Christmas is Coming!

We are hosting a celebration of Advent and Christmas this Sunday evening, 6 December 2015 at 7.30, in the presence of Bishop John and the Bishop of Manchester, David Walker. The event consists of readings and music to help prepare for Christmas, with congregational hymns and carols, choral music from two choirs — ourselves and the excellent Notability — and pieces for organ from the equally excellent Anthony Hunt. There will also be speakers from the two charities the event is supporting: Caritas Diocese of Salford and Salford Loaves and Fishes. Tickets are £5, and may be bought in advance from www.ticketline.com or 0161 737 8775, or at the door. We hope to see you there!

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) & Remembrance Sunday (2015)

Sunday, 8 November 2015

 

Act of Remembrance	Requiem Aeternam (chant) Two minutes’ silence
Entrance	Abide with me
Kyrie	Kyrie from Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 145 (Martin Foster)
Gospel Acclamation	Sing a New Song (John Bell)
Preparation of the Gifts	We shall walk through the valley (arr. Moses Hogan)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Communion	Where two or three are gathered (Liam Lawton)
Postcommunion	The Lord is my Shepherd (John Rutter)
Recessional	Tell out, my soul

 

The Gospel of the widow's mite prompted some musical reflections on the poor, both in the final hymn paraphrasing the Magnificat, and in the refrain of our Communion processional song:

Here in the Bread that is broken,
Here in the Cup that is poured,
Here in the Word that is spoken,
Jesus Christ is Lord.
Here, where the poor find their treasure,
Here, where the greatest are least,
Come, find a love beyond measure
In this heavenly feast.

All Saints (2015)

Sunday, 1 November 2015

 

Entrance	Holy, holy, holy. Lord God almighty
Kyrie	Kyrie from Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 23 (David Saint)
Gospel Acclamation	Sing a New Song (John Bell)
Preparation of the Gifts	Justorum Animae (William Byrd, c.1540-1623)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Communion	Come to me (Barry/Murden)
Postcommunion	O Quam Gloriosum (T. L. de Victoria, c.1548-1611)
Recessional	For all the saints

 

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 25 October 2015

 

Entrance	Be thou my vision
Kyrie	Kyrie from Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	What marvels the Lord worked for us (mcb)
Gospel Acclamation	Sing a New Song (John Bell)
Preparation of the Gifts	Cum Appropinquaret Jesu (Ginés Pérez de la Parra, c.1548-1600)
Sanctus, Acclamation B, Amen	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Communion	Restless is the heart (Bernadette Farrell)
Postcommunion	Exsultate Justi (Lodovico Grossi da Viadana, c.1560-1627)
Recessional	Praise my soul the King of heaven

 

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 18 October 2015

 

Entrance	Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour
Kyrie	Kyrie from Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	May your love be upon us (Daniel Bath)
Gospel Acclamation	Sing a New Song (John Bell)
Preparation of the Gifts	The Servant King (Graham Kendrick)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Communion	Father, if this cup (Stephen Dean)
Postcommunion	Domine Exaudi (Orlande de Lassus, 1532-1594)
Recessional	Christ triumphant, ever reigning

 

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 11 October 2015

 

Entrance	Be thou my vision
Kyrie	Kyrie from Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 89 (Stephen Dean/James Walsh)
Gospel Acclamation	Sing a New Song (John Bell)
Preparation of the Gifts	Will you come and follow me (John Bell)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Communion	Centre of my life (Paul Inwood)
Postcommunion	Wisdom, come softly (Diane Murden & Martin Barry)
Recessional	All my hope on God is founded

 

By coincidence, the last time I was absent when the choir was singing was the same Sunday in the calendar three years ago. This time, the direction was shared by ex-choral scholars Aimee Presswood and Karen Massey. Reports were excellent; my thanks to both.

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

500th Anniversary of the Birth of St Teresa of Avila

Sunday, 4 October 2015

 

Entrance	Holy God, we praise thy name
Kyrie	Missa de Angelis
Gloria	Missa de Angelis
Psalm	Ps 127 (Eugene Monaghan)
Gospel Acclamation	Easter Alleluia (plainchant)
Preparation of the Gifts	(i) O Perfect Love (ii) Christ has no body now but yours (David Ogden)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Missa de Angelis
Agnus Dei	Missa de Angelis
Communion	(i) Living Bread, Bread of Heaven (mcb) (ii) Nada te turbe (Taizé)
Postcommunion	Ubi Caritas (Maurice Duruflé, 1902-1986)
Recessional	For all the saints

 

We were joined by about thirty sisters (to say nothing of a friar or two) from the northern houses of the Discalced Carmelite Order, for a special celebration for the five hundredth birthday of their co-founder. Bishop John was our principal celebrant. In the interests of hospitality, we swapped our current regular Mass setting for more traditional fare, and sang settings of two texts penned by the saint herself.

St Thérèse of Lisieux was a member of the same order, and we sang the setting of her Chant d’aujourd’hui I wrote for the visit of the relics six years ago. The hymn at the Preparation of the Gifts and the Postcommunion motet kept us connected to the themes of today’s Lectionary selections.

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 27 September 2015

 

Entrance	At the name of Jesus
Kyrie	Kyrie from Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 18 (McCarthy/Bévenot)
Gospel Acclamation	Sing a New Song (John Bell)
Preparation of the Gifts	Where your treasure is (Marty Haugen)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Communion	Herein is Love (Macdonald/Bonighton)
Postcommunion	A Prayer of St Richard of Chichester (L J White, 1910 - ?)
Recessional	Lord, whose love in humble service

 

When I joined the Choir (singing tenor) in November 1990, we sang L J White’s simple setting of the Prayer of St Richard (found in the Oxford Easy Anthem Book) on my first Sunday. I don’t know if it was a staple of the Choir’s repertoire before that date, but I do know that we haven’t sung it again since then, until today. The internet seems unforthcoming regarding the composer’s biographical details. Various web references seem to agree on a birth date of 1910, but the date of death is given variously (and without any evident authority) as 1947, 1957, 1970 and “some time in the 1970s”. (Another school of unverified thought goes with dates of 1831 to 1913, but this probably can't be right, as the piece we sang has a first copyright date of 1947.) Mr White was, it is variously claimed, a school master at one or more of Malvern and Worskop Preparatory Schools, and St Andrew’s School, Willesden Green. Can anyone shed more (authoritative) light?

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 20 September 2015

 

Entrance	Praise my soul, the King of heaven
Kyrie	Kyrie from Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 53 (Laurence Bévenot)
Gospel Acclamation	Sing a New Song (John Bell)
Preparation of the Gifts	Make me a channel of your peace
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Communion	Teach me, O God (Christopher Walker)
Postcommunion	Ave verum corpus (William Byrd, c.1540-1623)
Recessional	The King of love my shepherd is

 

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 13 September 2015

 

Entrance	When I survey the wondrous cross
Kyrie	Kyrie from Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 114 (McCarthy/Bévenot)
Gospel Acclamation	Sing a New Song (John Bell)
Preparation of the Gifts	The servant King (Graham Kendrick)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Communion	The Blessing Cup (Sue Furlong)
Postcommunion	Cantique de Jean Racine (Gabriel Fauré, 1845–1924)
Recessional	Praise to the holiest

 

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 6 September 2015

 

Entrance	Your hands, O Lord
Kyrie	Kyrie from Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 145 (Stephen Dean)
Gospel Acclamation	Sing a New Song (John Bell)
Preparation of the Gifts	All things bright and beautiful
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Communion	As the deer longs (Bob Hurd)
Postcommunion	Sicut Cervus (G.P. da Palestrina, c.1525-1594)
Recessional	My Song is Love Unknown

 

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 26 July 2015

 

Entrance	All who hunger, gather gladly
Kyrie	New Mass (Daniel Bath)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	The Eyes of Everyone (mcb)
Gospel Acclamation	St Agatha Alleluia (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	There is one Lord (Taizé)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Pershore Mass (Alan Smith)
Agnus Dei	Paschal Mass (Alan Rees)
Communion	Now in this banquet (Marty Haugen)
Postcommunion	Ave Verum Corpus (Charles Gounod, 1818-1893)
Recessional	Thanks be to God (Stephen Dean)

 

We sang for one last Sunday before taking our summer break. We’re back in September.

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 19 July 2015

 

Entrance	Praise we our God with joy
Kyrie	New Mass (Daniel Bath)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	His goodness shall follow me (Chris O’Hara)
Gospel Acclamation	St Agatha Alleluia (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	The living God my shepherd is
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Pershore Mass (Alan Smith)
Agnus Dei	Paschal Mass (Alan Rees)
Communion	Here I stand at the door (John Bell)
Postcommunion	Flocks in pastures green (J.S. Bach, 1685-1750)
Recessional	Hail Redeemer, King divine

 

Ordination to the Priesthood of Kevin Murphy

Saturday, 18 July 2015

 

Entrance	O God, beyond all praising
Kyrie	Missa de Angelis
Gloria	Missa de Angelis
Psalm	My Shepherd is the Lord (Joseph Gélineau)
Gospel Acclamation	St Agatha Alleluia (mcb)
Litany of the Saints	Chant
Illustrative Rites	Dixit Dominus (Chant & T.L de Victoria, c. 1548-1611) listen
Kiss of Peace	Jesu, joy of man’s desiring (J.S. Bach, 1685-1750) listen
Preparation of the Gifts	The Servant King (Graham Kendrick) listen
Sanctus, Acclamation B, Amen	Missa de Angelis & Missal tones
Agnus Dei	Missa de Angelis
Communion	Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence Panis Angelicus (Franck) One bread, one body
Postcommunion	For the Beauty of the Earth (John Rutter) listen
Recessional	Lord, you give the great commission

 

There was something for everyone in this happiest of celebrations. Chris Huggon sang the solo in Panis Angelicus (with the choir supplying backing vocals) and Matt Maguire furnished the violin obbligato in Jesu, joy. For a number of items, including The Servant King, accompaniment was provided by a music group consisting of Daniel Bath on piano, Kevin Quigley on mandolin, Matt Maguire again on violin and Brian McNulty and Peter Eavers on guitars, with Anthony adding the organ for a big finish.

We had chant too, in the Mass Ordinary, the Litany and the odd verses in Dixit Dominus. The even numbered verses were sung to Victoria’s polyphonic setting, the choir giving particular emphasis to the words Tu es sacerdos in aeternum (you are a priest for ever).

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 12 July 2015

 

Entrance	Awake, awake, fling off the night
Kyrie	New Mass (Daniel Bath)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 84 (Elsie Wright)
Gospel Acclamation	St Agatha Alleluia (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	God has chosen me (Bernadette Farrell)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Pershore Mass (Alan Smith)
Agnus Dei	Paschal Mass (Alan Rees)
Communion	Take and eat (Michael Joncas)
Postcommunion	Panis Angelicus (César Franck, 1822-1890)
Recessional	Forth in thy name

 

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 5 July 2015

 

Entrance	Praise to the Lord, the almighty
Kyrie	New Mass (Daniel Bath)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 122 (Mount St Bernard)
Gospel Acclamation	St Agatha Alleluia (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	Make me a channel of your peace
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Pershore Mass (Alan Smith)
Agnus Dei	Paschal Mass (Alan Rees)
Communion	Come to me (Martin Barry & Diane Murden)
Postcommunion	Jesu, joy of man’s desiring (J.S. Bach, 1685-1750)
Recessional	God whose almighty Word

 

Saints Peter and Paul (2015)

Sunday, 28 June 2015

First Holy Communion at the Cathedral, so we had our customary day off.

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 21 June 2015

 

Entrance	Eternal Father, strong to save
Kyrie	New Mass (Daniel Bath)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 106 (Boulton Smith/Bévenot)
Gospel Acclamation	St Agatha Alleluia (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	Dear Lord and Father of mankind
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Pershore Mass (Alan Smith)
Agnus Dei	Paschal Mass (Alan Rees)
Communion	The eyes of everyone (mcb)
Postcommunion	Oculi Omnium (Charles Wood, 1866-1926)
Recessional	Be thou my vision

 

Today’s readings memorably explore the image of the stormy sea calmed. Three years ago this Sunday was displaced by the Nativity of John the Baptist; we largely returned to the same musical ideas as six years ago.

Dedication of the Cathedral (2015)

Sunday, 14 June 2015

 

Entrance	The kingdom of God
Kyrie	New Mass (Daniel Bath)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 91 (Geoffrey Boulton Smith)
Gospel Acclamation	St Agatha Alleluia (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	(i) Locus Iste (Anton Bruckner, 1824-1896) (ii) All things bright and beautiful
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Pershore Mass (Alan Smith)
Agnus Dei	Paschal Mass (Alan Rees)
Communion	There is one thing I ask (Chris O’Hara)
Postcommunion	Adoremus in aeternum (Gregorio Allegri, c.1582-1652)
Recessional	Thanks be to God (Stephen Dean)

 

Bishop John led us in a celebration to mark the 125th anniversary of the dedication of the Cathedral. This was the first time the feast had been marked with a solemn festive celebration (I mean of course, one involving the choir 😊) since the centenary in 1990. The relatively late decision to mark the occasion in this way meant that we mainly kept to a celebration for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, including our opening hymn about the Kingdom, reflecting the Gospel reading, and the hymn at the preparation of the gifts reflecting more widely on the beauty of creation, found also in the first reading and psalm. But we made space for Bruckner’s stately paean to the mystery and sanctity of God’s house, and our song at Communion, chosen to match the 11th Sunday’s Communion antiphon, might have been selected for the feast.

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 7 June 2015

 

Entrance	Of the glorious body telling
Kyrie	New Mass (Daniel Bath)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 115 (Psallite/Stephen Dean)
Gospel Acclamation	St Agatha Alleluia (mcb)
Creed	(said)
Preparation of the Gifts	O Sacrum Convivium (Lodovico da Viadana, c.1560-1627)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Pershore Mass (Alan Smith)
Agnus Dei	Paschal Mass (Alan Rees)
Communion	Where two or three are gathered (Liam Lawton)
Postcommunion	Ave Verum Corpus (Edward Elgar, 1857-1934)
Recessional	Soul of my Saviour

 

Just six of us in the choir this morning, but we made a good sound in the Viadana, with choral scholar Lydia Morrell making her directing debut, and in the Elgar.

Trinity Sunday (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 31 May 2015

 

Entrance	Holy Holy Holy, Lord God almighty
Kyrie	New Mass (Daniel Bath)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 32 (Robert Sherlaw Johnson)
Gospel Acclamation	St Agatha Alleluia (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	St Patrick’s Breastplate (C.V. Stanford, 1852-1924)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Pershore Mass (Alan Smith)
Agnus Dei	Paschal Mass (Alan Rees)
Communion	God beyond all names (John Bell) & Benedicta sit sancta Trinitas (chant)
Postcommunion	A Hymn to the Trinity (P.I. Tchaikovsky, 1840-1893)
Recessional	Holy God, we praise thy name

 

We marked the return to Ordinary Time with changes to our ritual music. We're trying out one or two new items: the Sanctus from Alan Smith’s Pershore Mass and the Kyrie from a Mass setting written for us by Daniel Bath. Otherwise, we added to our Trinity Sunday repertoire with Stanford’s setting of the strongly Trinitarian St Patrick’s Breastplate. The music begins and ends in muscular guise, but at the centre of the piece is the more serene hymn-like setting of Christ beside me. We found a good range of musical expression to accommodate the changing moods of the music.

Pentecost (2015)

Sunday, May 24 2015

 

Entrance	O Spirit All-embracing (Holst, arr. Proulx)
Kyrie	Kyrie for 3 voices adapted from Byrd (mcb)
Gloria	Psallite
Psalm	Ps 103 (David Saint)
Gospel Acclamation	(i) Pentecost Sequence (arr. Proulx) (ii) Easter Alleluia (chant)
Prayers of Intercession	Stay with us, Lord (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	Emitte Spiritum tuum (Johann Evangelist Habert, 1833-1896)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Spring Sanctus (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Lamb of God II (mcb)
Communion	(i) The Call of Wisdom (Will Todd) (ii) Spirit of the living God & Psalm 103 (John Ainslie)
Recessional	Father, Lord of All Creation

 

Another piece in the Cecilian style this week, in Habert’s setting of the Psalm response and Gospel acclamation texts. We contrasted this with Will Todd’s setting of words from the book of Wisdom, in which Claire Wolfendale directed us. Nathan Jowett played the organ in Anthony’s absence.

There were about sixty candidates for Confirmation today, and at the Bishop’s request we had the rite of anointing in silence, rather than with the usual accompanying musical feast. The prayerful silence covering the whole rite worked well, I thought.

