St. John the Baptist Church, Pawtucket, RI
Fourth Sunday of Easter - April 13, 2008
Today I went to Mass as pewsitter at my "retreat" - the "sure thing" in terms of hearing some good music on a great pipe organ (III/31 Compagnie des Orges Canadiens) while fulfilling my Sunday obligation and being able to get back home in time for my daughter to make her softball scrimmage. As per usual, the music was on the most part very good.
Alleluia! Alleluia! hearts to heav'n and voices raise..."Hymn to Joy"
The Lord is my Shepherd...Alstott
Celtic Alleluia...Walker/O'Carroll
The King of love my Shepherd is..."St. Columba"
Massive Cremation (Paul, the music director/organist, razzed me after Mass, "I was thinking of you when I was playing this" - LMAO!)
My God and my All...Zaragoza (simple text, nice melody, not rushed; had a feel of either a Spiritual or Early American, but I actually liked it)
To Jesus Christ, our sov'reign King..."Ich Glaub an Gott"
After Mass, Paul and I chatted and he was telling me of a wedding he attended yesterday that was similar to the funeral I encountered last Wednesday. In his case, it was a Ruffati pipe organ that was cast aside in favor of piano. He also led me to this groovy improv by Philip Faraone on the beloved Christmas carol, Angels we have heard on high. Phil is the organist at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul in Providence, RI. The organ: a 125-rank, four-manual Casavant Freres, one of the world's largest trackers, built in 1972 under the supervision of none other than Alexander Peloquin. Here's the video:
If you type in "Philip Faraone" in the search in YouTube, you'll come up with some groovy gems of him accompanying the Gregorian Concert Choir (the Cathedral's resident choir), directed by Father Anthony Mancini (the Cathedral's music director AND rector), at St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome. You'll be in for a treat. Big thanks to Paul at St. John's for the tip.
Peace,
BMP
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