Saturday, February 20, 2010

RICHARD HILLERT (1923-2010)

I just learned through the CTNMusic message boards that a second well-known composer died last Thursday. Richard Hillert, just one month short of his 87th birthday, died last Thursday. Though many of his works are included mainly in Lutheran hymnals, one hymn of his stands out in hymnals of many denominations, including Roman Catholic - Festival Canticle: Worthy is Christ (This is the feast of victory for our God).

Peace,
BMP

Friday, February 19, 2010

RICHARD PROULX (1937-2010)

Yes, sadly, you read that title right. Renowned composer Richard Proulx died last night - just a couple of months short of his 73rd birthday. Got the news via his fan page on Facebook, which I am a member of. He leaves a legacy of some of the best post-Vatican II music written for the English-speaking Church. May he rest in peace.

Jeffrey Tucker from The New Liturgical Movement couldn't say this better:
He worked to keep standards high, as a reflection of his own background and serious training, and managed a substantial amount of influence in connecting the style of contemporary music back to an authentic Catholic tradition. As you browse through current materials available from mainstream publishers, it is predictable that anything by Proulx will be a cut above the rest, as most Catholic musicians have noted.

So true!

Peace,
BMP

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

YOU'VE GOT 40 DAYS TO CLEAR YOUR HEAD...

...and we have just the product to help!


Johnson's Lenten Shampoo - No more alleluias till Easter!
Peace,
BMP

Sunday, February 14, 2010

MORE PRAYERS NEEDED FOR STEVE O

Got this shocking e-mail from a woman named Shiela, whose son is the goddaugher of SteveO and his wife Katie...

I'm sorry to write to everyone on Steves mass e-mail list but he is in need of prayer. Katie Called my husband today and told him that She had been out walking the dog and when she came back to find Steve in the car unresponsive.

Please pray for Steve and Katie.

Sheila

(Steve and Katie are my Son's God Parents)

Prayers en route to the Ohmer family in a very swift manner!
Peace,
BMP

Monday, February 8, 2010

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Covering the next four weekends at three churches...

UPDATED ON 2/8/10

On the next three Saturdays, I'll be playing the 5:30 and 7:00 PM Masses at the Chapel of Our Savior in Brockton, MA. In addition, I'll be playing the 9:30 AM Mass at St. Anthony's Church in Providence, RI on Sunday, February 7, and the 8:00 and 10:00 AM Masses at St. Kevin's Church in Warwick, RI on Sundays February 14 and 21. Since I get to pick the hymns at all of these Masses, and the books are pretty much the same at all three churches (OCP), the hymn selections will stay the same at both churches.

Music for the Mass itself was selected by the powers that be at the Brockton chapel and at Warwick, while I got to pick the hymns (at Warwick, the choices were St. Louis Jesuits Mass and Massive Cremation - I picked the somewhat-but-not-by-much lesser of the two evils). At Providence, I got to pick it all, but I got an idea of what they know there, so I'm basing it accordingly.

I've filled in at the Brockton and Providence churches before and enjoyed both venues. Fr. Dan Sweet at St. Anthony's is excellent, as are the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement who staff Our Savior. I'm looking forward to going back there, albeit for the limited time.

MASS:
Gloria: St. Louis Jesuits (Brockton) / recited (Providence)
- (The Jesuits Gloria is the only bullet I'm biting the entire three weeks)
Psalms and Alleluias from Respond and Acclaim
For Lent I at Warwick: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ (Tone 2)
Sanctus and Agnus from Heritage Mass (Brockton/Providence) / Creation (Warwick)
Memorial A and Amen: Danish (Brockton) / Heritage (Providence) / Creation (Warwick)

January 30, 2010 at Brockton (Anticipated Mass for Sunday IV)
Love divine, all loves excelling ("Hyfrydol")
Faith of our fathers, living still ("St. Catherine")
Ubi caritas (in Latin/Mode VI)
Holy God, we praise thy name ("Grosser Gott")

February 6, 2010 at Brockton (Anticipated Mass for Sunday V)
February 7, 2010 at Providence (Sunday V)
All the earth proclaim the Lord (Deiss)
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty ("Nicaea")
You satisfy the hungry heart ("Bicentennial")
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty ("Lobe den Herren")

February 13, 2010 at Brockton (Anticipated Mass for Sunday VI)
February 14, 2010 at Warwick (Sunday VI)
O God, our help in ages past ("St. Anne")
Crown him with many crowns ("Diademata")
You satisfy the hungry heart ("Bicentennial")
Now thank we all our God ("Nun Danket")

February 21, 2010 at Warwick (Lent I)
Again we keep this solemn fast ("Erhalt uns, Herr")
Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless ("St. Agnes")
Attende, Domine (in Latin/Mode I)
Lord, who throughout these forty days ("St. Flavian")

Peace,
BMP

WRITING A NEW BOOK

Yes, I am! Details when I'm almost done.
Peace,
BMP

Thursday, February 4, 2010

OK, TOP THIS!

Dave Sylvester, music director and organist for Sacred Heart Church in West Warwick, RI, gave me his Ash Wednesday music list. You'll like this one!

CHORAL PRELUDE:
Memento mei, Domine (Herzog) (from Mount Mary Motet Book / McLaughlin and Reilly)

MASS:
Lord, who throughout these Forty Days ("St. Flavian")
Kyrie from Gregorian Requiem Mass
My Soul Is Longing for your peace (Deiss)
Adoramus Te, Christe (Sr. Cherubim) (also from Mount Mary Motet Book)
Mass XVIII (Sanctus/Agnus)
Ecce Panis Angelorum (Perosi) (from cpdl.org)
O Bone Jesu (Palestrina)

DISTRIBUTION OF ASHES:
Organ improv on Attende Domine
Parce Domine (Rossini) (from his collection Laudate Pueri, Dominum)
Organ improv on Crux Fidelis
Jesu, Salvator Noster (Rossini) (also from Laudate Pueri, Dominum)

Any takers?
Peace,
BMP