# Getting started with sacred music



## poetic

Where do I start?

What are the basic composers?

Basic Ave Marias? Stabat Maters? Missas?


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## Allegro Con Brio

Welcome to the forums and to the inexhaustibly rewarding world of sacred music! I highly recommend you take a look at The TC Top 100 Recommended Choral Works, which has enough material to keep you exploring for a very long time indeed. But here's a good "beginner 5":

Bach- Mass in B Minor
Faure- Requiem
Mozart- "Great" Mass in C Minor
Brahms- A German Requiem
Handel- Messiah

And of the three categories you mention, I'll give you some Stabat Maters. Dvorak, Szymanowski, Pergolesi, Vivaldi, and the one inside Liszt's _Christus_ for starters.


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## Bulldog

I'd also add some Bach Cantatas - check out BWV 147.


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## poetic

Thank you...Very helpful


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## poetic

Thank you. Will do! I'm not very familiar with Bach or classical music in general, I've been listening lightly on and off for 2 years.


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## Josquin13

Here's a survey of some of the best works per age or era in music history (although I've not listed any sacred music from the Middle Ages...). For each piece of music, I've provided a link to a performance on You Tube, so you can listen to it for free, but unfortunately not commercial free (so you might rather listen on Spotify instead). Occasionally, I've listed more than one performance, for reasons that should become apparent as you listen (i.e., contrasting interpretations, period vs. modern instruments, different pitches, etc.).

I. Early Renaissance--Generally, it's probably best to begin with the shorter motets, and then move on to the lengthier masses:

Josquin Desprez--Motets:
--Inviolata, integra, et casta es Maria: 



--Ave Maria: 



--La déploration de Jehan Ockeghem, Nymphes de bois:








--Miserere mei Deus secundum "Psalm 50": 



--Qui habitat: 




--Missa Gaudeamus: 




Jean Mouton--Nesciens Mater: 




Johannes Ockeghem-
--Deo gratias: 



--Mort, tu as navré de ton Dart--Déploration sur la mort de Gilles Binchois:








--Requiem: 




Guillaume Dufay--
--Flos Florum: 



--Nuper rosarum flores: 



--O Sancte Sebastiane: 



--Missa Se la face ay pale: 




Philippe De Vitry--Vos quied admiramini - Gratissima viginis specis: 




John Dunstable: Veni Sancte Spiritus/Veni Creator spiritus: 




Thomas Tallis--
--Spem in Alium: 



--Miserere nostri: 




John Sheppard--Media Vita: 




William Byrd--
--Masses for 3, 4, & 5 voices: Here is the Agnus Dei movement from the mass for four voices: 



--"Ye Sacred Muses" (consort song, Byrd's elegy on the death of his teacher, Thomas Tallis): 




II. Late Renaissance (if, after listening to the above, you want to hear more):

Orlando Lassus - Seven Penitential Psalms: 



Claudio Monteverdi - Vespro della beata Vergine, 1610: 



Gregorio Allegri - Miserere: 



Giovanni Palestrina - Missa Papae Marcelli: 




III. Baroque era: Again, I'd recommend starting with smaller doses, and then moving on to the more lengthy masterworks.

J.S. Bach - You might begin with Bach's shorter, wonderful Magnificat, BWV 243, & then move onto his Christmas Oratorio, great Mass in B minor, & St. Matthew Passion.
--Magnificat: 



--Christmas Oratorio: 



--Mass in B minor:
Performed on modern instruments: 



Performed in period instruments: 




George Frideric Handel - I'd suggest starting with Handel's Four Coronation Anthems, and then listening his Messiah, Samson, & Israel in Egypt.
--Four Coronation Anthems: 



--Messiah: 




Antonio Vivaldi: Gloria, RV 589 (in a wonderful recent recording from conductor Diego Fasolis): 




IV. Classical era

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart--
--Great Mass in C minor: 



--Requiem:
Performed on modern instruments: 



Performed on period instruments: 




If you wish to explore the classical era further, I'd suggest F.J. Haydn's The Creation (or Die Schöpfung) and various masses, and Beethoven's Missa Solemnis:

Franz Josef Haydn: 
--Missa in angustis "Lord Nelson Mass": 



--"Theresienmesse" (mass no. 12): 



--Die Schöpfung: 




Ludwig van Beethoven: 
--Missa Solemnis: 
Performed on period instruments: 



Performed on modern instruments: 




If you like any of the above music and want to purchase a recording, just ask, & I'd be happy to make some suggestions--although I've tried to, as much as possible, link to first rate recordings on You Tube, as available.

V. Romantic era & Late 19th Century:

Johannes Brahms--Requiem: 








Gabriel Faure--Requiem: 
(1893 version): 



(1900 version): 




If you wish to hear more from this period, I'd suggest the Requiems by Berlioz and Verdi, and Mendelssohn's oratorio, Elias (or Elijah).

VI. 20th Century

György Ligeti: Lux Aeterna: 



Frank Martin: Mass for Double Choir: 



Serge Rachmaninov: Vespers (All-Night Vigil): 








Joonas Kokkonen: Requiem: 




John Tavener (not to be confused with the English Renaissance composer, John Taverner):
--As one who has slept: 



--Eternity's Sunrise: 



--Darkness into Light: 



--Song of the Angel: 



--The Protecting Veil (not a choral work): 



--Ikon of Light: 




Arvo Pärt:
--De Profundis: 



--Passio (St. John Passion):



--Te Deum: 



--Da Pacem: 



--Tabula rasa (not a choral work): 




Peteris Vasks: Da pacem, Domine: 




Gavin Bryars: Cadman Requiem:




James McMillan: Stabat Mater: 




Ivan Moody: Words of the Angel: 




Yes, it's a lengthy list, & not meant to be explored all of once, but rather over time... If you take the time, I think you'll make some wonderful discoveries from the above music; although of course you may not like everything, or at least, as can happen, not every work on the first hearing.


