Christmas - Day Mass

25 December 2011

Entrance	Once in royal David's city
Penitential Rite	St Gabriels (mtgf)
Gloria	Christmas Gloria (Paul Gibson)
Psalm 97	All the ends (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Carol at Bethlehem Cave (Spanish arr. Walker)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Christmas (Ebeling arr. mtgf)
Communion	Infant lowly
	Away in a manger
Final	O little town of Bethlehem

For Christmas morning we usually have reduced forces - the Sunday A-Team - and Mass which always feels as though in contrast to Mass during the night is quieter and more reflective. I suspect that is the reflection of someone who attends both and for many people this is their Christmas Mass. Indeed the chapel was full for both. As I may have commented before we are not a very child oriented congregation - this does not mean that there are not any children just there is no particular provision for them. I think, to be shocking to many, this, though it isn't a deliberate standpoint, has an element of truth in it. That was a long preamble to saying that 'Away in a manger' is intended as child-friendly.

A passing though about homilies and rhetoric. It can be a useful device to paint the negative images so that you can than illuminate with the positive but if the imagination of the congregation gets stuck on the negative the device has failed.

Christmas - Mass during the Night

25 December 2011

Carols
Carol	Once in royal David's city
Choir	Alma Redemptoris Mater (Palestrina)
Carol	While shepherds watched
Choir	O holy night (Adam)
Carol	O little town
Choir	I saw a maiden (Pettman)
Mass
Entrance	O come all ye faithful
Penitential Rite	St Gabriels (mtgf)
Gloria	Christmas Gloria (Paul Gibson)
Psalm 95	Today a Saviour (Bernadette Farrell)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	In the bleak midwinter (Holst)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Christmas (Ebeling arr. mtgf)
Communion	Carol of the Birds
	Night of Silence (Daniel Kantor)
	Silent Night
Final	Hark the herald angels sing

I think there were more changes to this year's Mass than there have been for a long time. For some, the most significant change might have been the new translation. Though I had heard some prophets of doom say that Midnight Mass would be a disaster - with the sudden influx of those who were not aware of the new translation - our experience did not reflect this. There might have been some variety with the initial 'And with your spirit' - it was hard to tell and I would not like to claim either way. That said the responses were as usual good and strong - I am not sure whether this is because of their novelty or because they are on the leaflet. In rehearsal I was thrown by the revised adaptation of the Christmas Gloria to the new translation. The composer has resolved the problem of extra lines by inserting 4/8 bars into each verse of a freshly composed melody - which is a solution. I am not sure ow successful it is but the congregation do seem to enjoy their Gloria refrain and came in loudly.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

18 December 2011

Entrance	Longing, trusting (mtgf)
Penitential Rite	Kyrie Orbis Factor
Psalm 88	I will sing for ever (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	No wind at the window (Irish/Bell/Haugen)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Advent (mtgf)
Communion	Alma Redemptoris Mater (Palestrina)
Final	O come, O come Emmanuel

Third Sunday of Advent

11 December 2011

Entrance	Longing, trusting (mtgf)
Penitential Rite	Orbis factor
Psalm - Magnificat	My soul rejoices (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Song of God among us (Huijbers)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Advent (mtgf)
Communion	On Jordan's Bank (Monteverdi)
Final	Blest be the Lord (Bernadette Farrell)

On Jordan's Bank is an anglicised version of Monteverdi's Deus tuorum militum from Selva morale of 1640 - I suspect you could fit many Common metre (?) hymns to it. The Gospel was also taken up by one of my favourite pieces by Huijbers - it has a lean simplicity that is beautifully crafted. John the Baptist's final appearance was in the Benedictus at the end - as I am sure I have said before I do think it is important that people sing texts such as this - even as a paraphrase.

The Magnificat setting was new and still needs a little work - the accompaniment was probably a little busy. In the refrain I repeated 'rejoice' twice - this chimed in with Gaudete - partly to give it a slight over the top feel which I think did work.

We have been singing the 3rd acclamation, Save us Saviour, for Advent. It seems to me the least successful mostly because of the ¾ bar which does not yet feel natural.

