30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

28 October 2012

Entrance	We walk by faith
Penitential Rite	St Gabriel (mtgf)
Gloria	Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Psalm 125	What marvels the Lord (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Exultate justi (Viadana)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Communion Antiphon	We will ring our out joy (mtgf)
Communion	Song of the man born blind (Bob Hurd)
Final	Be thou my vision

The sings made allusions to other gospel stories about the relationship between faith and sight: Thomas doubting and the Man born blind in John's gospel. The motet at Preparation of Gifts took up the general theme of rejoicing in the first reading which was also echoed in the Communion antiphon.

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

21 October 2012

Entrance	Christ be our light
Penitential Rite	St Gabriel (mtgf)
Gloria	Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Psalm 32	May your love be upon us (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Ours were the griefs (Stephen Dean)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Communion Antiphon	The Son of Man has come (mtgf)
Communion	Christus factus est (Anerio)
Final	Praise to the holiest
Voluntary	Postlude Improvisation sur Ave Maris Stella (Dupré)

Another prophecy of the Passion - which is reinforced by the first reading. This lead to the Stephen Dean setting of Isaiah/1 Peter which we always enjoy and Anerio's setting of Philippians 2 at Communion. I had considered further Dean at Comminion - Father, if this cup which would have picked up the reference in Gospel to Can you drink the cup that I must drink? but with the Communion antiphon (this week a direct quotation from the Gospel) it seems to me that two antiphonal pieces might be too much.

I also went to the evening Mass to encourage the musicians. We used the same Mass parts, so that they can be used when we have a common celebration. I decided on a Common Psalm - 121 - which can be used in over the coming weeks. And apart from Christ be our light the other choices were different. As I am sure I have mentioned before it seems to me a strength of the reformed liturgy that the same liturgical texts can lead to different, yet appropriate, music choices.

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

14 October 2012

Entrance	All my hope on God is founded
Penitential Rite	St Gabriel (mtgf)
Gloria	Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Psalm 90	Fill us, Lord, with your love (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	The Word of God (mtgf)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Communion Antiphon	The rich suffer want (mtgf)
Communion	Song of Wisdom (Loomis)
Final	Will you come and follow me

The first reading from the book of Wisdom was picked up at Communion with the Song of Wisdom a beautifully fluid setting by Patrick Loomis. The second reading was echoed by the piece at the Preparation of Gifts which uses the text from Hebrews with Isaiah 55. Interestingly the visiting priest used both texts, starting with the simple images of Wisdom and Word, in his homily.

The Gospel was not forgotten. Both hymns were chosen in the light of it: the first for trust in God, the second because it articulates what it means to follow Jesus. The Communion antiphon was chosen as it seemed to provide another echo of the Gospel - the recommendation in the Missal is that preference is given for the antiphon which is in harmony with for the Gospel. Strangely I think this is one of the most explicit suggestions on the liturgical texts that the gospel should provide the source for making musical choices.

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

7 October 2012

Entrance	Love is his word
Penitential Rite	St Gabriel (mtgf)
Gloria	Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Psalm 127	May the Lord (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Jesu, joy of man's desiring (J S Bach)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Communion Antiphon	The Lord is good (mtgf)
Communion	Concerto for 2 violins - Largo (J S Bach)
Final	Love divine

Today was a sad occasion. It was final time our organist, who began as a student 23 years ago, played for us. His work now takes him around the world and the eagle-eyed may have noticed that he has not been with for us a number of Sundays. His one request was for the slow movement of the Bach double violin concerto which we had previously had one Easter Vigil. With the two violins Jesu, joy of man's desiring seemed a natural companion piece and fitted with the general theme of love that we had highlighted.

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

30 September 2012

Entrance	Your words are spirit
Penitential Rite	St Gabriel (mtgf)
Gloria	Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Psalm 18	The precepts of the Lord. (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Faith, hope and love (Christopher Walker)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Angels and Saints (Steven Janco)
Communion Antiphon	(mtgf)
Communion	The love of the Lord (Michael Joncas)
Final	Forth in thy name

Like last week the second reading from James provided some of the inspiration today, in particular Michael Joncas' The love of the Lord which is uses Pauline imagery of relative wealth - what I have lost and gained in Christ. Faith, hope and love with Ubi caritas verses was employed as a commentary or tangent to the gospel - the company John should aspire to.

A new visiting priest who not only preached well but, and it seems odd to say this but the experience is the exception, when asked knew what Penitential Act he intended to use, the third, was happy with a sung Lord, have mercy and in practice was ready for it when it happened. This should not be remarkable but it is!

This was the last of the first group of Communion Antiphons. One of the ideas behind the setting was a formula used over a number of weeks - about 2 months seemed right for dividing Ordinary Time. Though they don't seem to have taken the congregation by storm yet - for reasons I have surmised in the past - it has been an interesting start/experiment. To me they sound simple and attractive in unaccompanied harmony and the choir sing them for the whole of the procession beginning when the priest receives from the chalice.