4th Sunday of Advent

19 December 2010

Entrance	O come divine Messiah
Penitential Rite	Orbis Factor (mtgf)
Psalm 23	Let the Lord enter (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Ave maris stella (Monteverdi)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Advent (mtgf)
Communion	O holy Mary (Owen Alstott)
Final	O come, O come Emmanuel

Snow meant we were unaccompanied. We were also for unknown reasons leafletless. We considered doing 'Longing, trusting' and seeing if the congregation could participate from memory. My guess is that they might have done so but we were also aware that as there was no evening Mass there would be some for whom it would be completely unknown. I am not sure we have ever used O come divine Messiah as a congregational hymn - but it sung well - one of the benefits of being unaccompanied is that you are more aware of how things are. We often sing O come divine Messiah in a simple choir arrangement and we had to pay attention so that we did not divert into the arrangement version of the melody.

Snow meant pulling out things that would work with just voices - so though they are both written to be sung unaccompanied both Monteverdi and Alstott became a capella. The Alstott with its chant-like qualities worked well. Advent seems to be when we sing more chant that the rest the year. The version of the Monteverdi begins and ends with the chant for Ave maris stella which is used as the basis for the piece.