AST AUTUMN, at the onset of my new position, I began earnestly growing the choral program at my parish. This involved starting three (3) parish Scholae Cantorum. So, as one can imagine, they’re still in their infancy. I continuously pray that more parishioners will gravitate up to the choir loft and join. In the meantime, I will happily work with the wonderful choristers who do such a nice job, even during this “small-but-mighty” stage. With that in mind, I’m always seeking choral works that can be effectively performed by the smaller number of voices I, gratefully, do have.1 Hopefully, SATB repertoire is in the future for my parish—but in the meantime I plan to use a couple articles to showcase some pieces that I’ve found for my small choir that are fun, nuanced, and beautiful.
I found this O Sacrum Convivium by Roberto Remondi (arranged for SAB) on one of my Choral Wiki deep dives:
* PDF Download • O SACRUM CONVIVIUM (SAB)
—Roberto Remondi (d. 1928) • Edited by Walter Perz.
Click here to hear my Schola Cantorum singing live at Mass following the Communion Proper for the Solemnity of All Saints. This Schola Cantorum is a fully volunteer choir, comprised of teens and adults. They sing the 9:00am Mass, three out of four weekends each month. There’s a wide range of expertise: from very experienced choristers (some with music degrees) to a gentleman who’d never sung in a choir in his life before joining. I have a few more choral pieces waiting in the wings to share with those of you who—like me—desire music that elevates our beautiful liturgy, but are not blessed yet with 40+ singers filling up your choir lofts. Beautiful music can be made at all numbers!
1 I currently have very few men.
