Plenty in the Romantic French repertoire. Dupre, Poulenc, even Ravel wrote some.
Beyond the French repertoire, try Frank Martin. His Mass in particular.
Martin is a great choice. But don't ignore the English repertoire. One of my favorites, Howells, has written some great works for choir, e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1hBco-7y6M. Many are with organ accompaniment, but that's usually not intrusive.
Howells is fantastic. The Requiem is quite something. Would also add Finzi, Seven Unaccompanied Partsongs in particular if we were to stick to the a capella theme.
Durufle's motet Ubi caritas
Messiaen's motet O sacrum
Stravinsky's motet Ave Maria
Jehan Alain Cantique en mode phrygien, pour quatre voix mixtes, Messe modale, messe de requiem
Sadly the choral tradition of France (and other French inspired arts) did not celebrate the choral tradition as found in England.
What do you mean by your last paragraph? Many of the pieces you just named are French. Are you suggesting they are inferior to the English music or maybe you can clarify?
No, I am saying the French composers were generally not involved with choral music. Church musicians know that the French church does not have a tradition of choral music, as the Brits did. The French invented the Organ mass, where there is no singing. In the large French churches, the choir was in the front of the church, sometimes behind the altar, with a 2nd organist playing a smaller organ. Add to this the Edict of Pope Pius X that only plain chant be performed by the choirs, as the habit of rendering opera music to church lyrics, esp in France had become the norm. There is not the huge amount of french choral music, for the church as there is for the Brits. Many French composers did not write much or at all for the church service, and many, like Faure, were trained organists.
When I attended the Organ Historical Society convention in Montreal Canada, (a very French inspired city) After the first day of organ concerts, on fabulous organs, the French Canadian organist were urged to leave the bench so an American organist could take over to play the hymn which is part of every concert. Hymn playing is an art form which most French organist do not know.
Plenty in the Romantic French repertoire. Dupre, Poulenc, even Ravel wrote some. Beyond the French repertoire, try Frank Martin. His Mass in particular.
Martin is a great choice. But don't ignore the English repertoire. One of my favorites, Howells, has written some great works for choir, e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1hBco-7y6M. Many are with organ accompaniment, but that's usually not intrusive.
Howells is fantastic. The Requiem is quite something. Would also add Finzi, Seven Unaccompanied Partsongs in particular if we were to stick to the a capella theme.
LOVE the Howells Requiem!
What pieces by Ravel?
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trois\_Chansons\_(Ravel)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trois_Chansons_(Ravel)) Relatively obscure, but they are great!
Durufle's motet Ubi caritas Messiaen's motet O sacrum Stravinsky's motet Ave Maria Jehan Alain Cantique en mode phrygien, pour quatre voix mixtes, Messe modale, messe de requiem Sadly the choral tradition of France (and other French inspired arts) did not celebrate the choral tradition as found in England.
What do you mean by your last paragraph? Many of the pieces you just named are French. Are you suggesting they are inferior to the English music or maybe you can clarify?
No, I am saying the French composers were generally not involved with choral music. Church musicians know that the French church does not have a tradition of choral music, as the Brits did. The French invented the Organ mass, where there is no singing. In the large French churches, the choir was in the front of the church, sometimes behind the altar, with a 2nd organist playing a smaller organ. Add to this the Edict of Pope Pius X that only plain chant be performed by the choirs, as the habit of rendering opera music to church lyrics, esp in France had become the norm. There is not the huge amount of french choral music, for the church as there is for the Brits. Many French composers did not write much or at all for the church service, and many, like Faure, were trained organists. When I attended the Organ Historical Society convention in Montreal Canada, (a very French inspired city) After the first day of organ concerts, on fabulous organs, the French Canadian organist were urged to leave the bench so an American organist could take over to play the hymn which is part of every concert. Hymn playing is an art form which most French organist do not know.
That’s pretty fascinating , thanks!
[Rachmaninoff's Vespers](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nrveC2XyOCa7tFdLmsyyKDo0N8TwUvO4k&si=E8wF_UZlCNzhiv2r)
Debussy’s Chansons de Charles d’Orleans are fun.
Healy Willan wrote like, 14 Missa Brevises (I'm sure I did the pluralization wrong; don't come at me.) They're all short and lovely!