--- title: "Choral Music for Holy Week: Sunday of the Passion and the Three Days" description: "Choral Music for Holy Week: Sunday of the Passion and the Three Days" --- [![AF-prelude-logo](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/AF_Prelude_Blog/AF-prelude-logo.png?width=181&height=52&name=AF-prelude-logo.png "AF-prelude-logo")](http://www.preludemusicplanner.org/) - [LEARN MORE](https://preludemusicplanner.org/) - [BLOG](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org) - [SIGN IN](https://members.preludemusicplanner.org/) # [Prelude Music Blog](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org) # Choral Music for Holy Week: Sunday of the Passion and the Three Days by [Jonathan Kohrs](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/author/jonathan-kohrs) It goes without saying that Holy Week is one of the busiest times of the church year for choirs and their directors. But along with the high demands of singing for multiple services within the span of six or seven days (let alone the “eighth day” of Easter!) come the great rewards of proclaiming the Gospel through a wide variety of music in the most dramatic liturgies of the church year. What follows is a listing of some of my favorite choral music for the liturgies of Holy Week, focusing on some of the choral elements unique to those liturgies. In other words, you’ll have to look elsewhere to find recommendations for more typical anthems, psalms, gospel acclamations, and hymns settings. For many of my recommendations, I’m relying on my go-to general choral collections: - - [*The Augsburg Choirbook: Sacred Choral Music of the Twentieth Century*](https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/3447) (AF 978080065678) \[*ACB*\] - [*Chantry Choirbook: Sacred Music for All Seasons*](https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/3540/) (AF 9780800657772) \[*CCB*\] - [*A First Motet Book*](https://www.cph.org/p-4456-a-first-motet-book.aspx) (CPH 97-4845) \[*FMB*\] - [*The New Church Anthem Book*](https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-new-church-anthem-book-9780193531093?cc=us&lang=en&) (OUP 0-19-353109-7) \[*NCAB*\] **Sunday of the Passion** The most common task of the choir unique to the Sunday of the Passion is the singing of a processional anthem—a festive way to conclude the procession with palms—based on some version of the text “Hosanna to the Son of David.” The popularity of this function of the choir is evidenced by the abundance of such anthems. The following are some of my favorites: - - “Sing Hosanna to the Son of David,” Bartholomew Gesius (*CCB*, *FMB*) - “Hosanna to the Son of David,” Orlando Gibbons (SSAATB or SSATTB) (cpdl.org) - “Hosanna to the Son of David,” David Morgan (*NCAB*) - “Hosanna to the Son of David,” Ronald Nelson (SAB) (AFP 11-1258, out of print) - “Hosanna! Blessed Is He,” Knut Nystedt (SAB or 2-part) (*ACB*) - “[Hosanna to the Son of David](https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/hosanna-filio-david-print-g4575),” Tomas Luis de Victoria (GIA G-4575) **Maundy Thursday** There are two elements unique to the Maundy Thursday liturgy in which the choir can participate. The first is the foot washing. The text most commonly associated with this action is some version of “Where Charity and Love” (or the original Latin, *Ubi caritas et amor*). Even if the foot washing is not practiced in your church, this text is still worth singing. I’m limiting myself to settings of the text in English since the Latin settings (including the most famous, by Maurice Durufle) tend to be more difficult. - - “[Where Charity and Love Prevail](https://kjos.com/index.php/where-charity-and-love-prevail.html),” Richard Erickson (SAB or 2-pt.) (Kjos 6306) - “Where Charity and Love,” Robert Griglak (SAB) (AF 11-10120, out of print) - “[Where Charity and Love Prevail](https://www.morningstarmusic.com/where-charity-and-love-prevail.html),” Kenneth Kosche (MorningStar Music 50-3057) - “[Where Charity and Love Prevail](https://www.lorenz.com/choral/church/where-charity-and-love-prevail),” Hugh S. Livingston, Jr. (Sacred Music Press/Lorenz 10/1071) - “Where Charity and Love Prevail,” Carl Schalk (2-pt.) (CPH 98-2701; out of print) The second element unique to Maundy Thursday is the stripping of the altar. Various psalms have been appointed for this action, perhaps the most common being Psalm 22. Almost any setting of this or any other appointed psalm would be appropriate. There are too many available for it to be worth winnowing, except to draw your attention to those in the resources mentioned above, not to mention the simple but effective practice of using a psalm tone—Gregorian, Anglican, hymnal, or other. But there is one setting of Psalm 22 that I think is particularly appropriate for this action, a responsorial setting with stunning text-painting: - - “[My God, My God](https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/psalms-for-the-church-year-g2262),” David Clark Isele, from *Psalms for the Church Year* (GIA G-2262). **Good Friday** If your church follows a Tenebrae service, you may be interested in some settings