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