3rd Sunday of Advent (Year A, 2010)

Sunday, 12 December 2010

 

Entrance	Rejoice for ever (mcb)
Kyrie	Dinah Reindorf
Psalm	Ps 145 (Rees/Bévenot)
Gospel Acclamation	Advent Gospel Acclamations (Alan Smith)
Preparation of the Gifts	Rejoice in the Lord Alway (anon, c. 1600)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Mass XVIII (in English)
Agnus Dei	Mass of the Angels and Saints (Steven R. Janco)
Communion	(i) O Radix Jesse (ii) Be strong, our God has come (Psallite)
Recessional	Come, thou long-expected Jesus

 

We had two contrasting settings of today's Entrance Antiphon Rejoice in the Lord always, the well-known anonymous polyphonic setting, and my own setting in contemporary style.

My version was originally conceived as a setting of the whole of Philippians 4:4-9, written for unison voices with piano, guitar and saxophone accompaniment. By the time it got into print the saxophone part had morphed (at the publisher’s suggestion) into a choral descant with the Latin text Gaudete in Domino (Rejoice in the Lord). The verses got chopped about a bit too. We found today that in its revised form it all works quite nicely as a ‘choir and organ’ piece; to my surprise, given how far it had come from the version I originally thought of.

We were treated beforehand to a masterful improvised toccata on the two themes from our inimitable organist Anthony. I tell him he should write it all down, but then, he rightly retorts, it wouldn't be improvised any more.