Any of our Forum members who live in or near Houston are cordially invited to my Eastertide organ recital at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Walsingham at 4.00pm this Fifth Sunday of Easter. It focuses on Renaissance and Baroque literature and includes some alternatim chant, including a troped kyrie. Here is the program, which includes some chant by Gentlemen of the Cathedral Choir -
A. Praeludium, in e-minor (die Kleine) - - - Nicolaus Bruhns
B. Kyrie cunctipotens - - - Anonymous, early XVIth century (with alternatim chant, troped) From Tabulature pour le jeu d'Orgues..., 1531 - - - Pub., Pierre Attaingnant
C. Voluntary, final of C (Paris, reserve MS 1122, pp. 98-101) - - - Thomas Tomkins
D. Magnificat Septimi Toni - - - Antonio de Cabezon (with alternatim chant) From Salmodia para el Magnificat
E. Ciacona, in c-minor (BuxWV 159) - - - Dietrich Buxtehude
F. Gloria - - - Gaspard Corrette (the complete Gloria, with alternatim 'chant' by Henri du Mont) From Messe du VIIIme ton...., 1703
G. Toccata, in d-minor (FbWV 102) - - - Johann Jakob Froberger
H. Chorale partita on Jesu, meine Freude - - - Johann Gottfried Walther (preceded by the chorale)
I. Praeludium und Fuge, in c-minor (BWV 546) - - - Johann Sebastian Bach ____________________________________
This follows last weeks Eastertide second evensong of the Fourth Sunday of Easter, which included
A. Organ Voluntary - Batalla Imperial - - - Juan Bautista Cabanilles B. Introit -Abendlied: Bleib bei uns... - - - Josef Rheinberger C. Preces and Responses, and the Suffrages - - - Herbert Sumsion D. Office Hymn - 'Now the Green Blade Rises' - - - Noel Nouvelet E. Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis - - - George Dyson F. The Anthem - Surrexit Pastor Bonus - - - Jehan Lheritier G. The Marian Antiphon - Regina Caeli - - - Tomas Luis de Victoria H. Hymn - 'Easter Glory Fills the Sky' - - - Chislehurst I. Organ Voluntary - Fete (Op. 51) - - - Jean Langlais _____________________________________
Our somewhat limited ars celebrandi is even more limited due to renovations in the church. Our only organ is a Roland C-180 that I tote in each Sunday, the PiPs are now PiFoldingChairs. So no daring music for us, but the guys are singing their hearts out.
My Eastertide recital went well and was well attended today. There were three alternatim chant selections, which were beautifully sung by some of the Gentlemen of the Cathedral Choir. I know that many of you would have been en-joyed by it.
Here is a suggestion for those who plan their own recitals or sacred choir concerts - choose a prominent saint's day, an important solemnity of our Lord, or a season of joy, such as Christmas or Easter, Ascensiontide, Trinity, or Christ the King, etc. This will help to set a needed emphasis on the joyful seasons of the Church Year - and overcome the imbalanced plethora of things done during Advent and Lent.
Eastertide Lessons and Carols??? Yes! This Tuesday the choir of the music department of Houston's UST will be singing Lessons and Carols for Eastertide in UST's Chapel of St Basil. This choir sings with a professionalism that is rare in Catholic circles, it being directed by the music department's chair, who happens to hold a doctorate in voice paedagogy from Rice and is choirmaster at Palmer Episcopal Church. Officiating at this Lessons and Carols will be the rector of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Walsingham.
Celebrate the joyful seasons even more than the poenitential ones!
I feel compelled to report this as an ensample of celebrating seasons of solemnity (joy). This evening (1 May) at St Basil's Chapel, UST, Houston, the following Lessons and Carols were proclaimed and sung by The University Singers under the direction of the superb chair of UST's Music Department, Dr Brady Knapp -
Officiating was the Very Rev. Charles Hough IV, Rector of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Walsingham - - -
Psalmody was Miles Coverdale, Prayers, etc., were Old Church English.
A Festival of Lessons and Carols for Easter and Ascensiontide -
Introit - 'O Almighty God' - - -George Barcrofte Processional Voluntary - Majeste du Christ, from L'Ascension - - - Olivier Messiaen
The Bidding Prayer - Our Father -
Invitatory - Psalm C, Jubilate Deo - - - Chant, Thomas Attwood
The First Lesson - - - - Deuteronomy 28.1-5, 8-9 Canticle - Benedicite in B-flat - - - Herbert Sumsion Hymn - 'Eternal Father, Strong to Save' - - - Melita
The Second Lesson - - - - Micah 6.1-8 Anthem - 'Offertory' - - - John Ness Beck Anthem - 'O Lord God' - - - Percy Carter Buck
The Third Lesson - - - - Hosea 14.1-2, 4-7 Hymn - 'For the Beauty of the Earth' - - - Dix, with anonymous descant Carol - 'My Master Was so Very Poor' - - - Gordon Young
The Fourth Lesson - - - - Mark 16.1-7 Hymn - 'He is Risen, He is Risen' - - - Unser Herrscher, descant, Brady Knapp Motet - Alleluia Dic Nobis Maria - - -Francesco Lopes Capillas
The Fifth Lesson - I. Corinthians 15.20-28 Anthem - 'Since by Man Came Death', from Messiah - - - Geo. Fr. Handel
The Sixth Lesson - John 16.5-11 Anthem - 'All Wisdom Cometh From the Lord' - - - Philip Moore
The Seventh Lesson - Luke 14.44-52 Anthem - 'Let All the World in Every Corner Sing' - - - George Dyson
The Marian Anthem - Regina Caeli - - - Plainsong, Mode VI, Solemn Tone Motet - Ave Maria - - - Matthew Martin
Collect - The Blessing -
Hymn - 'When Morning Gilds the Skies' - - - Laudes Domini Closing Voluntary - Transports de joie, from L'Ascension - - - Olivier Messiaen ____________________________________________
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