The Easter Vigil (2014)

Saturday, 19 April 2014

 

The Service of Light	Lumen Christi (chanted)
Exsultet	Plainchant
After 1st reading (Genesis 1)	Send forth your Spirit (John Ainslie)
After 2nd reading (Exodus 14-15)	I will sing to the Lord (Geoffrey Boulton Smith)
After 3rd reading (Isaiah 55: come to the water)	We shall draw water joyfully (Paul Inwood)
After 4th reading (Ezekiel 36: I shall give you a new heart)	As the deer longs (Bob Hurd) listen
Gloria	Psallite listen
Easter Alleluia + Psalm 117	Plainchant, verses by Paul Inwood
Lighting of Baptismal Candles	Springs of Water (Marty Haugen) listen
Sprinkling	Vidi Aquam (Cristóbal de Morales, c.1500-1553)
Preparation of the Gifts	Alleluia Surrexit Christus (Felice Anerio, 1560-1614) listen
Sanctus, Acclamation A, Amen	Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen)
Agnus Dei	Lamb of God II (mcb) listen
Communion	Take and Eat (Michael Joncas)
Dismissal	Go in peace, Alleluia (chanted)
Final Hymn	Thine be the Glory listen

 

As ever, a diverse musical banquet to match the riches of tonight’s moving liturgy.

Good Friday (2014)

Friday, 18 April 2014

 

Psalm	Father, into your hands (Martin Foster)
Gospel Acclamation	Christus factus est (Johann Ernst Eberlin, 1702-1762)
Adoration of the Cross	Behold the wood of the Cross (Missal tone) Adoramus Te (Eric Barnum, 1979-) Praise to the Holiest Crux Fidelis (attr. King John IV of Portugal) & Pange Lingua (chant) listen Jesus, remember me (Taizé)
Communion	Ave Verum Corpus (William Byrd, 1540-1623) Soul of my Saviour

Crux Fidelis was published in the mid 1840s as a composition of King John IV of Portugal, who lived from 1604 to 1656. On stylistic and (musical) grammatical grounds it’s much more likely a product of early-to-mid 19th century archaizing Romanticism, but no less a beautiful and thoughtful work, for all that.

Eric Barnum’s harmonised chant setting of the ancient Good Friday antiphon presented a contrast of arresting simplicity. We were ably conducted in it by choral scholar Aimée Presswood.

Mass of the Lord's Supper (Holy Thursday, 2014)

Thursday, 17 April 2013

Opening Hymn	When I survey the wondrous cross
Kyrie	Missa Orbis Factor listen
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)
Preparation of the Gifts	Ubi Caritas (Ola Gjeilo, 1978-) listen
Sanctus	Missa Orbis Factor listen
Memorial Acclamation B	Missal Tone: When we eat this Bread
Agnus Dei	Missa Orbis Factor listen
Communion	O Sacrum Convivium (Martin Barry)
Procession	Pange Lingua (plainchant) Stay with me (Taizé) listen

 

Fewer familiar faces in the congregation this year, so the singing was less enthusiastic than last year’s runaway experience with Tantum Ergo. It was good that things stayed under control this time, and the choir, though I say so myself, were in fine voice. But it's sad that so many people who attend Sunday Mass at the cathedral week in, week out, somehow don't seem to regard the Holy Thursday evening Mass (nor the Easter Vigil) as a significant fixture in their personal liturgical calendar. It's as if the 1950s reforms of the Triduum services passed people by; that is, passed the parents or grandparents of today's congregation by, with knock-on effects for future generations. Maybe a bit more catechesis on the subject is called for.

The Mass of Chrism (2014)

Thursday, 17 April 2014

Opening Hymn	Praise, my soul, the King of heaven
Kyrie	Kyrie Eleison fromMissa Ubi Caritas (Bob Hurd)
Gloria	Glory to God (Peter Jones)
Responsorial Psalm	I will sing forever (mcb)
Gospel Acclamation	Glory and Praise (mcb)
Procession of the Oils	O Redeemer (Paul Ford/mcb) listen
Preparation of the Gifts	We shall walk through the valley (traditional spiritual, arr. Moses Hogan) listen
Sanctus, Acclamation C, Amen	Missal tone in English
Agnus Dei	Missa Ubi Caritas
Communion	Take and Eat (Michael Joncas) Ubi Caritas (Ola Gjeilo, 1978-)
Recessional Hymn	Guide me, O thou great redeemer listen

 

We now have a page on SoundCloud hosting some of our recordings. The links above are to live recordings from this year’s grand and festive celebration.

Palm Sunday (2014)

Sunday, 13 April 2014

 

Entrance	Hosanna Filio David (chant & T.L. de Victoria, 1548-1611) All Glory Laud and Honour
Psalm	My God, my God (Liam Lawton)
Gospel Acclamation	Glory and Praise (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	Drop, drop, slow tears (Kenneth Leighton, 1929-1988)
Sanctus	Missa Orbis Factor
Acclamation	Missal Tone: Save us, Saviour
Agnus Dei	Missa Orbis Factor
Communion	Father, if this cup (Stephen Dean)
Recessional	My song is love unknown

 

The last movement of Leighton’s Crucifixus pro nobis is a haunting and musically challenging meditation on the crucified Christ, setting the words of A Litany by Phineas Fletcher (1580-1650).

5th Sunday of Lent (Year A, 2014)

Sunday, 6 April 2014

 

Entrance	Out of the depths (Scott Soper)
Kyrie	Missa Orbis Factor
Psalm	Ps 129 (Peter Smedley)
Gospel Acclamation	Glory and Praise (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	The Crown of Roses (P.I. Tchaikovsky, 1840-1893)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Missa Orbis Factor
Agnus Dei	Missa Orbis Factor
Communion	I will put a new spirit within you (Stephen Dean)
Postcommunion	(silence)
Recessional	Praise to the holiest

 

4th Sunday of Lent (Year A, 2014)

Sunday, 30 March 2014

 

Entrance	Praise we our God with joy
Kyrie	Missa Orbis Factor
Psalm	His goodness shall follow me (Chris O’Hara)
Gospel Acclamation	Glory and Praise (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts	Hear my prayer, O Lord (Henry Purcell, 1659-1695)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Missa Orbis Factor
Agnus Dei	Missa Orbis Factor
Communion	Lord, your love has drawn us near (Stephen Dean)
Postcommunion	(silence)
Recessional	Out of darkness (Christopher Walker)

 

The fourth Sunday of Lent is Laetare Sunday, because of the opening words of the Entrance antiphon: Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her, and our opening hymn reflected this.

Today’s second reading from Ephesians spoke about darkness and light. Chris Walker’s stirring setting of 1 Peter 2:9 made for a powerful recessional song on the same theme.

In the Gospel story from St John, the man born blind sees his healing as proof that Jesus truly came from God, with the words We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners. In the devout hope that actually he does, we sang Purcell’s impassioned and dramatic setting of the plea for divine assistance which opens Ps 101(102). Choral scholar Ellie Slorach conducted us with skill and insight.

The responsorial psalm verses were set to the Irish folk melody She moved through the fair, beautifully sung by Evie Parker, another of our choral scholars this year.