BYRD FLEW IN AT HOLY NAME

Today I attended the Extraordinary Form of Mass at one of my former parishes - Holy Name of Jesus in Providence, RI (pictured left). One thing I can say - after four years gone from there, you'd be surprised how many people stop you in your tracks before AND after Holy Mass, "Hi Brian! How've you been?" It's an excellent parish with wonderful people. Very little has changed. The Worship III hymnals I successfully made the sales pitch for in the year 2000 are still the hymnals used for hymns in English. I was very elated not to see those scrapped. Jacob Stott, my successor at the console at Holy Name, has done wonderful work with the schola cantorum. That's another elation of mine - the fact that Holy Name is one of those rare parishes that, instead of hiring someone to undo what I have done there, hired someone to continue and grow on what I have done. Jacob has done very well in letting the existing music ministry blossom, and in the right direction.

The Mass schedule is a bit interesting, considering the parish demographics:
Saturday at 4 PM in the Lady Chapel (with music - the organ is a two manual, six rank Hook and Hastings tracker)
Sunday at 9 AM in the Main Church (Gospel Choir first three Sundays each month, traditional music with organ fourth and fifth Sundays)
Sunday at 11 AM in the Main Church (Extraordinary Form, that is, the 1962 Roman Missal - High Mass Sept. through Corpus Christi, Low Mass during the Summer)
Sunday at 12:30 PM in the Lady Chapel (African Catholic Community - mainly people from Liberia and Nigeria)

Anyhoo, here's the music list for the 11:00 Mass, in the Extraordinary Form for the First Sunday of Advent (High Mass), which included two motets by William Byrd:

Mass Ordinary: Mass XVII (per Dominiciis Adventi et Quadragesimae) - perfect choice!
Asperges Me: Mode VII
Credo III
Mass Propers: all chanted to Psalm Tone 8G

Veni, Veni, Emmanuel...Mode I (a cappella, schola in procession)
Non Nobis, Domine...William Byrd (Offertory Motet)
Ave Verum...William Byrd (Communion Motet)
Alma Redemptoris Mater...Mode V (following the Last Gospel)
When the King Shall Come Again..."Gaudeamus Pariter" (Recessional)

Peace,
BMP