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## Rogerx

Vivaldi's sacred works conducted by Vittorio Negri on Philips are very entertaining.
( Bargain price)


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## josquindesprez

If you're a bit new to classical and want to get a sense of how styles have shifted through the centuries and movements, there's a collection titled Stabat Mater (https://www.google.com/shopping/product/8514348108124610892?, it's a lot cheaper if you get a digital download) that has Stabat Maters from around 25 different composers. Might be a good starting place as well.

If you want some pretty amazing renaissance choral music, maybe start with something like this: https://www.allmusic.com/album/40-voices-mw0001945670.

And I'd say you can't really go wrong with Monteverdi's Vespers or Buxtehude's Membra Jesu Nostri either.


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## poetic

Wow thanks! You have me set up until next february HHHH Barak Allahu Fik


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## Xisten267

Try the mass below, it's one of the most beautiful of the Classical period in my opinion. For me, the Kyrie and the Agnus Dei/Qui Tollis are true jewels of Beethoven's music.






I hope that you enjoy it. 

P.S.: Although the performance above is very good, it seems to me that the tempo chosen by Gardiner for the Dona Nobis Pacem is a bit too fast. For that movement alone, try this other version instead:


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## eljr

Rogerx said:


> Vivaldi's sacred works conducted by Vittorio Negri on Philips are very entertaining.
> ( Bargain price)


I can't seem to find it????


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## Globalti

Buy the book "Year of Wonder" by the lovely Clemency Burton-Hill and listen to a new piece every morning while munching your cornflakes. That book started me off on several fruitful lines of enquiry and discoveries.


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## Rogerx

eljr said:


> I can't seem to find it????




B00000C2F9

Use that number finding it.


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## DavidA

Cracking disc


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## Enthusiast

Josquin13 said:


> VI. 20th Century
> 
> György Ligeti: Lux Aeterna:
> 
> 
> 
> Frank Martin: Mass for Double Choir:
> 
> 
> 
> Serge Rachmaninov: Vespers (All-Night Vigil):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Joonas Kokkonen: Requiem:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> John Tavener (not to be confused with the English Renaissance composer, John Taverner):
> --As one who has slept:
> 
> 
> 
> --Eternity's Sunrise:
> 
> 
> 
> --Darkness into Light:
> 
> 
> 
> --Song of the Angel:
> 
> 
> 
> --The Protecting Veil (not a choral work):
> 
> 
> 
> --Ikon of Light:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Arvo Pärt:
> --De Profundis:
> 
> 
> 
> --Passio (St. John Passion):
> 
> 
> 
> --Te Deum:
> 
> 
> 
> --Da Pacem:
> 
> 
> 
> --Tabula rasa (not a choral work):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Peteris Vasks: Da pacem, Domine:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Gavin Bryars: Cadman Requiem:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> James McMillan: Stabat Mater:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ivan Moody: Words of the Angel:


In general this was an excellent list. But the 20th century part (quoted above) lacks quite a lot including Stravinsky (Symphony of Psalms, Mass, Requiem Canticles etc), Messiaen (too many works to mention - most of his music has some religious connection), Poulenc's Gloria and Vaughan Williams (including Dona Nobis Pacem and Sancta Civitas). There are many more including Britten's War Requiem (although we can doubt that Britten's interest was religious), Tippett's Vision of Saint Augustine ... and so on. Many of these are quite accessible some are among the greatest music written!


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## Sad Al

Cipriano de Rore - Missa Praeter rerum seriem




Obrecht - Missa Fortuna Desperata




Victoria - Tenebrae


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## adriesba

My recommendations:

Bach's _Magnificat_
Handel's _Messiah_
Mozart's _Requiem_
Verdi's _Requiem_
Schmidt's _Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln_


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## gellio

Haydn's _The Creation_ is wonderful. Along with Beethoven's _Missa Solemnis_ and Bach's _Saint Matthew Passion_ It rounds out my top 3 favorite sacred works.


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## adriesba

gellio said:


> Haydn's _The Creation_ is wonderful. Along with Beethoven's _Missa Solemnis_ and Bach's _Saint Matthew Passion_ It rounds out my top 3 favorite sacred works.


Ah, yes, _The Creation_. I forgot about that one. It's quite good.


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## gellio

adriesba said:


> Ah, yes, _The Creation_. I forgot about that one. It's quite good.


It's the best. I love it. So good.


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## ORigel

In addition to what has been suggested, try Monteverdi's Missa in illo temporae, CPE Bach's Magnificant, and Joseph Haydn's Stabat Mater and Seven Last Words.


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## SanAntone

Two sacred works which I think are well worth hearing are:

*Poulenc* _Stabat Mater_
*Duruflé* _Requiem_.


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## Itullian

To start?
Anything by Haydn. His masses, etc are uplifting and happy.


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## ORigel

Itullian said:


> To start?
> Anything by Haydn. His masses, etc are uplifting and happy.


I think Kyrie Eleisions should not be happy.


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