Easter 2--Easter 5

Easter 2 (4/15/07)


Processional: Tietze

Sprinkling Rite: Vidi Aquam

Psalm: Gelineau

Sequence: Victimae

Offertory: We Walk By Faith (Peter Pindar Stearns)

Communion: Mitte manum tuam (chant)

Recessional: Jesus Christ is Risen Today W 145


Easter Ordinary: Mass for the City (mostly)


I had a few mental lapses during this liturgy. I had accidentally marked "Kyrie" for the penitential rite which I didn't realize until we did the Confiteor. I had to quickly tell my organist to throw out the Vidi and do the Kyrie. I also zoned out during the 2nd Reading and completely forgot to do the Sequence. Yeesh. I was pretty tired since it was the first weekend that I did the 8 AM mass at another parish, so I had to get up around 6:30. Not a good excuse but I just felt a step slow that morning . . .

I gave the choir the week off so we whipped up the offertory anthem about an hour before mass. It's not real difficult, though it has some tricky part-writing in two of the verses, so I was quite pleased with the ability of my group to put it together in such a short amount of time. It's published by Paraclete so it was over-priced ($2.10 per copy!), but it will work nicely for Easter 2's down the road.


Easter 3 (4/22/07)


Processional: Tietze

Psalm: Gelineau

Offertory: Come, Ye Faithful (R.S. Thatcher--text by St. John Damascene)

Communion: Simon Ioannis (chant)
O Lord, with wondrous mystery (Hendrik Andriessen)

Recessional: Sing with all the Sons in Glory W 252


The offertory anthem was found in the "New Church Anthem Book" published by Lionel Dakers. Nice setting, very festive, and only moderately difficult. The Andriessen I found in my choral files, and I think it was the original setting for 2 equal voices. I had the women do it and it was very prayerful. I know WLP has it in some of their books in a more favorable key for a congregation (E minor instead of G minor), but I don't know how often it's used.


Easter 4 (4/29/07)


Processional: Tietze

Psalm: Gelineau

Offertory: Cantate Domino (Giovanni Croce)

Communion: Ego sum pastor bonus (chant)
He shall feed his flock (Handel)

Recessional: Christ the Lord is risen today W 47

I had never come across this setting of "Cantate" before this year but I like it. We don't do a lot of "upbeat" music outside of Easter, so this was a challenge for my choir. They really came through down the stretch and nailed it. Fun setting.

The Handel was sung by my cantor who, in my opinion, has an even better counter-tenor voice than tenor voice (which is astounding, since he's a marvelous tenor). I find most counter-tenors annoying after a short while, but he really has a great tone in that register. My soprano did a fine job as well, though she had a bit of a sore throat and was a bit disappointed with her performance afterwards.

Easter 5 (5/6/07)


Processional: Tietze

Psalm: Gelineau

Offertory: If ye Love Me (Tallis)

Communion: Ego sum vitis vera (chant)

Recessional: Be Joyful Mary W 35


Last choir weekend, fortunately and unfortunately. I'm looking forward to having my Wednesday evenings free for awhile, but I will sure miss this group over the summer. We've made some tremendous strides this year and I hate to stop at this point (though it's clear that we've all been a bit less focused after Holy Week). I'm looking forward to next August already.

The Tallis is a classic and very fitting in this particular liturgy. It's one of my favorites and the choir sang it well, though there were some things that needed more work than I anticipated. It'll be even better next year, I'm sure.

Any armchair musicologists want to comment about the same initial melodic formula being used in the communion antiphons for Easter 4 and 5? What's also interesting is that they're in two completely different modes, but again, identical notes in the first line . . .