of either the Passion according to John or the Solemn Reproaches (two elements unique to the Good Friday liturgy). The following may be of some help: *Passion according to John*. In these settings the choir takes the role of the turba (or crowd) and cantors takes the roles of the evangelist, Jesus, and other characters: - - [William Byrd](https://www.cph.org/p-30143-passion-according-to-st-john-byrd.aspx) (SAB) (CPH 97-4868) - Richard Hillert (CPH 97-5210, out of print) - [Richard Proulx](https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/passion-according-to-saint-john-pdf-d8056) (GIA D-8056) - [Carl Schalk](https://www.cph.org/p-5333-the-passion-according-to-st-john.aspx) (CPH 97-7258) - [Heinrich Schütz](https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/passion-according-to-st-john-the-print-g2377) (GIA G-2377) - [Tomas Luis de Victoria](https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/st-john-passion-choruses-print-g5268) (GIA G-5268 \[choruses only\]; cpdl.org) *Solemn Reproaches* - - “[Why Did You Ignore Me?](https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/why-did-you-ignore-me-print-g5168)” John Bell (GIA G-5168) -  “[Solemn Reproaches of the Cross](https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/4180/),” Robert Buckley Farlee (soprano, SATB, piano) (AFP 9780800674724) - “[The Reproaches](https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/the-reproaches-print-grs362),” John Sanders (SSATBB) (GIA G-RS362) -  “*Popule meus,”* Tomas Luis de Victoria (cpdl.org) **Vigil of Easter** Most of the music for the Vigil of Easter is readily handled by cantor or cantors, which is a relief to members of your choir who may need to be back at church early the next morning. The music that can be taken by the choir includes the responses to the readings of the Vigil—traditionally, psalms and canticles from the Old Testament. For these, please check the season-specific collections above or other lists of recommendations like the one found on sundaysandseasons.com. The pieces on these lists tend to be taken from the general choral repertoire instead of pieces based on the actual appointed psalmodic texts, but there are a number of choral pieces that are: - - “[All You Works of the Lord, Bless the Lord](https://www.cph.org/p-21889-all-you-works-of-the-lord-bless-the-lord-benedicite-omnia-opera.aspx),” David Cherwien (CPH 98-3330) - “[Like As the Hart](https://global.oup.com/academic/product/like-as-the-hart-desireth-the-waterbrooks-9780193501638?cc=us&lang=en&),” Herbert Howells (OUP 9780193501638) - “Song of the Vineyard,” Thomas Keesecker (2-pt., opt. handbells) (AFP 11-10215, out of print) - “All You Works of the Lord, Bless the Lord,” Kenneth Jennings (*ACB*) - “Sicut cervus,” Giovanni Pierluigi de Palestrina (cpdl.org) - “[Canticle of Daniel: All You Works of the Lord](https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/canticle-of-daniel-all-you-works-of-the-lord-print-g2369),” Carl Schalk (Unison) (GIA G-2369) I hope you will find something of use in these suggestions, whether it is for this fast-approaching Holy Week or for the many to come in your service to the risen Christ and his Church. Posted on Mar 15, 2018 9:49:23 AM Filed Under: [Planning](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/planning), - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![Jonathan Kohrs](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/AF_Prelude_Blog/Authors/jonathan_kohrs_2013_093.jpg?width=100&height=100&name=jonathan_kohrs_2013_093.jpg) #### Written by [Jonathan Kohrs](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/author/jonathan-kohrs) Jonathan Kohrs is assistant professor of music at Concordia University Chicago, where he conducts Schola Cantorum—CUC’s chapel choir—and Resonanz—its contemporary ensemble—for which he regularly composes music that crosses the boundaries between “traditional” and “contemporary.” In 2015 he received an honorable mention in the Association for Lutheran Church Musicians’ Raabe Prize for Excellence in Sacred Composition for his congregational setting of the communion liturgy, scored for piano, synthesizer, vibraphone, bass, flute, clarinet and oboe. He recently received an MFA in music composition from Vermont College of Fine Arts through which his compositions received subsequent performances by internationally-known pianist Stephen Gosling and Pittsburgh’s Chatham Baroque trio. His compositions are published by Concordia Publishing House, Augsburg Fortress Publishers, and World Library Publications. ### Subscribe to Email Updates - Recent - Popular - Categories ### Lists by Topic - [review-prelude (87)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/review-prelude) - [Choral Techniques and Repertoire (56)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/choral-techniques-and-repertoire) - [Music Ministry (55)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/music-ministry) - [Planning (55)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/planning) - [Assembly Song (37)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/assembly-song) - [Potpourri (32)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/potpourri) - [Instruments and Ensembles (19)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/instruments-and-ensembles) - [Hymnody (14)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/hymnody) - [music (13)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/music) - [Uncategorized (10)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/uncategorized) - [COVID-19 (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/covid-19) - [Composing and arranging (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/composing-and-arranging) - [Coronavirus (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/coronavirus) - [News (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/news) - [Christmas (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/christmas) - [Easter (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/easter) - [Instruments (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/instruments) - [Social distancing (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/social-distancing) - [worship (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/worship) - [Advent (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/advent) - [All Creation Sings (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/all-creation-sings) - [Children Ministry (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/children-ministry) - [Lent (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/lent) - [Summer (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/summer) - [gratitude (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/gratitude) - [Creative Arts Camp (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/creative-arts-camp) - [Cultural (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/cultural) - [ELW (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/elw) - [Evangelical Lutheran Worship (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/evangelical-lutheran-worship) - [Holidays (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/holidays) - [Hope (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/hope) - [Hospitality (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/hospitality) - [Pentecost (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/pentecost) - [Psalms (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/psalms) - [Youth Ministry (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/youth-ministry) - [children (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/children) - [culture (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/culture) - [devotions (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/devotions) - [john the baptist (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/john-the-baptist) - [joy (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/joy) - [leadership (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/leadership) - [marriage (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/marriage) - [race (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/race) - [relationship (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/relationship) - [self-care (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/self-care) - [spiritual (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/spiritual) - [time (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/time) - [trust (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/trust) - [wedding (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/wedding) - [weddings (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/weddings) - [writing (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/writing) see all ### About Prelude Music Planner [Prelude Music Planner](http://www.preludemusicplanner.org) is the web-based tool that provides a wealth of music, thoughtful commentary, and time-saving tools for the church musician. - **Explore a wealth of music**. Search our database of congregational, choral, and instrumental church music by lectionary day, voicing, difficulty level, tune name, and more. - **Get the music you need, when you need it.** Preview the entire piece of music from beginning to end, and then download the parts you need. Subscribers will also receive a block of “points” to spend on our library of downloadable choral and instrumental pieces. - **Manage your church’s music library**. Organize your music library in one master location. Once your library information has been added, you can plan using both your physical library as well as the Prelude library with a single search. | [![Facebook](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/Social/AF_facebook.png)](https://www.facebook.com/augsburgfortress/) | [![Twitter](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/Social/AF_twitter.png)](https://twitter.com/augsburgfortres) | [![Youtube](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/Social/AF_youtube.png)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtZR7BPcns-WJE_HNjkfmsw) | | --- | --- | --- | Copyright 2026 | Designed with by [Augsburg Fortress](http://www.augsburgfortress.org)