MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time - 10 AM - February 1, 2009
St. Mary's Church, Seekonk, MA

This is a program that (IMO) is an exception in my area - that is - it actually has more ups than downs! The church is a somewhat small colonial-style ediface. The organ is in the loft - an old Allen (with the infamous "diapasons become strings" stops, etc.). Unfortunately, on the most part, it sounded more like a Hammond than even an Allen of that time (the registration was rather tiercey in much of the music - I almost NEVER use mutation stops in chorus). The up-side is that most of the selections made were quality selections. There was NO Massive Cremation or St. Louis Jesuits at all - thank God! The church uses WLP's Seasonal Missalette, which, to me, is an upgrade from the Music Issue they had a couple of years ago. The WLP missalette does have its share of garbage, too, but in a lesser quantity.

Anyhoo, here's the list...

LOBE DEN HERREN...Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
- (nice hymn, but it was rather rushed, and only ONE verse)
Honore...If today you hear his voice
- (wasn't a fan of this one --- didn't like the repeats in the text. Verses were said, not sung.)
Alstott...Alleluia (the one in 2/4 time, key of D / fine)
NEW BRITAIN...Amazing grace! how sweet the sound
- (she played the first verse in C, then went to F - don't know why!)
Vermulst...Sanctus from People's Mass (good - and played rather well)
Deiss...Keep in mind
- (nice piece, but not as a memorial acclamation)
Danish Amen
Olawski...that thing that passes for an Agnus Dei
- (I often wonder where the hell this thing comes from. In many parishes, sadly, it's all they know. Yet it's not in any hymnal or missalette published in this country. I found it once on a piece of sheet music - probably illegally copied like in almost any typical parish - when I was organist at Sacred Heart in West Warwick, RI. Thankfully, things have gotten much better at Sacred Heart since Fr. Bucci became pastor and my good friend Dave Sylvester became organist.)
LOURDES HYMN...Immaculate Mary
- (Nice hymn, but why would we go with a Marian hymn here?)

Peace,
BMP

AND ONE TIME, AT CHANT CAMP

Yes, chant camp - for the kids! David Hughes at St. Mary's in Norwalk, CT held one of those. That's about as ingenious as they come! Big time kudos. This is excellent!

Pictures here. RSCT to Jeffrey Tucker.
Peace,
BMP

PS: Think someone in my diocese or its neighbors to the north or east will follow suit? Or perhaps NaPalM?

FOR OUR WEST COAST READERS

Charles Culbreth is one of our California pals on multiple message boards. I'm promoting this for him.

REQUIEM
GABRIEL FAURÉ
Arranged by John Rutter
FOR THE FORGOTTEN OF
DARFUR AND THE WORLD
4:00 P.M. SUNDAY
APRIL 9, 2006
ST. MARY’S CHURCH
VISALIA, CALIFORNIA

A BENEFIT CONCERT PRESENTED
BY SCHOLA ST. MARY’S,
CHARLES CULBRETH, DIRECTOR
THE MONACHE H.S. CHAMBER SINGERS
SUSAN EVANS, DIRECTOR
CHARLOTTE GARCIA, SOPRANO
MILTON FRIESEN, BARITONE
TRENT BARRY, ORGANIST
MEMBERS OF THE TULARE CO. SYMPHONY
PROCEEDS DONATED TO THE
DARFUR ASSISTANCE PROJECT OF VISALIA

Break a leg Charles!
Peace,
BMP

PRO CANTARE CONCERT

Last night, my wife, my kids, and I went to see Pro Cantare in concert. Pro Cantare is a group directed by my good friend and mentor, Reuel Gifford. Reuel, as mentioned in an earlier article, is also my guest accompanist for our own concert.

The concert took place at St. Mary's Church in Providence, where Reuel is music director. The concert was Pro Cantare, directed by Reuel Gifford, and the Rhode Island College Chamber Singers, directed by Teresa Coffman. The concert took a nice antiphonal effect, with the Chamber Singers up front, and the Pro Cantare in the gallery.

Here's the lineup:

Matin Responsory - Palestrina
HYMN: Wake, O Wake, and Sleep No Longer - WACHET AUF (sung by all)
In the Bleak Midwinter - Holst
Lord, before this Fleeting Season - Larson
Is God, Our Endless Day - Larson
This Day Is Born Emmanuel - M. Praetorius
No Sad Thought His Soul Affright - Vaughan Williams
Christe Redemptor Omnium - Monteverdi
King Jesus Hath a Garden - Dutch, arr. Wood
I Saw a Fair Mayden - Terry
Ave Maris Stella - Greig
Lalulla Lu, Babe Jesu - Nielsen
Silent Night - STILLE NACHT, arr. Rathbone
Good King Wenceslas - PIAE CONTIONES, arr. Willcocks
HYMN: Lo! How a Rose E'er Blooming - ES IST EIN' ROS' ENTSPRUNGEN
- (first two verses were sung by the choirs in German, the all joined in verse three in English)
Joseph Lieber, Joseph Mein - H. Praetorius
Hodie Nobis Coelorum Rex - Handl
Angels We Have Heard on High - French, arr. Paul Nelson (Mr. Nelson is a singer in Pro Cantare and dedicated it for this concert)
HYMN: O Come, All Ye Faithful - ADESTE FIDELES, arr. Willcocks

The choirs were excellent, as was Reuel's work on the III/27 Kilgen organ, which is undergoing an upgrade.

+In Christ,
BMP

TWO GREAT ARTICLES

Compliments of THE NEW LITURGICAL MOVEMENT:

First - the 10th Anniversary of Una Voce conference was held in Providence, and included Pontifical High Mass (1962 Missal) at my former parish, Holy Name. The music was praised in the review as "supurb musical accompaniment". I'm not surprised. Jacob Stott, my immediate successor, is very good. I posted a comment on Shawn's article stating that many pastors, upon my leaving, tend to hire someone who can "undo" what I've either done or tried to do. When I left Holy Name, however, Fr. Fisette did it different - he hired someone who could "keep it going". Jacob not only keeps it going, but he builds on it quite nicely. Holy Name is a parish that, although I no longer work there, I take great pride in! It's parishioners and music ministry are wonderful.

Second - Worshipping the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness - Fr. Jay Scott Newman, pastor of Saint Mary's in Greenville, SC, gives a great detail of how his parish became, and how your parish can become, the role model for Sacred Liturgy. Great for priests and laity alike that are involved in ministry. RECOMMENDED READING!!!

Peace,
BMP