Ascension of the Lord

5 June 2011

Entrance	At the name of Jesus
Gloria	Glory to God (Berthier)
Psalm 46	Our God goes up (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Celtic (O'Carroll/Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	One is the Body (John Bell)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Gathering (Paul Inwood)
Lamb of God	(Berthier)
Communion	Alleluia hymn (Orthodox arr. mtgf)
Final	Lord, you give the great commission

This morning we had five baptisms so opening and closing hymns we chose ones which would be well known. The final hymn was chosen because of the specific reference to baptism and we sang it to Ode to Joy on the assumption that more people would know that tune rather than Abbot's Leigh.

One is the Body is a well-crafted song based on the Ephesians text. The Alleluia hymn is based on well known Orthodox chant which I have added words in praise of Christ and made it more rhythmic than chanted.

We also had a conference in the college this weekend and were asked to sing at Mass on Friday evening and at a second Mass on Sunday morning. In preparing the music choices the key questions are how many people and are they English speaking alongside the purpose of conference and the liturgical texts. As I understood it the group was English speaking/comprehending - so the task was to identify hymns that would be widely known and appropriate. For Mass parts we sang de Angelis on Friday - which worked fine they were a group who sang well. I was interested that few seemed to know the chant of the memorial acclamation Mortem tuam. For Sunday we sang much the same as our normal Mass above but used the Mass of Creation instead of the Gathering Mass — I think was the last time we will sing as an acclamation Christ has died. We used the Penitential Rite I wrote based on the Easter chant Lux et origo and I added a Lamb of God based on the chant as well.

6th Sunday of Easter

29 May 2011

Entrance	Spirit of truth and grace
Gloria	Glory to God (Berthier)
Psalm 65	Ring out your joy (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Celtic (O'Carroll/Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Ubi caritas (Bob Hurd)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Gathering (Paul Inwood)
Lamb of God	(Berthier)
Communion	Live on in my love (Collegeville Composers' Group)
Final	Christ is alive

Spirit and love. The opening hymn is sung to Down Ampney and so brings a resonance of Come down, O love divine. The reading speak of the gift of the spirit and as we had a baptism this seemed an appropriate choice. The images in the final hymn were also linked with baptism.

The choir parts in the Gathering Mass are more akin, I think, to instrumental parts in that they do not support the melody but add a further dimension. It also means that we leave the congregation to 'get on with' their own part unsupported by the choir - which they seem manage quite happily.

Vulpius — the hymn tune of the final hymn seems to me one of those hymns sung differently across the denominational divide: Alleluia - first bar 3 crotchets or minim-crotchet. I prefer the 3 crotchets as it gives it more of a rhythmic kick.

5th Sunday of Easter

22 May 2011

Entrance	We have been told (David Haas)
Penitential Rite	Penitential Act - Lux et origo (mtgf)
Gloria	Glory to God (Berthier)
Psalm 32	May your love be upon us (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Celtic (O'Carroll/Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Let nothing trouble you (Bernadette Farrell)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Gathering (Paul Inwood)
Lamb of God	(Berthier)
Communion	Take and eat (Michael Joncas)
Final	Christ is made the sure foundation

As alternative to our opening hymn we looked at Herbert/Vaughan Williams Come my way, my truth, my life but it was felt that the congregation would not know it. Actually it has a similar status to what we sang - something that has previously been a choir piece but has not necessarily sung by the congregation. One of the nice aspects as the David Haas piece is it's simple harmony which sounds as though it was originally improvised.

Bernadette Farrell's piece Let nothing trouble you though it was originally written for the dedication of a church could have been written for this Sunday as it picked up themes from both gospel and 2nd reading - actually the text skilfully weaves many scripture texts and images. The 2nd reading was also the source of the final hymn an occasion where we sang consubstantial without any seeming trouble.

The Penitential Act was new and was based on Kyrie Lux et origo which is for Eastertide. As we have some more baptisms in the coming weeks I am not sure how often it will be used.

