Immaculate Conception

8 December 2010

Entrance	The Angel Gabriel
Gloria	St Gabriels (mtgf)
Psalm 97	The Lord has shown (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Gospel Greeting (Bernadette Farrell)
Preparation of Gifts	Ave Maris Stella (Elgar)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Remembrance (Marty Haugen)
Communion	No Wind at the Window (Irish melody/Bell)
Final	Long ago prophets knew

The College's patronal feast and coming together of our musical forces. These include the College Choir who contributed to the liturgy for the first time. They sang Elgar's Ave Maris Stella, the text from which the College's motto is drawn: Monstra t'esse matrem. I presume that Elgar's setting was written for his parish choir and has melodies and singable parts. I appreciate his dabbling in modality and his skilful use of musical material which makes it a tightly written work. I am pleased to say the College Choir sang it with a pleasant tone and good line - well done.

The psalm setting is an adaptation of one I have written for Christmas day and to my mind this is a good example where the use of the same setting - with different responses - can be effective, making a connection between the two feasts.

For gatherings such as this it is always hard to guess what hymns that people would know and are also appropriate. The final hymn is sung to Theodoric (or God is love; his the care) and so was a tune that most people seem to know. I am not sure about the words. Though they suitably joyful for a patronal feast, were of Advent and capture Mary's role I found some of the rhymes a bit harsh and the refrain with its 'sings' and 'rings' a little twee.