The Ascension of the Lord (2015)

Sunday, 17 May 2015

 

Entrance	Praise him as he mounts the skies
Kyrie	Kyrie for 3 voices adapted from Byrd (mcb)
Gloria	Psallite
Psalm	Ps 46 (Shaun MacCarthy)
Gospel Acclamation	Easter Alleluia (chant)
Prayers of Intercession	Stay with us, Lord (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	Viri Gallilei (William Byrd, c.1540-1623)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Spring Sanctus (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Lamb of God II (mcb)
Communion	There is one Lord (Taizé)
Postcommunion	Ascendit Deus (Ferdinand Schaller, 1875-1921)
Recessional	Alleluia, sing to Jesus

We had two contrasting choral reflections for today’s feast, in Byrd’s extended setting of the Introit, and Schaller’s simple miniature in Cecilian idiom, setting the text of the Gospel acclamation. The latter piece was another interesting CPDL find, from a composer about whom it seems hard to find very much information. (The slim biographical information available tends to be limited to a note that Herr Schaller met his tragic end in a snowstorm.) Ellie Slorach directed the Byrd, and Rebecca Fenwick the Schaller.

6th Sunday of Easter (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 10 May 2015

 

Entrance	This joyful Eastertide
Kyrie	Kyrie for 3 voices adapted from Byrd (mcb)
Gloria	Psallite
Psalm	Ps 97 (Peter Smedley)
Gospel Acclamation	Easter Alleluia (chant)
Prayers of Intercession	Stay with us, Lord (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	Greater Love Hath No Man (John Ireland, 1879-1962)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Spring Sanctus (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Lamb of God II (mcb)
Communion	If there is this love (Martin Barry & Diane Murden)
Postcommunion	If ye love me (Thomas Tallis, c.1505-1585)
Recessional	Come down, O love divine

 

Today’s Gospel reading from John 15, a powerful excerpt from the Farewell Discourse, gave us the lines:

This is my commandment:
love one another, as I have loved you.
A man can have no greater love
than to lay down his life for his friends.

prompting both our Communion song – a reprise of our accompaniment to the Mandatum on Holy Thursday – and John Ireland’s dramatic meditation for Passiontide. The weight and scale of the latter piece’s more dramatic sections probably call for for large choral forces, but we gave, I thought, a credible rendition with just a dozen singers singing one and two to a part. Robin and Claire Wolfendale provided the solos.

5th Sunday of Easter (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 3 May 2015

 

Entrance	Bring to the Lord a glad new song (C.H.H. Parry/Michael Perry)
Kyrie	Kyrie for 3 voices adapted from Byrd (mcb)
Gloria	Psallite
Psalm	Ps 21 (James Walsh)
Gospel Acclamation	Easter Alleluia (chant)
Prayers of Intercession	Stay with us, Lord (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	Alleluia Surrexit Dominus (Jacquet de Mantua, 1483-1559)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Spring Sanctus (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Lamb of God II (mcb)
Communion	I am the vine (John Bell) & Psalm 79(80) (Bévenot)
Postcommunion	Easter Anthem (Paul Inwood)
Recessional	Battle is o’er

 

4th Sunday of Easter (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 26 April 2015

 

Entrance	All people that on earth do dwell
Kyrie	Kyrie for 3 voices adapted from Byrd (mcb)
Gloria	Psallite
Psalm	The stone which the builders rejected (Bernadette Farrell)
Gospel Acclamation	Easter Alleluia (chant)
Prayers of Intercession	Stay with us, Lord (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	This is the day (Anon, c.1600)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Spring Sanctus (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Lamb of God II (mcb)
Communion	Eye has not seen (Marty Haugen)
Postcommunion	Surrexit Pastor Bonus (G.P. da Palestrina, 1525-1594)
Recessional	Hail Redeemer, King divine

 

3rd Sunday of Easter (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 19 April 2015

 

Entrance	Let all the world in every corner sing
Kyrie	Kyrie for 3 voices adapted from Byrd (mcb)
Gloria	Psallite
Psalm	Ps 4 (James Walsh)
Gospel Acclamation	Easter Alleluia (chant)
Prayers of Intercession	Stay with us, Lord (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	Now the green blade riseth
Sanctus, Acclamation A, Amen	Spring Sanctus (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Lamb of God II (mcb)
Communion	Touch Me and See (Psallite)
Postcommunion	Surrexit Christus (adapted from G.B. Pergolesi (1710-1736) by Richard Proulx)
Recessional	Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour

 

Easter Sunday (2015)

Sunday, 5 April 2015

 

Entrance	Jesus Christ is Ris’n Today
Kyrie	Kyrie for 3 voices adapted from Byrd (mcb)
Gloria	Psallite
Psalm	This is the Day (mcb)
Gospel Acclamation	Sequence: Victimae Paschali Laudes (William Greene) Easter Alleluia (chant)
Preparation of the Gifts	Christo Resurgenti (François Couperin, 1668–1733)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Spring Sanctus (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Lamb of God II (mcb)
Communion	Confitemini Domino (Taizé) & Ps 117 (Laurence Bévenot)
Postcommunion	Surrexit Christus Dominus (Michael Praetorius, 1571-1621)
Recessional	Go in peace, Alleluia At the Lamb’s high feast

 

The seven sung services between Holy Thursday and Easter Sunday represented our most ambitious musical programme in many years. It was exhausting but rewarding. Happy Easter!

