2nd Sunday of Lent

28 February 2010

Entrance	For God so loved the world (mtgf)
Penitential Rite	Ubi Caritas (Bib Hurd)
Psalm 26	The Lord is my light and my help (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Lenten (mtgf)
Preparation of Gifts	Eye has not seen (Marty Haugen)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Lamb of God	Mass of Remembrance (Marty Haugen)
Communion	Transfigure us, O Lord (Bob Hurd)
Final	Be thou my vision

The Transfiguration seems to me to be a complex text. The use today is similar to the 4th Sunday of Advent when we hear the gospel of the Annunciation and the Visitation and there are also separate feasts for both events. It is big enough that we need to come at it twice. This year's readings suggest that the Transfiguration is a covenant - a pledge of future glory. The refrain of the Opening Song - For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that everyone who believes in him shall have eternal life - can be understood as illuminating the Transfiguration. It is a key aspect of the Catholic use of scripture in the liturgy the juxtaposition of texts to provoke new understandings.

The Kyrie from the Ubi Caritas Mass to some extent challenges one of my 'blackspots' — can/should a Congregation respond with a different musical phrase rather than repeat what they have heard. To some extent as essentially the setting is repetitious A (sentence) B (cantor Kyrie); AB (all). It strikes me that a dialogue can have distinct musical phrases. A litany can more be one phrase sung by two different voices.

1st Sunday of Lent

21 February 2010

Entrance	For God so loved the world (mtgf)
Penitential Rite	Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Psalm 91	Be with me Lord (Marty Haugen)
Gospel Acclamation	Lenten (mtgf)
Preparation of Gifts	Out of the Depths (Scott Soper)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Lamb of God	Mass of Remembrance (Marty Haugen)
Communion	Out into the wilderness (Bob Hurd)
Final	Guide me, O thou great Redeemer

The beginning of Lent sees one of the more dramatic changes in music for the Mass. For much the rest of year the changes are often staggered as one season connects with the next. With Lent change is starker. The Eucharistic Acclamations change for the first time since September. The Kyrie and, of course, the Gospel Acclamation are also different. It was noticeable as I animated the Holy, holy that people reached for their Mass sheet — that I was animating was also a sign that we were embarking on something new. Or at least give a refresher.

It is worth reflecting on what makes a piece memorable. Repetition is obviously one element. The memorability and distinctiveness of the melody will be another. It is also true to say that the more solemn (or unique) the occasion the more likely people are to remember settings — my experience is that people remember music from the Easter Triduum from year to year even if it is not used in between. The text can also play a part — the association of a melody with particular words.

This was the second time that we have used the Entrance Song For God so loved the world for the Sundays of Lent. Last year we sang it 5 times so I hope that there was a foundation to build on this morning. Though I think the refrain has a strong melody it does require a certain amount of conviction in its wide leaps — you can't sing it half heartedly.

For Communion the plan is to use for most of the Sundays settings from Bob Hurd's collection Lenten Journey. This skilfully recalls the readings from the context of Communion. My one quibble with collection is that it provides common settings for the first two Sundays because they share the same Gospel stories. My hunch is that each year is different and is shaped by the overarching themes of the Lectionary for that year. In year C we hear of the Temptations and the Transfiguration in the context of Covenant and Reconciliation. i.e. though there may be correspondences 'vertically' across the Sundays 1 and 2 the main thrust is horizontal through the season towards Easter.

Out of the Depths is a fine setting of Psalm 129 by Scott Soper. It is worth getting the octavo (rather than just the version in Laudate) for the, not difficult, choral parts.

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

14 February 2010

Entrance	God at creation's dawn (Denis Hurley)
Gloria	St Augustine's (Christopher Walker)
Psalm 1	Happy are those (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury Alleluia (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Blest are you who weep (Collegeville Composers Group)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Mass of Remembrance (Marty Haugen)
Communion	Happy are those (Russian)
Final	All creatures of our God and king

Baptisms at Sunday Mass always seem to come as a surprise. This is not the time to discuss the pros and cons of celebrating baptism in this context. It was noticeable that with two infants being baptised the combined size of the baptismal parties seemed to meet the critical mass needed to discourage the congregation from taking a lead role in the singing. As usual when there is a baptism we sang God at creation's dawn which I hope by articulating something what is about to happen helps both to catechise and realise the assembly.

We had reduced numbers again which meant a little juggling of the music. I had originally planned SS Wesley's Lead me, Lord we used the Psallite setting at the Preparation instead. We sang the verses from Psalm 102 rather than the Beatitudes which we saved for Communion.

