Sharing Sunday music programs (2008)
  • davesa10r
    Posts: 5
    One thing I used to like about the NPM mail list while I was on it was that many people shared their music lists with the group. It was a good way to see what others were doing and to pick up some ideas. It also generated some fairly animated (sometimes nasty) discussions. So here is what we did for Epiphany, with a little background info to explain the almost total absence of Latin)

    Due to circumstances beyond our control, we ended up having to make an choice for this past weekend (Jan 5-6). We were told that we needed to severely limit, or eliminate, our use of Latin when not singing at the 9:30 am Mass. Of course, we were scheduled for the Saturday anticipatory Mass, and we had also planned to sing a number of Latin motets (Victoria - O Magnum Mysterium, Byrd - Reges tharsis, and so forth) as well as the Communio from the Missale Romanum. This was sprung
    on us at almost the last minute, and it was even suggested that we not sing at all. Fortunately, we were able to get together and come up with an alternate list of music (it's nice to have a large repertoire to draw from in an emergency) that fit the bill nicely (we were able to retain the chanted Sanctus and Agnus Dei, since they were well-known).

    Prelude: Morning Star, O Cheering Sight (Hagen - a Moravian Christmas hymn), and Saw You Never (Harold Friedell - from Eight Orisons)
    Entrance: As with gladness, men of old (DIX) - quoted in the homily, BTW
    Psalm - Chabanel
    Offertory - The Glory of the Father (Hovland)
    Communion: Hymn - What Star Is This and Antiphon: We have seen his star (from By Flowing Waters)
    Exit: We Three Kings
  • Michael O'Connor
    Posts: 1,637
    I didn't know that Byrd had set the Reges Tharsis. It was a nice chant to sing last weekend.
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    At the French National Church we have the added challenge of having to offer music in French at 10:30 and in English at 12:15. With little extra time for rehearsal, I try to keep the hymns identical and to use Latin whenever possible. We usually do a proper for offertory (motet) or communion (chant) - sometimes both - but we had several people out of town after Christmas. We also have an organist of modest skill (namely, me). I was just happy that for the first year I didn't have to do "We Three Kings" at any Masses. No matter how clear the introduction is, congregations always seem to disagree on whether or not put a fermata on the "O", and just how long it should be sustained each time. Good grief.

    Prelude - Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern (Buxtehude)
    Entrance - Le Premier Noel / The First Nowell
    Psalm - Ps. 72 (Marier) [some may object to using the Psalm from the GS in English, but it sure beats "All the Ends of the Earth"]
    Offertory - L'enfant de la promesse / Away In The Manger (arr. Willcocks)
    Communion - Magi viderunt stellam (Victoria)
    Hymn after communion - Brillante etoile en notre nuit / How Brightly Beams the Morning Star [WIE SCHON LEUCHTET]
    Sortie - Fughetta: Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern (J.C. Bach)

    At the chant Mass we did "A Child Is Born in Bethlehem" [PUER NATUS IN BETHLEHEM] and "Jesus, To Cast One Thought Upon" [JESU DULCIS MEMORIA] for entrance and offertory. At the Saturday vigil and family Mass we sang "As With Gladness Men Of Old" [DIX] at offertory, with Gerald Near's "Vidimus stellam" for organ at communion for both.
  • Michael O'Connor
    Posts: 1,637
    Communion - Magi viderunt stellam (Victoria)

    I love this one. My early music ensemble sang it last year. So many hidden gems!
  • Jscola30
    Posts: 116
    I see you are using a Marier psalm, does your church use Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Canticles?
  • SamuelDorlaque
    Posts: 318
    Epiphany 2008 at Saint Edward, Newark CA
    Prel: "We Three Kings" ... Alec Wyton
    Proc: "Songs of Thankfulness and Praise" ... Salzburg
    Intr: "Ecce advenit"
    Ordinary: Mass VIII ... "de angelis"
    Psalm 72: Chant Setting by our Pastor, Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, CPPS
    "Christmastime Alleluia" ... Rev. James J. Chepponis
    Offertory Anthem: "The Three Kings" ... Cornelius
    Hymn: "We Three Kings"
    Communio: "Vidimus stellam ejus"
    Hymn: "The First Nowell"
    Proc: "As With Gladness Men of Old" ... DIX
    Post: "In Dulci Jubilo" ... J.S. Bach
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    Jscola,

    The Marier hymnals are hard to come by. I occasionally use one of his pslams, but some antiphons are a bit tricky. The upside is that they can be sung unaccompanied, but the downside is you lose the introduction (though I will often play it on a solo stop first even when it is chanted without accompaniment). This one I used for Christ the King, Advent 2, and Epiphany. By the time we do it this weekend for the Baptism of the Lord (again taking a cue from the Graduale Simplex) I hope it will stick in people's memory. Usually, however, I use the psalm from the Lectionary in a chant-based setting.
  • mahrt
    Posts: 517
    Michael, Byrd set the twelve most major feasts of the Tridentine liturgy of his time to polyphonic music in the Gradualia plus several votive Masses. They are quite concise pieces, but very beautiful.
  • Michael O'Connor
    Posts: 1,637
    Thank you, I only know the Regis tharsis text from Vespers for Epiphany. I guess that it also part of the Mass Propers.
  • Jscola30
    Posts: 116
    Incantu, I know very well about the Marier hymnals! I didn't go to the choir school (although did go to high school with many of its graduates), but my undergrad used them for the schola I sang in and fell in love with them immediately. My director had theft issues thought, and its one of those things that once their gone, their gone.
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