[22/2/2014 – NB – Some of these backings are pretty lousy. I have better ones for the Holy Holy and Gloria here.]
This mass by Paul Taylor was one of the six recommended settings, and one of two that I thought feasible for the suburbs. I have noted previously that the musicians at our training sessions expressed reservations in that while it was easy to sight read, it was not particularly memorable.
On the plus side, you can download the melody line version and MP3s of cantors and organs doing the pieces here, and I suggest you do that and once you have printed out the music sing along and decide for yourself. My wife thought there was nothing wrong with it and that’s my mind made up for me. I’m not convinced it’s a masterpiece but the Gloria at least has some triplets and accidentals to at least try to be distinctive. I don’t like the acclamations, however. They have musical equivalent of an upward inflection.
Even if you thought the music on the dull side, what could be done to make it less so? Imagine if Dire Straits were playing at your mass and you asked Band in a Box to have a stab at that. I’m not sure if it helps, but it is certainly different to the organ version.
Gloria
Holy Holy
We proclaim
When we eat
Save us
Amen
Lamb of God
*NB post edited 4.11.2011
I disagree. I find Paul’s composition not only melodious, but so beautiful it is also haunting. I’ve sincerley thanked Paul for a composition people can sing easily and enjoy praying to God with these lovely sounds.
Thanks, Brian. Our neighbouring parish St Peters at Rochedale is using it and I hope to get up there to hear them do it. It is certainly being widely used and recommended and it may be that the musicians who didn’t like it are the wrong people to ask about such things. It is certainly playable, unlike at least half of the six recommended settings and Paul is to be congratulated for considering the skills of the average parish musician.
I agree. We’ve used it throughout our diocese and it has been well received by most. We needed something easy and quick to assist with learning the new texts. We’ve used it all year and it will probably be relegated to an “ordinary time” setting as we begin to learn other settings. A common complaint is that the Gloria is dull…I have found that this is only the case if the duple time signature given by the composer is ignored…play it well and it’s quite uplifting. Most important is to teach the triplets very well at the outset to avoid parochial errors (I tell ’em to sing “strawberry” in the rehearsals and the correct rhythm sticks). Thanks Paul for a great contribution for an immediate pastoral need!
We do not always have an accompianist at all our Masses. We find the Mass of St Francis easy to sing without a pianist. It is simple and reverent and adds another dimension to the Mass.
can you send me the piano sheet for glory to god please,
G’Day Jay
Our parish bought a copy from the Central Catholic Bookshop in Melbourne.
http://www.catholicbookshop.com.au/Default.aspx?A=ProductSearch&ID=/resultpage.htm
Geoff
hello Geoff, would you please send me copy of the midi and biab of all these versions from the Mass of St Francis. Thank you very much. David
I’ll be in touch.
Geoff
Where can I download these mp3 tracks as the link won’t work?
I’ll be in touch.
Geoff
Where can I listen to Alleluia version of Paul Taylor- Mass of St Francis Setting, please? Thank you.
Jessie Byrnes
Jessieboct3@gmail.com
G’Day Jesse
I’ve put a backing, regrettably in the same questionable style as the above, on a new post:
https://www.sixmaddens.org/the-alleluia-from-taylors-mass-of-st-francis/
cheers
Geoff
We use the Mass of St. Francis at our parish and it is well loved by the congregation. Will continue to use it for the future, and I would say it is probably one of the easiest. I play and sing this and it is always great to hear the engagement and worship also from the rest of the Church community here in Marsden, QLD.
G’Day Elenora
The parish I moved to in Tasmania uses this mass exclusively and it works very well.
I miss the Mass of Glory and Praise by Paul Mason, but I don’t think the assembly would cope with more than one mass setting for now.
I think after all these years it has established itself as a go to mass setting in Australia.
cheers
Geoff