The Propers: The priority for music at entrance, offertory, and communion are the propers of the Mass. The new Missal contains new translations of the propers. We still do not know what these will be. For years people supposed that they would be based on the Vulgate and those texts were stable since 2008. Suddenly, with the posting of a pirated version of the Missal, we discover that they might be based on the New Vulgate, which contradicts Liturgiam’s rules for translation. In any case, what is important for the choir is that none of this matters. You can sing any translation or you can use the Mass propers from the Roman Gradual, which are better in any case. There are many English editions already online and these will continue to be suitable. This site in cooperation with the CMAA is sponsoring a new set of simple propers and these will be ready in time. Most parishes should start with these. Final judgment here: The new Missal offers opportunities, not mandates.
The Dialogues: If your parish uses English, use the Missal versions of these chants. This pertains to all dialogues, including all Amens and the Mystery of Faith. I would strongly recommend against using any musical settings of the dialogues that come pre-packaged with “Mass settings.” There is no need for these to somehow match the ordinary of the Mass.This also goes for the Sprinkling Rite: Asperges outside of Easter and Vidi Aquam (or their English equivalent) in Paschal time. Can we please work to restore these traditional texts and melodies, and, at the very least, the distinction between the two chants? Final judgment here: sing what is in the Missal.
The Mass Ordinary: Again, the Missal chants should be the first and foundational choice of any parish. Going beyond them should usually mean moving to Latin. If the parish is not ready for that, consider these English adaptions of chant. If you want to stick with mainstream publishers, I’m personally impressed with the solemnity of The Mass of Grace by Lisa Stafford from World Library Publications. There are other polyphonic ordinaries appearing in the month ahead, which should be very interesting. Final judgment: you can get by with the Missal but there are many opportunities for progress here.
The Psalms: These will not change. The Revised Grail has been approved but probably won’t be implemented for another decade. I strongly suggest that you use Chabanel. They will continue to be valid and beautiful.
The Sung Readings: Again, there are no changes to the text here. You can sing the readings using existing resources.
Please, someone:
Print that on a post-card and mail it to every Roman Catholic parish in the English speaking world.
Could be possible if we set up another fund-raising site a la the Simple Propers Project. 😉
I strongly suggest that you use Chabanel. They will continue to be valid
… for the USA. In England & Wales we're still tethered to the Grail & its copyright restrictions. So no posting free psalm-settings on websites without permission, or the lawyers' letter will arrive.
I'm probably showing my ignorance here…but that doesn't usually stop me, so here goes. I'm all for having the basic, "default" common settting for my parish's service music be what is found in the new edition of the Roman Missal. Consider the Snow version of the Lord's Prayer. Like it or not, everyone really knows that one and really belts it out (in a good way.) If we had simple, sing-able versions of the rest of the Ordinary of the Mass (which were mindful of our tradition in that same way) I think it would be a really wonderful thing. And, hopefully–because of the new Missal–we now do have them. My concern, however, is this…what about the provision for accompaniment versions of these new Missal chants? I know that in the best of all possible worlds chant should be unaccompanied–but without being able to hand the accompanist something he or she can use to lead these chants with (at least initially) will make them a tough sell, indeed. The average parish musician may see the theoretical good in attempting to use the Missal chants, but when push comes to shove having to do them "accompaniment-free" will make it too scary and off they'll run to GIA or WLP or OCP like frightened bunnies, looking all the while for the next "Mass of Creation." Is anyone working on an "accompaniment book" for the Missal chants? Shouldn't someone be?