Though Psalm 1 is often used as an example of christological psalm - one which the tradition of the Church understands as referring to Christ - it is interesting that at least in the Sunday Lectionary the pairing is far more generic. It is the one who chooses the right path, the happy/blest person of the Gospel.

We ended the Mass as we usually do on this Sunday with a burst of Alleluias. In honour of the baptism we praised the flowing water and ended with a doxology in praise of the Trinity.

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

7 February 2010

Entrance	Hoiy! Holy! Holy!
Penitential Rite	Mass of Remembrance (Marty Haugen)
Gloria	St Augustines (Christopher Walker)
Psalm 137	Before the angels, O Lord (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury Alleluia (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Lord, you have come to the Lakeside (Gabarain)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Mass of Remembrance (Marty Haugen)
Communion	Cast out into the deep (Collegeville Composers Group)
Final	Forth in thy name (Charles Wesley)

The number of singers were low this morning so we didn't attempt Stainer's I saw the Lord but turn to the music of another stalwart Victorian composer — John Bacchus Dykes, for the first hymn. We were unaccompanied but proved a fine sing. I had never noted before the irregular number of syllables on the first line before and a quick survey of hymnbooks on my shelves suggest that only US books with the text of all the verses underneath the music note this.

Further to comment about the Kyrie last week, we sang the Kyrie just once after I confess and absolution. I was struck my strictures about the text would also apply to the Byrd 3-part Mass which we use. So perhaps Marty Haugen has tradition on his side!

It is often worth reflecting why this psalm; trying to see the connections with the first reading and gospel. This can sometimes give rise to a further question: why not this one instead? The first reading ends 'Here I am, send me'. I wondered what would be the effect of we then sang Psalm 39 Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will. As it also occurs at the beginning of Years A & B it would make an interesting link across the cycles. The first reading and gospel share two elements: awe and wonder, and response to God's call. I would suggest that Psalm 137 points towards the former, Psalm 39 to the latter. (interestingly the same two elements can also be seen in Paul.) It would suggest that both elements should have been present in the textual/musical choices.

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

31 January 2010

Entrance	He comes to us as one unknown (Dudley Smith)
Penitential Rite	Remembrance (Marty Haugen)
Gloria	St Augustine's (Christopher Walker)
Psalm 70	My lips will tell of your help. (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury Alleluia (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Faith, hope and love (Christopher Walker)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Remembrance (Marty Haugen)
Communion	Love bears all things (Collegeville Composers Group)
Final	He who would valiant be

These opening Sundays of Year C are very rich fare. Striking first readings: Ezra reading the word, the call of Jeremiah and Isaiah's vision of God next week; some of Paul's most familiar passages from 1 Corinthians and then foundational Gospels from Luke. It is interesting that today's first reading is not one of the two OT stories mentioned in the Gospel about Elijah and Elisha. I would suggest that the Lectionary compilers placed more weight on the task of a prophet than his reception and the necessity of speaking the word of the Lord. The relationship of the 2nd reading to the rest of the liturgy I think is complex - or at least not as simple as saying 'any coincidence is purely fictional'. Firstly all are viewed through the lens of the Paschal Mystery, secondly our understanding of that mystery is shaped by Paul, thirdly the Lectionary compilers did not put the epistles in any order but placed them. This is a long way of saying how do you understand what is probably most famous passage in this context? As a rule the more convoluted the connections the less certain the relationship. I offer two phrases in connection: 'If… I speak without love' and 'now I am a man'.

The music choices today divided equally between those directly with Paul's letter and those derived from the Gospel. A Sunday like this there seems to be a wide variety of possible choices and those who know my penchant for Huijber's Song of God among us might have expected an outing today. So choices can be about dismissal. Christopher Walker's Faith, hope and love with the verses based on Ubi Caritas I chose because I don't we sing it outside Maundy Thursday and it is nice to give an 'airing'. I wonder if anyone made a connection with our Advent Carol Service which used St Paul's texts a core? Love bears all things is one of the most simple and lovely chants in Psallite which I suspect could have a life of its own if people could see it in the density of the collections. Though the text of the verses fit the refrain well I wonder if there might not have been a choice that made connections with the Gospel — Psalm 32 (33) The Lord fills the earth with his love perhaps?