The Easter Vigil (2015)

Saturday, 4 April 2015

 

The Service of Light	Lumen Christi (chanted)
Exsultet	Plainchant
After 1st reading (Genesis 1)	Send forth your Spirit (Stephen Dean)
After 2nd reading (Genesis 22)	Preserve me, God (Patrick Killeen)
After 3rd reading (Exodus 14-15)	I will sing to the Lord (Geoffrey Boulton Smith)
After 4th reading (Ezekiel 36: I shall give you a new heart)	Like the deer (mcb) listen
Gloria	Psallite
Easter Alleluia + Psalm 117	Plainchant, verses by Paul Inwood
Blessing of Water	Springs of Water (Marty Haugen)
Sprinkling	Vidi Aquam (T.L. de Victoria, c.1548-1611)
Universal Prayer	Stay with us, Lord (mcb) listen
Preparation of the Gifts	Dextera Domini (Orlande de Lassus, 1532-1594) listen
Sanctus, Acclamation A, Amen	Spring Sanctus (mcb)
Agnus Dei	Lamb of God II (mcb)
Communion	Now we remain (David Haas)
Dismissal	Go in peace, Alleluia (chanted)
Final Hymn	Thine be the Glory

 

A mix-up involving an absent reader meant that we omitted what was going to be the fourth of five Old Testament readings (Isaiah 55, followed by an adaptation of Bob Hurd’s With joy you shall draw water). New this year was the second reading, telling the story of Abraham and Isaac. The accompanying psalm was our first from Patrick Killeen’s collection Sing a New Psalm.

Bishop John intoned the Gloria and the Alleluia (the latter to the simple Easter tone), and sang the Preface, and his part in the dialogues in the Eucharistic Prayer and at the Dismissal. In all, it was our customary musical feast, ranging from chant, through Victoria and Lassus, to Marty Haugen and David Haas. I’d like to think our music succeeded in serving the ritual needs of a rich and complex liturgy, in a welcoming diversity of musical idioms.

Office of Readings and Morning Prayer (Holy Saturday, 2015)

4 April 2015

Like yesterday’s celebration, today’s was a small, simple and prayerful gathering. Musically we kept things very similar to yesterday, with a few changes among the psalm tones, and a different hymn tune (Westminster Abbey, this time) for part two of the hymn, beginning at Faithful Cross. I’m sure this will become a regular fixture in our Holy Week celebrations.

Celebration of the Lord's Passion, Good Friday (2015)

Friday, 3 April 2015

 

Psalm	Father, into your hands (chant, arr. Geoffrey Boulton Smith)
Gospel Acclamation	Christus factus est (Felice Anerio, c.1560-1614)
Adoration of the Cross	Behold the wood of the Cross (Missal tone) Praise to the Holiest The Reproaches (T.L. de Victoria, 1548-1611, & chant) listen Jesus, remember me (Taizé)
Communion	Ave Verum Corpus (William Byrd, 1540-1623) Soul of my Saviour

Office of Readings and Morning Prayer (Good Friday, 2015)

3 April 2015

A new departure for us this year was a sung celebration of the Office of Readings and Morning Prayer on Good Friday and Holy Saturday. The psalms were sung antiphonally to psalm tones in the style of Laurence Bévenot, taken either from the various collections of Responsorial Psalms, or written by me in the same idiom. Numbers were small: today we had ten in the choir and fourteen in the congregation, plus our celebrant Fr Michael and Anthony on the organ, but in the more enclosed space of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel this worked very nicely, and the two halves of the singing assembly joined in gamely with the two halves of the choir in singing the psalms. We sang the opening hymn (part one of Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle) to the tune St. Thomas, and the Benedictus in Bernadette Farrell’s setting of the text versified by Owen Alstott.

Sung Prayer of the Church has hardly featured in the life of the Cathedral, over recent years at least – I can remember it twice in the last 25 years – but today’s celebration worked well, and felt like something we should do more often.

Mass of the Lord's Supper (Holy Thursday, 2015)

Thursday, 2 April 2015

Opening Hymn	The Glory of the Cross (John Ainslie)
Kyrie	Missa Orbis Factor
Gloria	Psallite
Responsorial Psalm	The Blessing Cup (Christopher Walker)
Gospel Acclamation	Glory and Praise (mcb)
Washing of Feet	If there is this love among you (Martin Barry & Diane Murden) listen
Preparation of the Gifts	Ubi Caritas (Maurice Duruflé, 1902-1986) listen
Sanctus	Missa Orbis Factor
Memorial Acclamation B	Missal Tone: When we eat this Bread
Agnus Dei	Missa Orbis Factor & Missa super Laudate Dominum (Orlande de Lassus, 1532-1594) listen
Communion	Take and Eat (Michael Joncas)
Procession	Pange Lingua (plainchant) Stay with me (Taizé)

 

The Altar of Repose tonight was situated in the Cathedral’s Blessed Sacrament Chapel in the south transept. To the best of my knowledge this was the first time this part of the building had been used as a liturgical space in many years, but it felt highly appropriate. We used the same space over the next two days for the Office of Readings and Morning Prayer, which made for a nice connection as we watched and waited in different ways over the course of the three days.

Earlier, Bishop John had followed Pope Francis’s lead in washing women’s feet as well as men’s. It wasn’t the first time at the Cathedral – I remember it from a dozen or so years ago when Fr John Dale was Dean – and it felt for all the world like it had always been done this way.

Choral scholar Seb Marshall conducted us in the Duruflé with sensitivity and skill.

The Mass of Chrism (2015)

Thursday, 2 April 2015

 

Opening Hymn	O praise ye the Lord listen
Kyrie	Kyrie 2 from A Community Mass (Richard Proulx)
Gloria	Glory to God (Peter Jones)
Responsorial Psalm	O Lord, I will sing of your constant love (Christopher Walker)
Gospel Acclamation	Glory and Praise (mcb)
Procession of the Oils	O Redeemer (Paul Ford/mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	Crucifixus (Antonio Lotti, 1667-1740) listen
Sanctus, Acclamation C, Amen	Missal tone in English
Agnus Dei	Holy Family Mass (John Schiavone)
Communion	Where two or three are gathered (Liam Lawton) Ave Verum Corpus (William Byrd, c.1540-1623) listen
Recessional Hymn	Now thank we all our God listen

 

The sun shone on our processions along Chapel Street, as the priests and people of the Diocese gathered for the first time under Bishop John for our annual Holy Thursday celebration. Click on the links above to hear some of the music.

