Music Idea for Black History Month

Among the many hymns and songs we have in More Voices and Voices United from various cultural contexts, Donald Patriquin has written a whole Caribbean mass. The Sanctus and Benedictus, Memorial Acclamation, and Great Amen are printed in More Voices (206, 207, and 208). But there is more! If a musical group at your church wants to do all the movements, Donald has completed the whole mass setting. Some movements were written while he was on the island of Carriacou, Grenada, for a few weeks each year over a period of three years. While there, he was the organist at Christ the King Anglican Church and he also learned to play the steel drum. The other movements were completed later and were commissioned and premiered by St. Paul’s United Church Senior Choir, Ajax, Ontario, on the occasion of the church’s 65th anniversary.  

The Caribbean mass is a very versatile setting and can be sung by SATB, SA, or SAB choirs, and by congregations. It may be performed with keyboard accompaniment alone, or with optional steel drums, flute, guitar, djembe, and percussion. The movements include Kyrie (3 and 9 fold), Gloria, Creed, Sanctus and Benedictus, Agnus Dei, the Lord’s Prayer, Memorial Acclamation, and Great Amen.  

For more information and to order the music, please contact Donald Patriquin.