Thursday, November 29, 2018

First Sunday of Advent

The first of my new regular series of musings is on the use, or should I say, "misuse", or perhaps "abuse" of microphones by those responsible for leading sacred song in many churches today.  Click here to read it!  Also, click here to read my Christ the King follow-up from last week, the connection between Christus Vincit and a very familiar hymn we sang last weekend.

Also, our choir, three voices strong including myself, is underway.  More voices needed and welcome in all ranges (soprano, alto, tenor, bass).  Rehearsals are Sundays at 10:00 AM (shortly after the 9:00 Mass).  We'll be singing the 11:15 AM Mass on Sundays, as well as major feasts.  Interested?  Come upstairs and see me after any weekend Mass, or just come to one of our rehearsals.  Don't be shy!  We train on premises!

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Ordinary of the Mass:
- Mass XVII (Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei)
- Memorial Acclamation: Mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine (see Worship hymnal, #349)
- Amen adapted from Sanctus VIII (see Worship hymnal, #330)

Alleluia Conditor Alme Siderum (BMP) (PDF)
- The response is based on "Conditor Alme Siderum", or (translated), "Creator of the Stars of Night", a Gregorian chant tune in the fourth mode.

The rest:
Entrance hymn: Lo! he comes with clouds descending (Maroon hymnal, #5, second tune)
Psalm 25: R./ To you, O Lord, I lift my soul (Robert Twynham) (see Worship hymnal, #768)
Offertory hymn: Rejoice, rejoice, believers (Maroon hymnal, #4)
Communion:
- Psalm 85: R./ The Lord will bestow his bounty, and our earth shall yield its increase (Adam Bartlett)
- (11:15) To you I lift my soul (tune: "Love Unknown")
- - The text here, based on Psalm 25, was written by John Dunn, who succeeded Theodore Marier (who I've mentioned often in posts to this blog) as music director of St. Paul's Church in Cambridge, Massacusetts, home of the famed Boston Boy Choir and the St. Paul Choir School (this country's only all-boys Catholic choir school), which was founded by Dr. Marier.  The tune "Love Unknown" was written by John Ireland, and is most commonly used with the hymn "My song is love unknown".
Meditation hymn: Hark! the glad sound, the Savior comes (Maroon hymnal, #7)
Recessional hymn: Thy kingdom come, on bended knee (Maroon hymnal, #391)
- This tune is most commonly used with the Lenten staple, "Lord, who throughout these forty days".

Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP