This article first appeared on 2024-03-27
but many have been requesting it—
therefore we’ve “re-printed” below.
ARISHES WHICH SING the CREED in English might be interested my setting, dedicated to Saint Felix. It’s the one found in the “appendix” of the Saint Isaac Jogues Illuminated Missal, Gradual, and Lectionary. In composing this piece, I had four basic goals: (a) I wanted this setting to be interesting, so people don’t get bored after a few weeks. (b) It needed to be singable—so I kept the congregational sections in a low range, with somewhat simple melodies. (c) The congregational sections tend toward a “brighter” reciting tone, while the cantor parts hover around a “darker” reciting tone—again, in the interest of variety. (d) I treated the cadences differently each time, rather than doing the same thing a billion times, over and over.
Yesterday morning—28 March 2024—I recorded the Saint Felix Creed:
Here’s the direct URL link.
* PDF Download • Gregorian Notation (Treble Clef)
* PDF Download • Organ Accompaniment (2 pages)
You can download this congregational insert for the Saint Felix Creed. A special version for choir members who can’t read Gregorian notation is also available.
On 20 March 2014, my musical setting was approved for liturgical use in the United States by The Committee on Divine Worship (a standing committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops). The setting is dedicated to my brother, who is a priest.
OR QUITE a surprisingly long time, the CREED continued to be sung in Greek, not Latin. On page 270 of the Saint Isaac Jogues Illuminated Missal you will discover something utterly remarkable: a color photograph from the 11th century with the CREED in both Latin and Greek. The Latin was written on top—in orange letters—and the Greek underneath. As Dr. Peter Wagner wrote: “The scribes seldom knew Greek, so these renderings of Greek texts into Latin characters teem with mistakes of every kind.” Needless to say, singing the Nicene Creed in Latin is also a venerable and ancient tradition.
A Latin Version • If your choir sings in Latin, you might consider the following version. It’s the ancient Gregorian Chant CREDO VII, interspersed with polyphonic sections I composed (as well as astounding canonical excerpts from Father Guerrero). Below is a ‘live’ recording of our 100% volunteer choir singing this version last Sunday.
The polyphonic sections begin at marker 0:33.
Free rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #33782.
You’ll notice that rehearsal videos for each individual voice are available. This can save tons of rehearsal time!
