Amazon and other bookstores that are relatively inexpensive:

http://www.ceciliaschola.org/pdf/jubilatec.pdf#search='jubilate%20deo'

[jrny]

For starters, a lot of seminarians at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philly have friendly ties to Mater Ecclesiae (the first all Tridentine Church staffed by a Diocese as opposed to an Order such as the FSSP) Church in Berlin, NJ. The Church donated 180 copies of the "Liber Cantualis" (a sort of abridged form of the Liber Usualis) to the seminary a couple years ago, for example. Some of these seminarians may be available or willing to assist you since you're in the general area.

Copies of the Liber Usualis are very expensive ($100-$125 each usually). I would suggest purchasing cheap Roman Kyriales. These books contain about 4 or 5 of the most commonly used chant settings for the Ordinary of the Mass, plus all 6 Credos and the Asperges/Vidi Aquam. Angelus Press and the FSSP Publications both carry these, and they cost a few dollars each.

[badabing98]

I remember reading about the church donating copies of the "Liber Catualis". I just wonder how I would contact the seminary about what I want to do? Do you know of any seminarians there?

[jrny]

I don't know anyone personally from the seminary. Have you spoken to your pastor?

[Coemgen]

Do you subscribe to Latin Mass Magazine, or can you get a copy? The Fall 2005 issue contains an article about how to start a schola. Part II will be in the next issue. If you can't find a copy, let me know, and maybe I can send you the article.