Immaculate Conception

8 December 2011

Entrance	The Angel Gabriel ()
Penitential Rite	St Gabriels (mtgf)
Gloria	Mass of the Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Psalm 97	Sing a new song (John Bell)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Adam lay bounden (Boris Ord)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Mass of Remembrance (Marty Haugen)
Communion	No wind at the window (Irish/Bell/Haugen)

The Immaculate Conception is our titular Solemnity - our Feast Day. In recent years the Mass has moved to early evening followed by a meal and then retiring to the SU bar. It usually falls in the same week as the Carol Service and so the musical economist manages his music carefully. Again musicians are drawn from Sunday musicians and the College Choir and so music is chosen which in some cases suits all and in others allows one group to take a lead. The keen eyed will notice similarities with the Carol Service, Remembrance Sunday (when the College Choir sang at Mass) and last year's celebration - preparation is organic business.

The only item wholly new to us was the psalm. I took the rare decision to have a choral psalm. John Bell's setting is unaccompanied and joyful with an Alleluia refrain for the congregation.

Carol Service

5 December 2011

Part 1 - Prepare a way for the Lord

Entrance	Litany of the Word (Bernadette Farrell)
Opening Responses
Reading	Isaiah 40:1–5 The prophet Isaiah tells the people of Israel to prepare a way for the Lord
Song	My soul in stillness waits (Marty Haugen)
Reading	Mark 1: 1-8 St Mark writes of John the Baptist who prepares a way for the Lord
Prayer
Hymn	O come, O come Emmanuel

Part 2 - Behold the virgin will conceive

Reading	Isaiah 7: 10-14 The prophet Isaiah tells of the coming of Emmanuel — God is with us
Carol	Adam lay ybounden (Boris Ord)
Reading	Luke 1: 26-38 St Luke tells of the Incarnation of Jesus
Carol	No wind at the window (Irish/Bell/Haugen)
Prayer
Carol	O little town of Bethlehem

Part 3 - Today is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord

Reading	Luke 2:1-14 St Luke tells of the birth of Jesus
Song	O holy night (Adolphe Adam)
Reading	Luke 2:15-20 St Luke tells of Mary who treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.
Song	Night of Silence (Daniel Kantor)
Carol	Silent Night
Prayer

Part 4 - The Word was made flesh and lived among us

Reading	1 John 1:1–4 St John reflects on the Incarnation
Motet	Cantique de Jean Racine (Gabriel Fauré)
Reflection
Intercessions	Holden Evening Prayer Marty Haugen
Lord's Prayer & Blessing
Carol	O come all ye faithful

This year we tried something different. Firstly I wanted to establish a pattern or structure that we could use each year. Secondly we included Christmas. This came from two things: a suspicion that for some this maybe the only time they hear the Christmas story proclaimed; secondly observing the delight some (non church going) students took in singing carols. The structure was in four parts and in my original notes it went: Expectation, Mary, Birth, Consequences. I wonder if sometimes there is a naive fallacy at work - pretending that the birth did not happen whereas we know that God's promises have been and so will be fulfilled.

Musically, it needed to include items sung by the College Choir, the Music Group and all. I hope there was enough contrast. The 3rd section was probably a little too saccharine for my taste but I suspect it was the highlight for many. We began with a candle light procession with the Litany of the Word slowly building up.

For the prayers and final blessing we used texts from the new translation and for the scripture readings we used the English Standard Version which is being considered as the base translation of the Lectionary. On the whole it proclaimed well it was only a couple of phrases in the Annunciation that seemed awkward - but may be that was just unfamiliar.

The evening was finished off by mulled wine and mince pies in the cafe and a rendition of Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer.

Second Sunday of Advent

4 December 2011

Entrance	Longing, trusting (mtgf)
Penitential Rite	Kyrie Orbis Factor
Psalm 84	Let us see, O Lord (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Rorate Caeli (chant)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Advent (mtgf)
Communion	Bread of Life (Bernadette Farrell)
Final	Come, thou long expected Jesus

Being unaccompanied does shape the musical choices. Longing, trusting came back and the congregation seemed to remember it and it sound fine with accompaniment. I was considering a setting of the Benedictus for the end but was less sure that this would be sung with confidence - it may appear next week. Rorate caeli, of course works well unaccompanied as pure melody. Bread of Life sounds effective enough with the refrain in harmony and the verses sung by cantor.