Tonight at rehearsal, we look forward to Ascension, Pentecost, and Corpus Christi.  The Solemnity of the Body and Blood on June 10th marks the official end of our 2011-2012 choir season.  This means we have only 6 rehearsals left.  Then on Wednesday, June 13th, we will meet at Z’s at 7 pm for a little party – an END-of-the-YEAR BEER.  I think you’ll all agree that this has been a good year, and yet again, you’ve all dealt with change and growth very gracefully.

At rehearsal:

7pm – SEP’s for Easter V, Tallis – If Ye Love Me, Casciolini – Panis Angelicus

8pm – Mozart – Jubilate Deo, Durufle – Ubi Caritas,

Full Choir:  I’d like to eventually make recordings of these pieces, as well as Christ Whose Glory Fills the Sky.

Schola:  We’re ditching the Bruckner Pange Lingua for now.  I’d like to make some recordings of this year’s repertoire.  This includes the two pieces above, Ave Maria, Locus Iste, and O Magnum Mysterium.

For Pentecost, we will learn the Latin Chant, “Veni Creator Spiritus.”  It’s been too long since Catholics have heard this beautiful chant on the high feast of Pentecost, and they’re being cheated.  We’ve not focused on Latin chants this year, due to all the changes in English at Mass.  But this ancient hymn is the original Come, Holy Ghost.  

I’ll provide sheet music for that.

See you tonight!

Entrance: SEP ( One Refrain)
Hymn: 670 All Creatures of Our God and King

Kyrie: J.L.W.
Gloria: ROM p. 3

Responsorial Psalm: Lord, let your face shine on us.

Offertory: 578 At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing

Eucharistic Acclamations: ROM p. 26

Communion: SEP
Hymn: 912 Gift of Finest Wheat, 584 Regina Caeli

Recessional: 914 Alleluia! Sing to Jesus

7-8pm Full Choir

8-9pm  Schola Rehearsal

We will be learning new music tonight.  They are very exciting and beautiful.  I’ll provide sheet music for everyone, but if you’d like to look over what we will be singing, please see the previous post below.

In Memory Of You/ Ave Verum

Were You There

Reproaches – our first attempt went pretty well!

Many thanks to all of you for your hard work and dedication.  These recordings aren’t perfect, but they are live and undoctored.  I’m very proud.

The bad news is that Holy Thursday recordings didn’t turn out.  The recorder stayed on standby, even though it was set to auto-record.

So our next project will be to record the Mandatum Novum and Ubi Caritas for our archives.

Schola:  could we also record our 2011-12 repertoire in the near future?

Dixit Maria, O Magnum Mysterium, Ave Maria, Locus Iste, Ubi Caritas,

And we’ll begin on our new pieces soon:

Panis Angelicus – Claudio Casciolini (1697-1760) – full choir

If Ye Love Me – Tallis (1505-1585)  full choir

Pange Lingua – A. Bruckner (1824-1896) schola

Jubilate Deo – W. A. Mozart (1756-1791)  schola

We’ll have a week off after Easter, so there will be no practice on Wednesday, April 11.

P.S.  It might be time for a party.  Any suggestions?

Introit Antiphon: R/.
Then let us glory in the Cross
Of Jesus Christ who set us free;
He rescues us and gives us life
That we may sing eternally – tune – Jesu Dulcis Memoria

Hymn:  Lift High the Cross

Gloria:  ROM p. 3

Responsorial Psalm:  Our blessing cup is a communion in the Blood of Christ.

Washing of Feet:  Mandatum Novum (J. L. Wright)

Offertory:  Ubi Caritas (Durufle) – Schola Cantorum will sing

Eucharistic Acclamations:  ROM p. 3

Communion Antiphon:  SEP

At That First Eucharist #922

Repose of the Blessed Sacrament:

Pange Lingua:  Manalo

At the tabernacle:  Tantum Ergo – missalette  (Tune:  Pange Lingua Chant)

Good Friday Solemn Liturgy:

Responsorial Psalm:  Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

Veneration of the Cross:  Reproaches, Were You There

Offertory:  O Sacred Head Surrounded

Communion:  In Memory of You / Ave Verum

April 1 – Palm Sunday; Solemn Procession Gather outside with hymnal at 8:45am, weather permitting.

April 4 – Choir Practice 7pm

April 5 – Holy Thursday Mass, 7pm @ St. Mary (call 6:45)

April 6th – Good Friday Solemn Liturgy 2pm (call 1:45)

April 7th – Holy Saturday Great Easter Vigil @ St. Boniface, 8:45 pm (call 8:15)

April 8th – Easter Morning, 9am (call 8:45 – earlier for good parking)

While I love what we’ve been doing with the Propers,  I would like to do as much as possible to have a very pronounced change of tone from Lent to Easter.  Therefore, I propose using employing some hymns that closely reflect the Propers in place of the Simple English chants we’ve been using.  These hymns are familiar tunes and have nice organ accompaniment.  But this is just one way we can go about it.  I have another thought that also might work.

I don’t want to send the wrong message by HOW I change the tone in the music for Easter.  If we abandon the chant, it might impress upon people that chant is for Lent only, and that might perpetuate the perception of chant being “a downer” as one 50-something youth minister once put it to me.  Another way we could go about it is this…

Picture this:  Easter Morning…

We sing a choral prelude before Mass.  Then, as the priests and acolytes and ministers process in, we sing the Simple English Proper for Easter Introit, then, as Fr. begins to circumambulate the altar, open up the organ into an Eater Hymn, or organ improvisation.

Does anyone have an opinion on this?

Choir Rehearesal Schedule:  SEP for Lent V, Palm Sunday, Were You There, Mandatum Novum,

Schola Rehearsal:  Ave Maria – Arcadelt, Ubi Caritas, Dixit Maria, Propers for Assumption

I’ll also bring in some examples of Hymn-style Propers for everyone to try.

Reminder:  This Friday is our day to provide desserts for the Fish Fry.  If you haven’t signed up, please do so tonight.  Thank you!

Simple English Propers for Lent IV

Mandatum Novum – for Holy Thursday – washing of feet

Were You There – Good Friday

See you all tonight!

and the Schola will work on the following:

Ubi Caritas

Dixit Maria

Arcadelt Ave Maria