[Magdalen] When Tenors attack ....

[Joseph Cirou]

Back in the 60's Concordia was publishing all this music for 3  equal
voices by Marenzio at the like.  We did this at 7AM in the morning. We also
had a talented violinist and cellist. the violinist was a composer and he
wrote settings of the Matins responsories for 2 equal voices, violin and
cello.

A nice memory.  the composer is Fr. Edward McKenna who should be
celebrating his 50th anniversary this year. He has a few concertos and some
operas to his credit. He used to write quite a bit, I haven't heard
anything about performance of the McKenna Ensemble for a few years.

Joe Cirou

On Thu, Jul 2, 2015 at 11:17 AM, Cantor03--- via Magdalen <
magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:

>
>
> In a message dated 7/2/2015 10:50:37 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> jay.weigel at gmail.com writes:
>
> Jay,  also an alto who reads bass clef exceedingly  slowly>>>>
>
> I've perhaps mentioned before the "Two Tenors and a Baritone"
> at the local Tridentine church.  For some years, the O/C who was
> a great tenor dredged up some three part polyphony written for
> first and second soprano and alto.
>
> We sang nearly every Sunday from this collection, but as two
> tenors and a baritone.  We were all trained singers, and had no
> rehearsals with this material, but it all went off without a hitch.
>
> It must have been just a little startling for the small congregation
> to hear these motets wafting from the rear gallery.  It  certainly
> was not anything they would have heard in your usual neighborhood
> Roman Catholic Church.
>
> That's my experience reading the alto line.  It's a great  memory.
>
>
> David Strang.
>
>