Something old, something new, something borrowed…something cool!
Changes in Liturgical Seasons provide great opportunities to change things up a bit. They are also wonderful times to get creative. I just received an email from someone who is creating music for an Advent Penitential Rite based on the Kyrie I composed/arranged in the Mass of Celebration. (WLP 008213) She composed her own verses based on the theme/harmonic structure of this Kyrie, which they’ve been using, and is planning on interspersing them among the 3 ‘refrains.’ This way the assembly can have something old (or familiar) combined with something new. It’s still fresh for the new season, but familiar enough that they will be able to sing it easily.
That’s often the trickiest part about changing acclamations for Advent. There are only 4 weeks. Learning something completely new that goes away in a month is not always the best choice. But, if it can be combined with something familiar, then the chance of success goes way up.
I spoke last year of creating a Gospel Acclamation out of The First Noel, where, instead of singing “Noel, noel, noel, noel! Born is the King of Israel,” you would sing “Alleluia, alleluia! Come, Holy King of Israel!” Then, at Midnight Mass and the following Christmas Season you would sing “Alleluia, alleluia! Born is the King of Israel.” It works beautifully. Most everyone already knows the melody and you could even get a little more creative with the chords to change it up even further.
I’ve also used the melody of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” as the basis for a “Holy, Holy.” OCP publishes a wonderful “Lamb of God” by Kevin Keil based on “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” (Glory & Praise II, # 150)
As always, our goal is to enable and encourage the assembly to sing these acclamations, not listen to the choir. Giving them a familiar melody with a new text can really help engage everyone.
Please share with me your thoughts and ideas on what has worked, and maybe what hasn’t worked so well. Perhaps we can share some fresh, new ways to help each other out!