MUSIC for THANKSGIVING DAY and I ADVENT at HOLY GHOST CHURCH

NOVEMBER 24, 2005 - THANKSGIVING DAY
Mass at 8:00 AM (Me, myself, and I)

Introit hymn: ST. GEORGE'S WINDSOR - Come, ye thankful people, come (Missalette, #35)
Responsorial Psalm: Alstott - Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever (Missalette, page 88)
Alleluia: Murray
Offertory hymn: DIX - For the beauty of the earth (Music Issue, #521)
Sanctus, Mysterium, Amen: Peloquin - Mass of the Bells
Lord's Prayer: most likely said, not sung (I'll leave it up to Father)
Agnus Dei: Peloquin - Mass of the Bells
Communion hymn: Peloquin - Faith, hope, and love (from "Lyric Liturgy")
Recessional hymn: NUN DANKET - Now thank we all our God (Missalette, #26)

NOTES ABOUT THE MUSIC:
The communion proper listed in the missalette is "O give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love is everlasting". This is actually the first of five verses based on Psalm 136 that go with the antiphon: Faith, hope, and love: let these endure among you, and the greatest of these is love. The piece comes from "Lyric Liturgy", a 1974 gem written by C. Alexander Peloquin.

NOVEMBER 27, 2005 - I ADVENT
Saturday Mass at 4:30 with cantor / Sunday Masses at 7:30, 9:00 (both me, myself, and I), and 10:30 with choir

All numbers below are in the Missalette.
Introit hymn: VENI, VENI, EMMANUEL - O come, O come, Emmanuel (#19)
Penitential Rite: parrot Father
Responsorial Psalm: Tone 2 - Lord, make us turn to you, let us see your face and we shall be saved.
Alleluia: Chant Mode VI
Offertory hymn: CONDITOR ALME SIDERUM - Creator of the stars of night (#35)
Sanctus: Mass XVIII (in Latin)
Mysterium Fidei: Mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine
Amen: single Amen with slurred last syllable
Lord's Prayer: Sacramentary chant (in English)
Agnus Dei: Mass XVIII (in Latin)
Communion hymn: SALVE REGINA/adapted by Schutte - Christ, circle 'round us (#37)
Recessional hymn: STUTTGART - Come, O long-expected Jesus (#20)

ABOUT THE MUSIC:
All the hymns today are pretty much seasonally based. One newer piece we're using is, believe it or not, by Dan Schutte. "Christ, circle 'round us" is by far one of his best pieces - wedding his phrasing of the "O" Antiphons with an adaptation of the beloved Mode V chant "Salve Regina".

Today is the beginning of: 1) Readings from Year B; 2) the new missalettes - these run from I Advent through V Lent; 3) the 2006 music issue; 4) use of the acclamation "Mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine, et tuam resurrectionem confitemur, donec venias". This acclamation is one of three in the Latin Sacramentary. Though the bulk of the Latin and chant ordinaries will be used one Sunday a month still, we will use the Mortem Tuam straight through Holy Week.

Nick's music list for I Advent at St. Patrick's Cathedral is already posted (he's way ahead of me this week LOL).

FINALLY - MARK THIS DATE!
Wednesday, December 28, 2005 - 7:00 PM
The Choir of Holy Ghost Church will put on its first concert under my baton. Though mainly carols, there will be a few choral pieces as well, both in and out of season. Possibly some organ music too. Also featured will be some select instrumentalists from the Tiverton High School Band, assembled by our sacristan Nick Fleming, who is also a trumpeter. Music listing will come later on.

+In Christ,
BMP

A BRIGHT IDEA THAT CAN GO GOOD!

I left this comment in response to this article by Shawn Tribe on "The New Liturgical Movement":

First a snip of a comment by Andrew:

"But, how about one for every diocese in the US? in the world? And what if all of these Societies in the US came together to put together a truly Catholic hymnbook with Gregorian chant, etc.?"

To which I replied:

Doubtful it will happen, but definitely a great idea. That's why it most likely won't happen. *sigh*

I can picture the best of Worship II, the best of Collegeville, the best of Adoremus, and of course, the Gregorian Missal, as a major part of such a project.

It might just take PEOPLE LIKE US, yes, us, the authors, readers, and supporters of this here blog and others like it, to take up such a project. Then we, as a group, could take finished product thereof right to the BCL for approval.It's an idea anyways. :-D

Another commenter mentioned that he had started a "sacred music society" in his parish. Response amongst his parishioners is a bit slow for now, but the pastor is supportive. Maybe with a cool catchy name it will attract. There's the "Holy Name Society", the "Men of St. Joseph", etc. How about it? The SAINT CECILIA SOCIETY!

At the end of each rehearsal, our choir prays together the prayer "Come, Holy Spirit, come by the means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well-beloved spouse", along with the Hail Mary and the Glory Be to the Father. To finish I lead a mini-litany:

St. Cecilia: pray for us.
St. Benedict: pray for us.
St. Augustine: pray for us.
St. Gregory: pray for us.
St. Basil: pray for us.
St. Michael: pray for us.
St. Pius X: pray for us.