Palm Sunday (Year B, 2015)

29 March 2015

 

Entrance	(i) Hosanna to the Son of David (Chris Mueller) (ii) All Glory, Laud and Honour
Psalm	Ps 21 (John Ainslie)
Gospel Acclamation	Glory and Praise (mcb)
Prayers of Intercession	Stay with us, Lord (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	Crucifixus (Antonio Lotti, 1667-1740)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Missa Orbis Factor
Agnus Dei	Missa Orbis Factor
Communion	(i) In Monte Oliveti (Anton Bruckner, 1824-1896) (ii) Father, if this cup (Stephen Dean)
Postcommunion	(silence)
Recessional	My song is love unknown

 

Heavy rain meant having to assemble for the blessing of palms in the north transept. (‘Liturgical North’, that is; it’s actually on the west side of the building.) It made for a splendidly reverberant acoustic for Chris Mueller’s setting of the Entrance Antiphon, and the procession around the church interior recovered from temporary gridlock when some kind souls made way to let the choir get to their seats. Later, we were conducted in the Bruckner by choral scholar Richard Platt, making his (very competent) choral conducting debut.

5th Sunday of Lent (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 22 March 2015

 

Entrance	Praise to the holiest
Kyrie	Missa Orbis Factor
Psalm	Ps 50 (Tony Barr)
Gospel Acclamation	Glory and Praise (mcb)
Prayers of Intercession	Stay with us, Lord (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	Averte faciem tuam from Miserere Mei (Antonio Lotti, 1667-1740)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Missa Orbis Factor
Agnus Dei	Missa Orbis Factor
Communion	Unless a grain of wheat (Bernadette Farrell)
Postcommunion	(silence)
Recessional	Lift high the cross

 

4th Sunday of Lent (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 15 March 2015

 

Entrance	Rejoice, the Lord is King
Kyrie	Missa Orbis Factor
Psalm	Ps 136 (Julia Rowntree)
Gospel Acclamation	Glory and Praise (mcb)
Prayers of Intercession	Stay with us, Lord (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	God so loved the world (John Stainer, 1840-1901)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Missa Orbis Factor
Agnus Dei	Missa Orbis Factor
Communion	O Jerusalem (David Haas)
Postcommunion	(silence)
Recessional	Praise we our God with joy

 

3rd Sunday of Lent (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 8 March 2015

 

Entrance	When I survey the wondrous cross
Kyrie	Missa Orbis Factor
Psalm	Ps 18 (Stephen Dean)
Gospel Acclamation	Glory and Praise (mcb)
Prayers of Intercession	Stay with us, Lord (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	O Vos Omnes (Giovanni Croce, 1557-1609)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Missa Orbis Factor
Agnus Dei	Missa Orbis Factor
Communion	Crucem tuam (Taizé)
Postcommunion	(silence)
Recessional	Christ triumphant

 

As three years ago, the main focus of our music today, prompted by the second reading and the Gospel, was the crucified Christ.

Vincent Raymond, 1932-2015

Vincent Raymond sang with the choir from 2000 to 2013, retiring at the astonishing age of 81 in order to conserve his energies for his orchestral playing, as deputy leader of the Manchester Beethoven Orchestra. It was his second stint in the choir, the first one stretching from about 1960 to about 1980. In all, then, he served the cathedral choir for over thirty years, and was a splendid example of enthusiastic dedication. His 80th birthday celebrations were perhaps something the choir had never had before, and never will again. Requiescat in pace.

2nd Sunday of Lent (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 1 March 2015

 

Entrance	Be still for the presence
Kyrie	Missa Orbis Factor
Psalm	Ps 115 (McCarthy/Bévenot)
Gospel Acclamation	Glory and Praise (mcb)
Prayers of Intercession	Stay with us, Lord
Preparation of the Gifts	Hic est Filius meus dilectus (Diego de las Muelas, 1698-1743)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Missa Orbis Factor
Agnus Dei	Missa Orbis Factor
Communion	Here is my chosen (Psallite)
Postcommunion	(silence)
Recessional	Be thou my vision

 

Several of today’s musical selections tied in with the Gospel story of the Transfiguration, including Hic est Filius (Here is my Son, the beloved) by Diego de las Muelas, yet another interesting find on CPDL. Today’s piece is one of a series of short Lenten motets; I’d like to come back to some of the others.

Rite of Election (2015)

Sunday, 22 February 2015

 

Opening Hymn	The Church’s one foundation
Responsorial Psalm	O God, I seek you (Marty Haugen)
Gospel Acclamation	Glory and Praise (mcb)
Enrolment	Take, O take me as I am (John Bell)
After the Election of the Catechumens	Who calls you my name (David Haas)
Welcome of Candidates	May you walk with Christ (Stephen Dean)
After Welcome of Candidates	For the beauty of the earth (John Rutter) - choir listen
Prayers of Intercession	Stay with us, Lord (mcb)
Recessional Hymn	Stay with us, Lord (mcb)

 

We tried out Stay with us, Lord both as a refrain for the bidding prayers and, with the verses, as a recessional hymn. The two versions were sufficiently different in feel, that both seemed to work. Download it here if you’d like to try it out. (Scroll to the bottom of the home page and click on the second pair of links.)