The opening hymn, He comes to us as one unknown, is found in Veni Emmanuel and sung to Repton (Dear Lord and Father of mankind). It struck me as 'well-made hymn' crafted to fit the tune and had a development of ideas. I am sure I may have used the phrase 'well-made hymn' pejoratively in the past — there are a number of contemporary US hymn writers whose texts I find well crafted, beautifully written with striking image and scriptural allusion but their very competence and polish means a density of thought which I find does not work in the Mass. The Dudley Smith text was not simplistic but had a clarity of thought which meant you could engage in text rather than admire it.

I have to confess to an uncertainty to the Mass of Remembrance Kyrie. We are singing it because we sing the Penitential Rite, it has an attractive melody and we have the music. But I am less certain of settings which jumble up Kyrie and Christe in the one text and where it is only sung once by all rather than in dialogue. You might say, 'Physician, heal yourself'.

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

24 January 2010

Entrance	Your words are spirit and life (Bernadette Farrell)
Penitential Rite	Remembrance (Marty Haugen)
Gloria	St Augustine's (Christopher Walker)
Psalm 18	Your words are spirit (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury Alleluia (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	God has chosen me (Bernadette Farrell)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Remembrance (Marty Haugen)
Communion	Jesus, you are the bread (Bernadette Farrell)
Final	The voice of God (Connaughton)

When preparing the liturgy and reflecting on the readings I am often struck by the need for an opening text which 'sets the scene'. A text which is not specific to these particular readings. For this Sunday it was text about the word. It is not that such texts exist but they always seem either to be to melodies I doubt people know and/or a metre where there seem to be few alternatives. In the end today we sang a version of the psalm — so we began with an antiphon and psalm. I am not sure how often we have sung this setting . I would guess less than 5 times but people sang. We were also unaccompanied which is often a encouragement for people to sing out.

While writing this I have thought of another text which might have worked, and would have kept our Farrell quota, Praise to you, O Christ our Saviour. A text which I think works better as a hymn than as a Gospel Acclamation. It has a connection with St Augustine's Gloria as both were written for St Augustine's Abbey parish, Ramsgate.

! Corinthians is read for the first few weeks of each year of the liturgical cycle. The latter chapters read in year C contains some of the most well know passages of Paul's writing but they 'fight' to be heard against the other strong readings — an embarrassment of riches! Again, after the event God has chosen me might be seen to bring the texts together.

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

17 January 2010

Entrance	We come as guests invited (Dudley Smith)
Penitential Rite	Remembrance (Marty Haugen)
Gloria	St Augustine's (Christopher Walker)
Psalm 95	Proclaim the wonders of the Lord (mtgf)
Gospel Acclamation	Salisbury Alleluia (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of Gifts	Many are the lightbeams (Ole Widestrand)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Behold the Lamb (Iona)
Communion	One in body, heart and mind (Christopher Walker)
Final	Songs of thankfulness and praise (C Wordsworth)

Today was a little bit 'one hymn to the tune of another'. We come as guests invited was sung to the Passion Chorale - which seems to fit it well. As a passing note I was unconvinced about texts which focussed on marriage today and intrigued by 'saving the best wine until now'. Christopher Wordsworth, the writer of the final hymn, was a liturgical scholar and so was presumably aware of the Eastern tradition of linking Epiphany - Baptism - Cana as also found in the Magnificat antiphon for the Epiphany:

Three wonders mark this day we celebrate:
today the star led the Magi to the manger;
today the water was changed into wine at the wedding feast;
today Christ desire to be baptised by John in the river Jordan to bring us salvation,
alleluia.

It also reflects my understanding that the borders of the liturgical seasons are often more than rigid.

Over the years I have put more weight on learning music for the liturgy rather than hymns but we may have see if people do know Salzburg (At the Lamb's high feast). General ignorance was suggested this morning and so we sang Songs of thankfulness and praise to Hail Redeemer which actually fitted quite well.

One in Body is the reverse of this in that it takes quite a well known hymn tune (Greystones or Gartan? — Christ be near at either hand) and gives it new words. As a rule with hymn tunes I am always surprised by what people do not know.

As suggested above I think the bridge between seasons can be fluid in particular Ordinary Time – Advent and Christmas – Ordinary Time. This is reflected in how the Mass parts change gradually rather than all at once. This Sunday is the last until next November for Behold the Lamb of God.

In the past we have used a distinct set of Eucharistic Acclamations but none of them have 'stuck'. This is probably more due to the number of Sundays before Lent rather than the settings (Walker: Celtic Liturgy, Macmillan: St Annes were both tried for a couple of years). That said it has in the past been worth reviewing what Mass setting we use when — for example, we did previously use our 'lushest' Mass setting in Lent which was odd to say the least.