We are hoping to sing the Morley fauxbourdon setting of the Nunc Dimittis. And possibly 'Ye gates lift up your heads' to St George's Edinburgh, if we can get enough people.
We are hoping to get anyone to show up this year after Dr. Cichocki was fired... It was supposed to be the Alumni Choir but it's Senior Select (which is almost half of the senior choir because they are afraid that no one will show up...) Anyways, we will be doing all chanted propers and antiphons (OF), Diffusa Est Gratia by Nanino, and When To the Temple Mary Went by Eccard.
Our schola was hoping to graduate to the GR this year for Candlemas, but our work schedules (most of us travel heavily) require us to once again do the GS. I might sing the Alleluia from the GR by myself, though.
Missa O Magnum Mysterium by Victoria Motets: - Ave Maria (Victoria) Senex Puerum Portabat (Victoria) Sancta et Immaculata (Guerrero)
And this year, we at least have managed to learn the first page and a half of Palestrina's "Lumen Ad Revelationem", which is a choral version of the antiphon, and will chant the verses of Nunc Dimittis in between the choral refrain reptitions.
Candlelit procession planned, with the prescribed chants. Women schola doing all the chanting for this feast.
Part of a small pick up schola singing at the first time for an Ordinariate Solemn Mass, so having a go at Palmer-Burgess instead of Liber Usualis. Should be interesting. (This is a one-off celebrated by a priest of the English Ordinariate).
1. E.F. liturgy: Chant as per the Gradual except chant + Franco version of "Lumen" + Victoria mode 8 canticle setting. (This makes the Lumen/Nunc less monotonous if there are a lot of people receiving the blessed candles and repetition of canticle verses is necessary.) See attached pdf (and mp3 of the Franco "Lumen") 2. Victoria Senex (Offert. motet) and Palestrina Alma Redemptoris (Communion motet) - the latter a fond "Farewell to the Alma" till next Advent. 3. Hymn at recession: "Lord Bid Thy Servant Go in Peace"
Canticle at the Blessing of the Candles - Nunc Dimittis - - - Orlando Gibbons
Antiphon at the Procession - Adorna thalamum - - - Kinder Zwijgt , 15th century Dutch
Kyrie - - - - Willan Gloria - - - - Willan
The Gradual - Suscepimus - - - Tone V
Alleluya and Verse - Senex puerum - - - Tone VI
Anthem at the Offertory - Hodie beata Virgo Maria - - - Richard Shephard
Sanctus - - - Willan Agnus Dei - - - Willan
Anthem at the Communion - Magna opera Domini - - - Richard Clarke
Hymn at the Dismissal - 'In his temple now behold him' - - - Lauda anima
Organ Voluntary - on Lauda anima - - - Improvisation
Note - the communion anthem, Magna opera Domini, is a responsory and is based on Bishop Lopes' episcopal motto. It was commissioned for his episcopal ordination at Houston's Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart on Presentation exactly one year ago. (What a difference he has made in one year!)
Otherwise - came home and spent the afternoon playing Schubert's opus 90 impromptus, and listening to Barenboim, Ma, and Perlman performing Beethoven's triple concerto - a scintillating performance on youtube, followed by the choral fantasie by Barenboim, the Deutsches Staatsoper and the Berliner Philharmoniker - equally scintillating. Everything Barenboim does is most wonderfully cerebral.
You haven't had tamales???? You are definitely missing out! There are many varieties originating from Mexico and Central America. They are wrapped in corn husks (or banana leaves) and consist of corn masa (dough) stuffed with something yummy. My favorite are stuffed with chicken and mole (a flavorful sauce with chocolate). Generally loads of them are assembled and then steamed in a huge round pot. They are apparently quite the thing for Presentation! Having sweet Hispanic ladies around who make them really well is one of the many perks of my job. I am not always a huge fan of the restaurant variety, but the homemade ones are amazing!
It may help to understand that in subtropical zones (in the case of Mexico, that can mean latitude and/or altitude...), spring planting is under way. In the Chinese calendar, for similar reasons, the New Year is actually a spring festival (hence "spring rolls"). Anyway, maize is a very special grain because it has a relatively short growing season and, in the right location, you can get two and sometimes even three growing seasons a year (on different plots of land; maize is a relatively heavy feeder) - which means that if the conditions are poor in one round, you may get a better round sooner than in another year's time. This feature of maize is amazing but largely unknown by people who don't have to rely on it as a staple grain. (The Chinese knew a good thing when it came to them soon after the Columbian Exchange (the evidence that they had trans-Pacific knowledge of it before that is questionable) and quickly overplanted it without familiarity for sustaining it as a staple crop, leading to a population boom in the later 16th century that was harmed by dearth when prolonged drought hit. Anyway, by the early 17th century, there were complaints to the Spanish crown about Chinese domination of the laundry trade in Mexico City....)
Humph! In my youth tamales were an occasional (sort of infrequently occasional) dinner fare at our house. Ours weren't made by 'sweet Hispanic ladies'. No. They were canned and had been acquired by my wonderful mother from a grocer's (who wasn't sweet). Virtually tasteless except for the faint flavour of the chilli sauce. Greasy, too. Particularly irksome was coddling the tamales out of their corn husk sheaths without making a mess. (Scenes from Childhood.)
That is nearly universally true for peasant staple grain-based gruels, porridges and steamed puddings (which is what a tamale is closest to). Barley, oats, wheat, rice - all very bland fare with condiments to provide interest. And Mexico, India and China are probably most blessed with the choice of condiments - and connected via Iberian trade...
Tamale making is to Mexican domestic culture what dumpling making is to Chinese domestic culture. Great models for ensembles (to bring this back to music...).
2 cantors (myself & our Coordinator of Sacred Music) - OF Mass
A capella:
English chant & verses for the Nunc dimittis
"Simple English," followed by Gregorian Propers (Introit, Offertory, Communio) - with English verses. Gregorian Alleluia with English psalm-tone verse.
It turns out that the Hispanic Presentation Celebration did have a prayer service component with music (with guitar, since it was in the cafeteria and all.) A couple of very long Spanish songs with words provided by our Mexican Associate Pastor. This had been preceded by the Rosary, and was followed by passing around a baby-doll Jesus in a Tupperware container for everyone to kiss. He was then dressed in a white garment with a Sacred Heart and sat in a throne. Gotta love those popular devotions!
I updated the file above, but will leave it, because it contains the original. For this file for the Chair of St. Peter, I photoshopped the Offertory, just to make the transition from English to Latin (more) obvious.
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