Easter Vigil

3 April 2010

Procession	The Lord is my light (Taizé)
Exultet	Simple (mtgf)
Psalm 103	Send forth your spirit (mtgf)
Psalm 15	Preserve me, God (Christopher Walker)
Exodus 15	I will sing to the Lord (mtgf)
Psalm 18	O Lord, you have the message (mtgf)
Psalm 41-42	As the deer longs (Palestrina arr. Barbara Bridge)
Gloria	{Berthier)
Gospel Acclamation	Celtic (O'Carroll/Walker)
Profession of Faith	Amen, amen, I do believe (mtgf)
Sprinkling	Amen, amen, I do believe (mtgf)
Preparation of Gifts	For Peace (Antoine Oomen)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Gathering (Paul Inwood)
Lamb of God	(Berthier)
Communion	Now we remain (David Haas)
	Concerto for 2 Violins: Largo ma non tanto (JS Bach)
Final	Christ be our light - Easter version (Bernadette Farrell)

For the last few years there has been one booklet containing Thursday, Friday and the Vigil. It is hoped it helps people to see this as one celebration and encourage those who come to part to come to the whole. This year it became A4 instead of A5 and a brief commentary on various elements was given in a side column. I hope this helped people's participation.

We had 5 readings from the Old Testament. In previous years we have had all 7. We cut down because we did not have enough cantors. we are back in a position where all 7 could be done by a different cantor or group of singers. Ironically it appears that we are short of readers. My experience is that you do not notice the time taken. This is, I think, due to readings and psalms well proclaimed and that we continue to sit in candlelight for the Liturgy of Word - which concentrates the mind. Another factor is the familiarity of the responses - this is the night we sing these melodies.

The Liturgy of the Word, though, was the place for the second new piece — As the deer longs. This is a slightly 'cheeky' arrangement of Palestrina's Sicut cervus by Barbara Bridge. I used the verses in the Lectionary with a simpler chant. We sang it unaccompanied which gave a contrast of texture. A practical reason for using the setting was it allowed our accompanist much more time to get from piano to organ — the organ enters the liturgy for the Gloria.

The sung profession of faith is published in Cantate. The Amen, amen I do believe response is used again for the sprinkling with appropriate verses taken from the Communion Song version. Of the various pieces we have tried for the sprinkling over the years this combination seems to have worked the best. Perhaps, as often seems to be the case, when music and action make sense together people sing.

Following the playing of the Pachelbel Canon at the Jubilee Mass our younger violinist asked if they might do the slow movement from Bach double violin concerto. When young people want offer their talents for the liturgy it seems right that a place is found. Communion at the end of vigil was the place. It was a beautiful moment and provided a space for reflection on what we had celebrated over the three days.

In the new translation obviously the Mass texts will be different, as will all the prayer texts. I will mourn the passing of the present translation of the Exsultet because it is so familiar and has formed me in my faith. I am sure the new translation will bring a freshness to the text and become as familiar.