1st Sunday of Lent (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 22 February 2015

 

Entrance	Led by the Spirit (Bob Hurd)
Kyrie	Missa Orbis Factor
Psalm	Ps 24 (Boulton Smith/Dean)
Gospel Acclamation	Glory and Praise (mcb)
Universal Prayer	Stay with us, Lord (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	Emendemus in Melius (William Byrd, 1540-1623)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Missa Orbis Factor
Agnus Dei	Missa Orbis Factor
Communion	On eagles’ wings (Michael Joncas)
Postcommunion	(silence)
Recessional	Guide me, O thou great redeemer

 

Ash Wednesday (2015)

Wednesday, 18 February 2015

 

Entrance	Lord Jesus, think on me
Psalm	Ps 50 (Stephen Dean)
Gospel Acclamation	Glory and Praise (mcb)
Imposition of Ashes	Lord, Cleanse my heart (Psallite)
Prayers of Intercession	Stay with us, Lord (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	Miserere Mei (William Byrd, c.1540-1623)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Missa Orbis Factor
Agnus Dei	Missa Orbis Factor
Communion	Bless the Lord, my soul (Taizé)
Postcommunion	(silence)
Recessional	Our Father, we have wandered

 

Bishop John led us in a celebration of the beginning of Lent. Stay with us, Lord, on our journey is his prayer for the whole Diocese, and it’s especially apt as an accompaniment to the Lenten journey. My musical setting serves both as a simple ostinato refrain in the Taizé style, or as a song with verses that can be sung contemplatively or as a rousing recessional. More of the latter next Sunday, for the Rite of Election, but tonight we sang it as a gentle refrain for the prayers of intercession, as we will throughout Lent. The piece can be freely downloaded from the Diocesan Liturgy Office web site. (Scroll to the bottom of the home page and click on the second pair of links.) Let me know if you find it useful.

The Byrd was a fine addition to our collection of settings of the Miserere, Ps 50(51), to add to Allegri, Lassus, Lotti and Pergolesi. Scored for five voices, SATBB, it was a challenge on an evening when only four men of the choir were available. But we did well (as did the sopranos and altos).

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 15 February 2015

 

Entrance	Christ is made the sure foundation
Kyrie	Kyrie 2 from A Community Mass (Richard Proulx)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 31 (Christopher Walker)
Gospel Acclamation	Here in our Midst (Peter Jones)
Preparation of the Gifts	You are my hiding place (Michael Ledner)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Aston Eucharist (Peter Jones)
Agnus Dei	Belmont Mass (Christopher Walker)
Communion	You are my refuge (Christopher Walker)
Postcommunion	Domine, non sum dignus (T.L. de Victoria, 1548-1611)
Recessional	Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to us (Patrick Appleford)

 

Three songs about God our refuge, invoked in today’s Psalm response. It struck me as odd that today’s entrance antiphon as rendered in the 2010 Missal Translation misses a connection here: the Latin has the word refugium twice, but the official translation gives it as stronghold, rather than the (more accurate, I think) refuge. I wonder why? One of the vaunted attributes of the new translation was supposed to be the way it brings out scriptural allusions that were hidden in the old version. They seem to have missed this one.

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 8 February 2015

 

Entrance	Come, ring out your joy (arr. Martin Foster)
Kyrie	Kyrie 2 from A Community Mass (Richard Proulx)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 146 (Anne Ward/Laurence Bévenot)
Gospel Acclamation	Here in our Midst (Peter Jones)
Preparation of the Gifts	Your hands, O Lord, in days of old
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Aston Eucharist (Peter Jones)
Agnus Dei	Belmont Mass (Christopher Walker)
Communion	How good is the Lord to all (mcb)
Postcommunion	Beati Eritis (Giovanni Croce, 1557-1609)
Recessional	Thanks be to God (Stephen Dean)

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 1 February 2015

 

Entrance	Save us, Lord our God (Christopher Walker)
Kyrie	Kyrie 2 from A Community Mass (Richard Proulx)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Listen to the voice of the Lord (Patrick Geary)
Gospel Acclamation	Here in our Midst (Peter Jones)
Preparation of the Gifts	Lord, for tomorrow
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Aston Eucharist (Peter Jones)
Agnus Dei	Belmont Mass (Christopher Walker)
Communion	Blest are they, the poor in spirit (David Haas)
Postcommunion	Love Divine (Howard Goodall)
Recessional	O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder

 

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 25 January 2015

 

Entrance	Bring to the Lord a glad new song (C.H.H. Parry/Michael Perry)
Kyrie	Kyrie 2 from A Community Mass (Richard Proulx)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 24 (Geoffrey Boulton Smith/Stephen Dean)
Gospel Acclamation	Here in our Midst (Peter Jones)
Preparation of the Gifts	God has chosen me (Bernadette Farrell)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Aston Eucharist (Peter Jones)
Agnus Dei	Belmont Mass (Christopher Walker)
Communion	Taste and See (Richard Proulx)
Postcommunion	A Song of the Light (Simon Lole)
Recessional	God whose almighty Word

 

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 18 January 2015

 

Entrance	Dear Lord and Father of mankind
Kyrie	Kyrie 2 from A Community Mass (Richard Proulx)
Gloria	Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Psalm	Ps 39 (Paul Inwood)
Gospel Acclamation	Here in our Midst (Peter Jones)
Preparation of the Gifts	Will you come and follow me
Sanctus, Acclamation A, Amen	Aston Eucharist (Peter Jones)
Agnus Dei	Belmont Mass (Christopher Walker)
Communion	Behold the Lamb of God (John Bell) & Psalm 117(118)
Postcommunion	Venite Comedite (William Byrd, 1540-1623)
Recessional	Forth in the peace of Christ

 

We marked the transition to Ordinary Time with changes to the Mass ordinary and the Gospel Acclamation. The Aston Eucharist is from the collection Glory to God. It's a simple unison setting, though rhythmically lively with engagingly unexpected hops between 3/4 and 6/8. It will be interesting to find out whether the next four weeks will be enough to give our singing assembly time to absorb it.

