Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament - Sacramento, California
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 993
    Imagine my delight when I stumbled across this:

    Throughout the year, the Cathedral Choir sings the Introit and Communion Antiphon from the Graduale Romanum.
    During Advent and Lent, the Choir also sings the Gradual and Offertory from the Graduale Romanum.

    Repertoire list at the choir's site
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    It is not just the music.

    How awesome this place is!
    This is the house of God and the gateway to heaven;
    and it will be called the courtyard of God.

    Enjoy the cathedral artwork visual feast via the "Cathedral Tours" ...
    http://www.cathedralsacramento.org/

    I remember the pre-renovation sea of blue carpet from the altar/tabernacle to the transepts,
    and was astonished by the transformation
    when, during the Nov 2005 Thanksgiving holiday, I was lucky to get inside
    with others when a priest had to unlock the doors for some workmen
    unloading a truck of various items.

    If only ... well ... never mind ...
  • Dale Fleck
    Posts: 49
    Please forgive me in advance! But I do wonder that many parishes (and cathedrals) post their choral repertory but never or rarely post the organ literature used. This seems to be a common thread in the Catholic Church. Certainly in France, the organ repertory is as important as the choral. We absolutely never hear about the organ music at the Vatican. Why is organ music deemed to be so unimportant in the catholic church? I am a convert and this seems to be strange, especially given the cost on these great instruments and their importance in the overall scheme of things. Sebastian
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 993
    That's a good question, Dale. Maybe the organists don't want to be pinned down, whereas choral works are planned out for a learning cycle.

    The relative importance of organ music in Catholic churches can vary widely in the USA. In many, I'm sorry to say, the organ is a utility instrument only.

    I've played in churches where there are only five people (not counting the sacristan) left in the church after the first 10 measures of the postlude. In other churches with fine organists - I'm thinking of my experience in New York City - folks happily sit down to enjoy the postlude. In Florida, they want to get out of the parking lot.

    Let's see what the organists among us have to say.
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    In other churches with fine organists

    THE PLAN is operative regardless of church size and musician competence.

    THE PLAN is gene-based and executed with precision:
    As soon as the priest passes your pew, you are free to talk and free to leave.
    The ideal is to seek an exit in a direction away from the procession.

    My predecessor was a better organist; the previous pastor was high-church.
    The exit procession finally formed up during the last verse final measures
    and the procession retired to the main entrance with postlude accompaniment.
    THE PLAN is effected.
    I enjoyed one year of this implementation.

    The current priests lead the escape during the hymn (usually by second verse).
    THE PLAN is effected.
    Cantor or choir and some parishioners valiantly sing through the final verse,
    the postludes resound in a suddenly reverberant space similar to late-night rehearsal hours,
    due to less sound-absorbing material, accompanied by residual talking.

    Either way, every prelude and postlude from Summer 1996 to present
    has been identified with all the other music in the weekly parish bulletin.
  • Allan DAllan D
    Posts: 43
    I've quit putting a lot of time into preparing postludes, since no one listens to them. Instead, I spend my practice time on preludes. For postludes, I usually just pick out something short and simple by one of the French Classical composers (I find Boyvin especially useful), in the same key as the recessional hymn and loud enough to drown out the chatter.

    My parish isn't anywhere near organized enough to publish a weekly music program, but if we did, I probably would not include the organ music, because 1) I'm lazy and usually pick it out only a couple of days in advance, and 2) our pastor and music director like to make last-minute changes before Mass, forcing me to change what I've planned.

    I do appreciate it, however, when other churches put their repertoire online, as I've discovered lots of music that way.
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