ROUGHOUT my life, I have experienced something to which many artists can relate: I tend to loathe my compositions once I have “moved on” to other things. Readers may remember that about five years ago I basically stopped composing because of a “revelation” I received apropos the music of Father Francisco Guerrero. I realized Guerrero was composing on a completely different level; and this came out of his years of listening to choirs (since he was a small boy) and carefully studying music with his teacher, Father Cristóbal de Morales. I repeat: His music is on a completely different level. So I stopped composing. But a few days ago, I received a telephone call from one of the most famous choirmasters alive today. (He is not from the United States, by the way.) This person told me repeatedly how much my compositions meant to him. Indeed, he insisted on singing many of them over the phone! His kind words meant the world to me. The end result? I’m considering composing again, perhaps even before the year ends.
In the meantime, I will be releasing five (5) Mass settings which I composed about ten years ago. We begin with the “Mass in honor of Saint Ralph Sherwin.”
* PDF Download • ORGAN ACCOMPANIMENTS
—Organ Accompaniment for the “Our Father” is included.
* PDF Printable • Modern Notation Booklet
—Make sure to select “double sided” when you print this.
* PDF Printable • Gregorian Notation Booklet
—Make sure to select “double sided” when you print this.
Let me be honest: I am not pleased with the quality of the rehearsal videos, but some might find them useful:
* Rehearsal Video • “Kyrie Eleison” (St. Sherwin)
* Rehearsal Video • “Lord, have mercy” (St. Sherwin)
* Rehearsal Video • “Glory to God” (St. Sherwin)
* Rehearsal Video • “Holy, Holy, Holy” (St. Sherwin)
* Rehearsal Video • “Mystery of Faith” (St. Sherwin)
Mæstro Gregory Glenn, one of greatest Catholic choirmasters in America, has said: “The Saint Ralph Sherwin Gloria is a remarkably prayerful musical setting of the text that is sure to serve our worship for years to come—well worth the investment of time to teach your parish community.”
Artwork taken from the The 12th Century Missal of Limoges.