The Baptism of the Lord (Year B, 2015)

Sunday, 11 January 2015

 

Entrance	On Jordan’s bank
Sprinkling Rite	With joy you shall draw water (Bob Hurd)
Gloria	Gloria de Noël (Thomas Niel)
Psalm	We Shall Draw Water Joyfully (Paul Inwood)
Gospel Acclamation	St Agatha Alleluia (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	Songs of thankfulness and praise
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Missa Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Agnus Dei	Lamb of God II (mcb)
Communion	Come to Me and Drink (Bob Hurd)
Postcommunion	The Blessed Son of God (Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1872-1958)
Recessional	Come down O love divine

 

Water, water, everywhere… and a busy day for both Bob Hurd and Ralph Vaughan Williams. The latter provided both the final hymn and our postcommunion piece, echoing and amplifying the Father’s words in the Gospel reading: this is my Son, the beloved.

The Epiphany (2015)

Sunday, 4 January 2014

 

Entrance	O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness
Gloria	Gloria de Noël (Thomas Niel)
Psalm	Ps 71 (Monaghan/Dean)
Gospel Acclamation	St Agatha Alleluia (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	Thorns in the straw (Graham Kendrick, arr. Richard Hubbard)
Sanctus, Acclamation C, Amen	Missa Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Agnus Dei	Lamb of God II (mcb)
Communion	Laudate Omnes Gentes (Taizé) & Reges Tharsis (chant)
Postcommunion	The Three Kings (Peter Cornelius, 1824-1874)
Recessional	The First Nowell

 

Two contrasting choral items today: an engaging arrangement of Graham Kendrick’s bittersweet reflection on the life to come for the infant Jesus, and the Carols for Choirs arrangement of Peter Cornelius’s Epiphany anthem, with its solo countermelody over the chorale Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern. Robin Wolfendale was our accomplished soloist in the latter.

Christmas Morning Mass (2014)

Thursday, 25 December 2014

 

Entrance	(i) Hodie Christus natus (chant) (ii) O Come all ye faithful
Gloria	Psallite
Psalm	All the ends of the earth (Johnson)
Gospel Acclamation	St Agatha Alleluia (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	See amid the winter’s snow
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	German Mass (Schubert/Proulx)
Agnus Dei	Lamb of God II (mcb)
Communion	O Little Town of Bethlehem
Postcommunion	Puer Natus in Bethlehem (Michael Praetorius, 1571-1621)
Recessional	Hark, the herald angels sing

 

Eight men’s voices this year, including a past member and two sons of members. It’s always a fun sing, and this year was no different.

Christmas Vigil and Midnight Mass (2014)

Wednesday, 24 December 2014

 

Opening Hymn	Adeste Fideles
Reading	Isaiah 11:1-10 (A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse)
Choir	Adam lay ybounden (Boris Ord, 1891-1961)
Hymn	Once in royal David’s city
Reading	Micah 5:1-4 (Out of you, Bethlehem, will be born the one…)
Choir	Dong dong merrily
Hymn	While shepherds watched their flocks
Reading	Isaiah 52: 7-10 (How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of one…)
Gloria	Gloria de Noël (Thomas Niel)
Reading	Isaiah 9:2-7 (The people that walked in darkness)
Psalm	Christmas Psalm (Bernadette Farrell)
Reading	Titus 2:11-14 (God’s grace has been revealed)
Gospel Acclamation	St Agatha Alleluia (mcb)
Reading	Luke 2:1-14 (The Nativity)
Creed	Credo III & Et Incarnatus from the Mass for three voices (William Byrd, c.1540-1623)
Preparation of the gifts	In the bleak midwinter (Christina Rossetti/Gustav Holst, arr. Will Todd) – choir
Sanctus, Acclamation C, Amen	Missa Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Agnus Dei	Lamb of God II (mcb)
Communion	Candlelight Carol (John Rutter) – choir Silent night
Postcommunion	O little town of Bethlehem
Recessional	Hark the herald angels sing

 

Our vigil was constructed along the lines set out in the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy, and Bishop John, in his first celebration with us since his Mass of Installation, presided throughout. This made for a rich banquet of words and music, with plenty for the people to sing.

The organ was on the blink, regrettably, but Anthony's nifty portable keyboard (I’ll have to ask him for the details of make and model), fed through a portable guitar amplifier, made for a passably convincing substitute. Celebration Brass were there too, for a twentieth Christmas in a row, and our musical fare sounded as cheery and festive as ever.

Happy Christmas!

Christmas Carols on ITV

Wednesday, 24 December 2014

We were drafted in at fairly short notice as reinforcements for the resident choir (St Mary’s, Prestwich) in ITV’s Songs of Praise-style celebration of Christmas in music. The recording took place on the evening of 8 December — the same day as the Mass of Installation — so for those of us who were at both events it was truly an exhausting day.

The broadcast went out on Christmas Eve, but there’s still a chance to catch it on ITV Player, for a couple more weeks, at least.

4th Sunday of Advent (Year B, 2014)

Sunday, 21 December 2014

 

Entrance	Come Saviour, Come
Kyrie	Missal Chant (English)
Psalm	Ps 88: I will sing forever of your love (mcb)
Gospel Acclamation	Andrew Wright
Preparation of the Gifts	Ave Maria (Karl Jenkins)
Sanctus, Acclamation A, Amen	Missal Chant
Agnus Dei	Missal Chant (English)
Communion	(i) O Clavis David (chant) (ii) Wait for the Lord (Taizé)
Postcommunion	(silence)
Recessional	O Come, O Come Emmanuel