Sunday, November 27, 2011

First Sunday of Advent

27 November 2011

EntranceLitany of the Word (Bernadette Farrell)
Psalm 79God of hosts (mtgf)
Gospel AcclamationSalisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of GiftsIn the day of the Lord (M D Ridge)
Eucharistic AcclamationsCreation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of GodAdvent (mtgf)
CommunionThere is a longing (Anne Quigley)
FinalHark a herald voice

And so we begin once more. The Litany of the Word made a simple beginning - the challenge of its simplicity is making sure that it goes somewhere. A contrast was In the day of the Lord by M D Ridge. I always enjoy its infectious rhythms — the parousia is going to have some bounce!

The psalm setting is quite old now - this is a relative term, we looked at some Palestrina and Monteverdi in rehearsal, at least 99, if not 96, yet I can remember writing it on an Andalucian terrace in October sunshine while looking ahead at the coming weeks. I am not sure that it has any 'Spanish flavour'; it does a slight march-like quality with a walking ground-bass. I remember reviewing a psalm collection which had a very different setting of the same psalm - lyrical and bringing out a different quality in the words, gentle pleading rather than a stronger plea. It is one of the gifts that composers bring to the liturgy is different insights into the same text.

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