Sunday, March 22, 2015

5th Sunday of Lent

22 March 2015

EntranceFor God so loved the world (mtgf)
Penitential RiteMissa Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Psalm 50A pure heart (mtgf)
Gospel AcclamationLenten (mtgf)
Preparation of GiftsAs the deer longs (Bob Hurd)
Eucharistic AcclamationsMissa Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Lamb of GodMissa Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Communion AntiphonAmen, Amen I say (mtgf)
CommunionUnless a grain of wheat (Bob Hurd)
FinalLift high the cross

I don't think we have sung Lift high the cross before but it's a stirring tune and I think it brought out the Johannine glory which contrasted with the other softer pieces today. The text of the verses are not quite satisfactory particularly how the words fits the melody.

As the deer longs was generic Lent mainly because we had noted that since we do another version of the vigil we had not sung it for a long time. Bob Hurd's Unless a grain of wheat was new to us with its hesitant harmony — neither settling or going very far. It was good to have an alternative setting to Bernadette Farrell's which pace Stephen Dean I had always presumed was written for one of the feasts of the English Martyrs at Allen Hall.

Sunday, March 15, 2015

4th Sunday of Lent

15 March 2015

EntranceFor God so loved the world (mtgf)
Penitential RiteMissa Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Psalm 136O let my tongue (mtgf)
Gospel AcclamationLenten (mtgf)
Preparation of GiftsAs Moses lifted up the serpent (Bairstow)
Eucharistic AcclamationsMissa Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Lamb of GodMissa Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Communion AntiphonJerusalem is built as a city (mtgf)
CommunionWhen I am lifted up (Bob Hurd)
FinalOut of darkness

I had not realised until I was looking at this week and next that the phrase about being lifted up occurred in both gospels - I had joined the two in my head. It does show how the Gospels of year B are about the Johannine theme of the glory of the Cross from which Christ reigns. I had come across the Barstow a couple of years ago when looking for settings of this text. This was the first time we had sung it. It is an odd piece which sounds/works more effectively than it looks. The first page is TB quasi recitative with SA suspensions which looks a bit sparse on paper. It then becomes a flowing setting of 'God so loved the world' - a text heard 4 times this morning including the gospel.

Another theme was darkness and light and though I thought about doing 'Awake, awake' at the end (it has been a while since we have) as we will be singing Out of Darkness at the end of the Vigil it was agood idea to remind ourselves of it.

Sunday, March 8, 2015

3rd Sunday of Lent

8 March 2015

EntranceFor God so loved the world (mtgf)
Penitential RiteMissa Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Psalm 18O Lord, you have the message (mtgf)
Gospel AcclamationLenten (mtgf)
Preparation of GiftsOurs were the griefs (Stephen Dean)
Eucharistic AcclamationsMissa Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Lamb of GodMissa Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Communion AntiphonThe sparrow finds a home (mtgf)
CommunionWe proclaim Christ crucified (Bob Hurd)
FinalGlorious things are you are spoken

Looking at the choices I recognise that a couple of turnings were taken. 3 years ago we used Bruckner's Locus iste to connect with the tempe which is Christ's body. We were going to sing it again - we had sung it last weekend with probably no more reason that its a nice piece which a choir of 200 can sing with little practice. This Sunday, with slightly fewer, our bass was missing and though some pieces can work without one part (Ours were the griefs did) I was not sure that Bruckner would. This linking between Christ - Temple - Church led to the last hymn which I am not sure we have ever sung before. It had the added bonus of baptismal imagery from Ezekiel.

Ours were the griefs was from a rare moment of democray (this or O how lovely is your dwelling place by DeBruyn) bud did link to the crucified suffering Christ. We sang Psalm 84 with the antiphon.

For reasons I am not sure singing was good this morning. We had 7 Winter Graduations on Friday and Saturday - so it may be people who had been at them.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

2nd Sunday of Lent

A Lenten fast from music this week for the congregation. We were with the University Choir at the annual Cathedrals Group Choirs Festival which was this year was in Chester.

1st Sunday of Lent

22 February 2015

EntranceFor God so loved the world (mtgf)
Penitential RiteMissa Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Psalm 24Your ways, Lord (mtgf)
Gospel AcclamationLenten (mtgf)
Preparation of GiftsMiserere (Lotti)
Eucharistic AcclamationsMissa Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Lamb of GodMissa Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Communion AntiphonOne does not eat (mtgf)
CommunionOut into the wilderness (Bob Hurd)
FinalGuide me, O thou great Redeemer

A gratifying moment this morning was noticing a parishioner singing along to For God so loved the world without reaching for her leaflet. I suspect it was totally unconscious but especially as this was the first we had done it since last year one hoed it had been taken to heart.