Above: section of Ockegham's "Deo gratias a 36 voci"
September brings with it a fresh start and an opportunity to hone slumbering choral skills. Rounds and canons are a terrific way to tighten up tuning, unify vowel sounds, create confidence with independent part singing, greater interdependence among voice parts, responsive dynamics, awareness of the conductor — and pretty much everything else choral-related!
Many of the pieces included in this blog article are tried and true standby's that I implemented when teaching Kindergarten thru eighth grade music in the parochial school system. During those five years, I tasked myself with turning each homeroom class into a choir. This involved teaching them first how to blend and sing in tune, and then how to sing in harmony. Harmony, especially in the beginning, was taught via rounds and canons.
Below you will find a mix of popular pieces and little-known gems from the 14th to 18th centuries, by legendary masters Dufay, Ockegham, Tallis, Palestrina, Byrd, and Telemann, and lesser-known but not less-worthy composers. The article
grades each selection by voicing and difficulty
links each piece to a free PDF score
links to a recording (if available)
includes complete translations
references scriptural texts as relevant
Nota bene: Most of these pieces are in Latin. For your convenience, those pieces which are derived from Latin scripture (i.e. the Latin Vulgate) have been linked to the exact chapter online for easy reference. The numbering of the Psalms, in particular, may not match up with the numbering of your preferred translation, so be sure to double check this before writing a scriptural reference of your own in any program notes.
My favorite ecclesiastical Latin pronunciation guide is found in the Parish Book of Chant, published by the Church Music Association of America. A free PDF download of this wonderful book is available on their site, and the pronunciation guide is all of two pages, pp. 314-315. I recommend printing both of these pages out, front and back, and sticking it in your music binder so that you will always have it handy.
And now, without further adieu, I hope you enjoy these 22 Early Sacred Rounds and Canons!
I. For Equal Voices (or to be sung in the octave)
A. Beginner
1. Jubilate Deo (up to 4 voices) - Michael Praetorius (1571-1621)
Jubilate Deo, alleluia / Jubilate Deo, O praise the Lord. Psalm 97:4
sheet music and recording
2. Tallis Canon (4-8 voices) - Thomas Tallis (1505-1585)
B. Easy
Pammelia canons for 3 equal voices, edited by Thomas Ravenscroft (1609)
3. [14] Miserere nostri Domine, secundum misericordiam tuam.
recording and sheet music
Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. Psalm 50:3
4. [16] Intende voci orationis mea rex meus et Deus meus quoniam, ad te orabo.
Hearken to the voice of my prayer, O my King and my God. Psalm 5:3
5. [17] Haec est vita aeterna ut cognoscant te solum Deum verum,
Now this is eternal life: That they may know thee, the only true God,
et quem misisti Jesum Christum. Amen.
and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Amen. John 17:3
6. [18] Miserere nostri Domine viventium et mortuorum.
Have mercy on us, Lord of the living and the dead.
7. [19] O praise the Lord ye that fear him.
Pammelia canon for (up to) 6 voices
8. Laudate nomen Domini, laudate servi Dominum qui statis in domo Domini.
Praise the name of the Lord, Praise him, you servants of the Lord,
who dwell in the house of the Lord. Psalm 134:1-2
9. When Jesus Wept (4 voices) - William Billings (1746-1800)
When Jesus wept, a falling tear in mercy flowed beyond all bound.
When Jesus groaned, a trembling fear seized all the guilty world around.
Luke 19:28-41 and Luke 22:39-46 sheet music and recording
10. Deo Gratias (a 36 voci) - Johannes Ockegham (1410-1497)
sheet music and recording (Be sure to read the quote from Steven Plank describing the composition on the YouTube description!)
Deo gratias. Thanks be to God.
C. Intermediate
11. Dona Nobis Pacem (3 voices) - attr. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
The final words of the Agnus Dei / Lamb of God prayer at Mass.
Dona nobis pacem. Grant us peace.
sheet music and recording
12. By the Waters of Babylon (3 voices) - Philip Hayes (1738-1797)
By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.
13. Alleluia Canon (3 voices) - William Boyce (1711-1779)
sheet music and recording
14. Sanctus (SATB - or more!) - Jacobus Clemens non Papa (c. 1510-1555)
sheet music and recording
D. Advanced
15. Converte nos, Deus (2 voices) - Lorenz Lemlin (1495-1549)
or Ludwig Senfl (1486-1583) Psalm 84: 5, 8
Converte nos Deus salutaris noster, et averte iram tuam nobis,
Convert us, O God our saviour: and turn off thy anger from us.
ostende nobis Domine, misericordiam tuam, et salutare tuum da nobis.
Show us, O Lord, thy mercy; and grant us thy salvation.
16. Ich will den Herrn loben (3 voices) - Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)
Ich will den Herren loben allezeit. Sein Lob soll immerdar in meinem Munde sein.
I shall praise the Lord at all times, his praise will forever be in my mouth.
17. Timete Dominum (2 voices) - Georg Forster (1754-1794)
Psalm 33:10-11 and Psalm 36:25 The text of the first half of this canon is almost identical to the respond of the Gradual for All Saints. sheet music and recording
Timete Dominum omnes sancti eius quoniam non est inopia timentibus eum,
Fear the Lord, all you his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him,
Divites eguerunt et esurierunt inquirentes
The rich have wanted, and have suffered hunger
autem Dominum non minuentur omni bono
but they that seek the Lord shall not be deprived of any good.
iunior fui et senui et non vidi iustum derelictum,
I have been young and now am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken,
nec semen ejus querens panem.
nor his seed seeking bread.
The mission of the International Chant Academy is to keep the beauty and meaningfulness of Gregorian Chant and Early Sacred Music alive and relevant. We foster understanding of these art forms, and teach the musical and vocal skills necessary to excellent performance.
II. Written for a combination of voice parts
A. Easy
18. Da pacem Domine (SATB or SSAA) - Melchior Franck (1579-1639)
sheet music and recording
Da pacem Domine in diebus nostris.
Give peace, Lord, in our days.
19. Non nobis Domine (SAB or ATB) - attr. William Byrd (1540-1623)
Non nobis Domine sed nomini tuo da gloria. Psalm 113:9 (115:1)
Not to us, Lord, but to your name give the glory.
B. Intermediate
20. Gloria ad modem tubae - Guillaume Dufay (1397-1474)
This piece rightly belongs under the "equal voice" category, as the TB voices are not part of the original edition. Due to parcity of pieces in this "unequal voices - intermediate" category, it has been moved here. Word for word, this piece is the Mass Gloria, in Latin!
C. Advanced
21. Pleni sunt caeli (SAA or ATB) - Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594)
From the Sanctus of "Missa ad Fugam"
Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
22. In te Domine (SATB) - Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612)
In te, Domine, speravi, non confundar in aeternum.
In thee, O Lord, have I hoped, let me never be confounded.
In iustitia tua libera me.
Deliver me in thy justice.
Did you find this article helpful? Sign up for our email newsletters to receive our latest blog posts and other items of interest. You'll pick how often to hear from us.
