MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS and a PRAYER REQUEST

All Souls - 10:30 AM - November 2, 2008
St. William Church, Warwick, RI

This is the weekend that my good friend Reuel Gifford was supposed to begin his new position as music director at St. William's, reuniting with a really good pastor he had worked with in a previous parish (until that pastor was reassigned to St. William's). However, the poor guy's been sick as a dog for the last couple of days. He landed up calling me Friday night to cover a funeral yesterday for him - he didn't sound too good at all. Some may remember that Reuel was my accompanist for a couple of choral concerts I conducted while I was music director at Holy Ghost. So, please pray for his recovery so that he may finally start work soon, and decent music will be restored at St. William's.

The organist who filled in at the 10:30 Mass this morning was awful - holding down chords with the left hand and the melody with the right, using the same stops throughout the entire Mass (using only the one expression pedal - the organ's an old Allen - for dynamics). Reuel had picked out the music, and with the exception of Communion, the substitute played what Reuel had picked, albeit terribly.

The pew books are Today's Missal and the Music Issue.

LASST UNS ERFREUEN...Ye watchers and ye holy ones
Alstott...The Lord is my shepherd and Alleluia (the 3/4 setting in C)
- (however, the cantor chanted the verse to Tone 8G, in G. C would have been a better key. Also, she announced the Psalm, which was really not necessary.)
Toolan...I am the bread of life
Schubert, adapted by Proulx...Sanctus, Christ has died, and Amen from Deutsche Messe.
Olawski...Agnus Dei (blech!)
Lowry...Shall we gather at the river
- (double blech! especially with the staccato chords - one for each quarter note. Reuel did NOT pick this, rest assured! If anything, once he finally starts work there, that kind of nonsense will cease!)
GOTT VATER! SEI GEPRIESEN...All praise and glad thanksgiving

The cantor, of course, announced "gathering", "preparation of the gifts", and "sending forth". At Communion she simply announced "let us sing...". Another dang extraordinary minister of Holy Communion attempted to put Jesus in my hands again. One thing went over good - Fr. Salmani, the pastor, gave an EXCELLENT homily. He really says Mass with class.

Dedication of St. John Lateran - November 9, 2008
9:30 and 11:00 AM - St. Peter Church, Warwick, RI

Next Sunday, I'm covering for two Masses at St. Peter's in Warwick. All decent selections (I didn't pick'em) except for the closing hymn. The organ is another Allen, probably from the mid 1970's. (One should note that a 30-year-old electronic organ is fairly old, while a 30-year-old pipe organ is still fairly new, especially with proper maintainance.)

The pew book is We Celebrate.

AURELIA...The Church's one foundation
Joncas...Let us go rejoicing
- (Though the seasonal Psalm for the "Last Weeks of Ordinary Time", part of this Psalm is also a translation of the Gradual of the day as found in the Gregorian Missal and Graduale Romanum.)
Mode VI...Alleluia
- (I'm cantoring from the organ console, so the verse will be sung to Psalm Tone 6F)
ST. CATHERINE...Faith of our fathers, living still
Vermulst...Sanctus from People's Mass
Danish...Christ has died and Amen
Olawski...Agnus Dei (blech!)
BICENTENNIAL...You satisfy the hungry heart
Schutte...City of God
- (triple blech! especially on a feast where we commemorate the dedication of the Pope's Cathedral in Rome! Christ is made the sure foundation or even A mighty fortress is our God would have been much more appropriate.)

Peace,
BMP