Cecilia, of course, is the patroness of sacred music. Benedict, named after our Pope, and we all know his views on liturgy. Augustine coined the phrase Those who sing, pray twice. The remaining four all have hymnals named after them. Only the St. Michael Hymnal is a post-Conciliar hymnal, but, on the most part, a very good one.

Prayer is always helpful. How about the Novena for Renewal of the Sacred Liturgy?

Peace,
BMP

Advent I at the Cathedral

The Cathedral Parish of St. Patrick
Harrisburg, PA

Advent I

Prelude: Pastorale on "Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying" -- Wayne Wold

Entrance: The Advent of Our King / ST. THOMAS (WILLIAMS)

Act of Penitence Form C (led by cantor)from "Advent Wreath Service" by John Schiavone

Psalm 80: Lord, Make Us Turn to You... -- Gelineau

Gospel Acc: Alleluia VII -- Berthier

Offertory: Creator of the Stars of Night / CONDITOR ALME SIDERUM

Offertory Anthem (9:30): "E'en So, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come" -- Paul Manz

Sanctus: Mass XVIII

Acclamation and Amen: Corpus Christi Mass -- Proulx

Agnus Dei: Mass XVIII

Communion: My Soul in Stillness Waits

Recessional: City of God

Postlude: Nun Komm, der Heiden Heiland -- Johann Pachelbel

"VATICAN EXPRESS" CARD?

"Don't leave Rome without it!" says the Curt Jester, in his latest of great parodies.

BMP

THE NEW LITURGICAL MOVEMENT

I urge all readers to check out The New Liturgical Movement. Recent additions include updates on the new Mass translation progress, an interview with Cardinal Arinze which is impeccable, and an article on the new FSSP church near Indianapolis - Saint Cecilia of Rome.

The new organist and choirmaster at St. Cecilia's is Chris Sedlak, a good friend of both Nick's and mine. In fact, I had the pleasure of meeting Chris last year on my way to southwest Missouri (I was down there for a job interview just days before I was hired at Holy Ghost). We got together at (of all places, but I wanted to see one because there are none here) a SONIC restaurant in Indy.

On November 22, the feast day of Saint Cecilia, the one-manual tracker organ at St. Cecilia is being blessed and dedicated, followed by High Mass. If you're in Indy, give yourself a treat and hear Chris, and be awed at the beauty of High Mass, while honoring the Patroness of Sacred Music. You won't regret it!

Peace,
BMP

ADDENDUM to the last THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

OK all - here's part of the chant/Latin spoof of Hail Mary/Gentle Woman that was concocted. I somewhat remember the chant adaptation I had on the Gentle Woman part, but our pal Jason had done the Latin text - which I can't remember to save my behind.

So, here's the Hail Mary (Ave Maria) part anyways.

Peace,
BMP

ANOTHER EPISODE of THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

Round 2 of THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY - Christus Vincit Style!

The Good: Ave Maria (chant, Abt, Arcadelt, Victoria - pick one - they're all good!)
The Bad: Hail Mary/Gentle Woman
The Ugly: Elvis Presley doing a rendition of Hail Mary/Gentle Woman that medleys with "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" (they're both in D major in most books - they're both in that 50's rock-ballad style 6/8 time - and they can both put you to sleep!)

Our Louisiana buddy (whom Nick and I both know on several boards and good friends with) once did a translation of Gentle Woman, to which I took Landry's melody and transformed it into this cool chant tune. My copy got lost in the big Pawtucket mill fire two years ago from yesterday.

BMP

IT'S ABOUT DANG TIME

Yes - as reported in The New Liturgical Movement - NPM is FINALLY promoting chant.
It's definitely a turn into the right direction, finally!

Read: Triumph of Hope at NPM

BMP

CONCERNED ABOUT "NEW TRADITIONAL MUSIC"

Gary Penkala at CanticaNOVA quells the worries of the frustrated church musician in fear for his/her job in the latest feedback reply: Concerned About "New Traditional Music". A really good primer for the musician facing "The Reform of the Reform".

Enjoy!

BMP

TWO NEW LINKS ADDED ON THE SIDEBAR

Nick and I have taken the liberty of adding two new links on our sidebar.

Last night, I added St. Patrick Cathedral in Harrisburg, where Nick (as he mentioned in his introductory post) is the newly-appointed Director of Liturgical Music. It is fitting that his parish gets added to the blog links. Now - if I was only a fly on the wall to hear the Rutter The Lord is my Shepherd at the Cathedral *sigh*!

Today, Nick added the Church of St. John Cantius in Chicago. This is THE parish that REALLY has something for everybody, and NO! I don't mean "cathedral and pilgrim styles". On a typical weekend schedule they have three Novus Ordo Masses (one in Latin, two in English), and two Latin Tridentine Masses (one Low, one High). Their current weekend schedule is:

Saturday: 5:00 PM - Novus Ordo in English
Sunday: 7:30 AM - Tridentine Low Mass
- 9:00 AM - Novus Ordo in English
- 11:00 AM - Novus Ordo in Latin
- 12:30 PM - Tridentine High Mass

There are several choirs and the music is top notch. Check it out!

+In Christ,
BMP