4th Sunday of Easter

15 May 2011

Entrance	Crown him with many crowns
Gloria	Glory to God (Berthier)
Psalm 22	The Lord is my Shepherd (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Celtic (O'Carroll/Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	A listening heart (Bob Hurd)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Gathering (Paul Inwood)
Lamb of God	(Berthier)
Communion	Shepherd me, O God (Marty Haugen)
Final	Hail Redeemer

Easter is a time of paradox: the Lord is both shepherd and lamb - the lamb upon his throne and the shepherd king.

Other choices were derived from psalm 22. Both the responsorial psalm and Marty Haugen's version we had sung on the 4th Sunday of Lent. Bob Hurd's A listening heart has verses for a cantor from psalm 22 while the refrain with its invitation to follow God's voice was appropriate for the Day of Prayer for Vocations.

3rd Sunday of Easter

8 May 2011

Entrance	Sing of one who walks
Gloria	Glory to God (Berthier)
Psalm	Show us, Lord (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Celtic (O'Carroll/Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	No longer I (Bob Hurd)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Gathering (Paul Inwood)
Lamb of God	(Berthier)
Communion	Easter Evening (John Bell)
Final	O praise ye the Lord

Another baptism and the choices divided neatly between baptism and Emmaus - I could not think of anything that bound the two closely together. The first reading and psalm had baptismal elements - and it is why I thought it important to use the response in the Lectionary rather than just repeat the psalm setting from the Vigil. No longer I is a setting that we used to sing on Easter Sunday as a simple reflection. I once used it with a group of Franciscan sisters and it spoke directly to their spirituality. On Sunday it was intended a response for all the baptised. I may have 'missed a meeting' but I have never fully understood the connection between O praise ye the Lord and baptism. Yes, there is 'sons of new birth' and it is a hymn of praise but I presume there is something obvious I am missing. So with this weak connection and also as a hymn I thought would be known by those who were not regulars it was our final hymn.

I always think the last line of the opening hymn should be 'we will never walk alone'. Now I can see why it isn't but the internal logic of the text suggests it. It is a good hymn for Easter Evening Prayer; in the morning the darkness has to become metaphorical - it is a fine text. We sing it to Hyfrydol - it would good to use the suggested US tune in Laudate at some point.

2nd Sunday of Easter

1 May 2011

Entrance	O Sons and daughters
Gloria	Glory to God (Berthier)
Psalm 118	Give thanks to the Lord, alleluia (Collegeville)
Gospel Acclamation	Celtic (O'Carroll/Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Put your hand here, Thomas (Collegeville)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Gathering (Paul Inwood)
Lamb of God	(Berthier)
Communion	One in body, heart and mind (Christopher Walker)
Final	O sons and daughters

A Sunday with a rich variety of themes - and as I listened to the readings even more were apparent. We went with Thomas. I am not sure if the language of 'Put you hand here, Thomas' is not a little direct but it suited out low week forces this morning. We divided the hymn into two parts singing verses 4-7 which tell of Thomas' encounter with Jesus at the beginning and then verses 8-9 at the end which rounded of the celebration nicely - Blessed are those who believe. Using the same hymn at beginning and end had a certain simplicity and we also had to be finished promptly as the local parish was borrowing the chapel for their First Holy Communions afterwards.

One in Body not only was an echo of the Vigil but also picked up on the reading from Acts.

Easter Sunday

24 April 2011

Entrance	Jesus Christ is risen today
Gloria	Glory to God (Berthier)
Psalm 117	This is the day (Marty Haugen)
Sequence	Praise to the Paschal Victim (mtgf)
Baptismal Promises & Sprinkling	Amen, amen (mtgf)
Preparation of Gifts	Christ the Glory (Lalouette)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Gathering (Paul Inwood)
Lamb of God	(Berthier)
Communion	I have seen the Lord (Bob Hurd)
Final	Thine be the glory

For the musicians it is the morning after the night before and though tired and maybe not in tiptop vocal condition we offer our best. Thanks to all who contributed to the singing and playing.