Choral Public Domain Library

Can anybody please suggest a range of cathedral standard anthems or motets for high church C of E confirmation? Pref. accompanied, for SATB, 4 - 6 parts.
Many thanks
F4E.

Would English texts be preferred, or would Latin be OK too?

DF

Either: in fact the spikier the better...!

F4E

Liturgically, not much seems to be made of confirmation; the only opportunity for music in the Roman rite seems to be the antiphon, which is Confirma hoc Deus. There are several settings of a text with the same incipit on CPDL, but on closer inspection these turn out to be of the Offertory for Mass at Pentecost - similar but not the same as the confirmation antiphon, and lacking the final doxology. Would any of these do? Or, failing that, what about plundering the riches of music for Pentecost in general? Byrd's Factus est repente is short and exciting, while his setting of the sequence Veni sancte Spiritus is one of the best of his hymn-settings, and long enough to get bishops etc. to where they should be sitting.

DF

Given the date of the post, perhaps your confirmation service is already past.

In accordance with your criteria: organ, Anglican Cathedral tradition, spikey.

William Harris: Strengthen ye the weak hands. A wonderful piece that I don't see on service music lists very often. I once heard a marvelous recording of the work, together with other works by Harris, conducted by Andrew Carwood (who is now the Director of Music of St. Paul's Cathedral, London). I can't exactly remember the choir, but I think it was the Exon Singers.

And don't forget George C. Martin's "Ho, everyone that thirsteth" (and continues, "come ye to the waters, incline thine ear and come unto me. Hear, and your soul shall live"). The final sections includes a part of the beatific vision for Christians: "For ye shall go out with joy and be lead forth in peace..."

Martin was Stainer's successor at St. Paul's.

Talk about spikey! George Steel, who was a choirboy and is now the director of City Opera in New York, says of the piece, "...dreadful, wonderful dreadful! the kind of kitsch that I like." I think if I gave it to my choir they'd roll their eyes, but end up enjoying it as a good romp.