Backlog . . .

Yeesh, three weeks to catch up with. Let's rattle them off real quick:

4 OT

Processional: Tietze Introit

Offertory: Blest are the Pure in Heart (Davies)

Communion: Illumina

Recessional: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty


The offertory was a nice meditation on the gospel reading (Beatitudes); simple, homophonic writing with some more modern harmonies.

I bristled at doing the Communio assigned for Year A. Beati mundo corde was just waay too long and involved for me to feel confident with it on Sunday. Knowing that I always have a couple people sight-reading it an hour before mass, I babied out and chose Illumina which is assigned for Year C. Much more manageable.


Lent 1

Processional: Invocavit (chant)

Kyrie: Kyrie XVI

Psalm: Chabanel

Gospel Acclamation: Proulx

Offertory: Scapulis suis (Rossini)

Sanctus: Sanctus XVIII

Mem. Accl.: Mortem tuam

Amen: chant

Our Father: Snow

Agnus Dei: Mass XVIII

Communio: Scapulis suis (chant)

Recessional: silence


I got sick as a dog the day before so I had someone else take over for me. We had our males take over mass since all my sopranos were gone. The Rossini is scored for TTBB and is very functional, if unmemorable.

We'll be chanting the Introits throughout Lent (minus Laetare Sunday). We're definitely discovering that they are a bit more challenging than the Communios.


Lent 2

Processional: Tibi dixit (chant)

Psalm: Chabanel

Offertory: Miserere (Lotti)

Communion: Visionem


Tibi dixit went pretty well; it's a bit easier than last week's, but not as hard as next week's (Oculi). I had to ask one of my student directors to take the Chabanel setting down a minor third to make it more comfortable for a seated congregation (I've noticed the tessitura on a lot of those settings is too high, IMO).

The Lotti was not gelling real well before mass. Attendance was poor on Wednesday and had a couple people struggling to get caught up. My cantor (and only active tenor) is out auditioning so I had to move a bass up and bring in one of our inactive tenors to help carry the load. They did fine, but were a little stressed about things, clearly. (Sigh) We had to have the parts doubled by the organ, which always feels like a defeat for me, but it was the only way I could feel comfortable with it at that point.

The chant at communion went really well, though. It's short, step-wise, and Mode I, which combines for a very manageable Communio. We had plenty of repetitions of it as well, since it was so short.

3 OT--Year A

Processional: Tietze Introit hymn

Offertory: Dextera Domini (Lassus)

Communion: Venite post me w/Viadana fauxbourdon

Recessional: Now Thank We All Our God


I was a bit nervous about this Sunday. The Lassus wasn't real solid at the end of our mid-week rehearsal and the Communio was more difficult than it looked. They both came together on Sunday though; I decided early on that I would have to have my organist double parts on the Lassus and that obviously helped. The Communio was the first we've done (at least this year) in Mode 8, we so we had to get used to it somewhat.

instrumental-only music in Advent and Musicam sacram

In case there is any further want for evidence that Rome, at least, considers Musicam sacram to be binding, the following is in the CDW’s 2001 reply to the USCCB in response to proposed adaptations for the U.S. GIRM:

In addition, n. 74 needs another slight adjustment, namely the mention of the fact that purely instrumental music is to be excluded during Advent or Lent, during the Sacred Triduum and in Masses of the Dead, in accordance with the Instruction Musicam sacram n. 66. found in Acta Apostolicae Sedis 59 (1967) 319.

I was aware of the prohibition against instrumental music in Lent, but didn’t think it was prohibited during Advent, the Triduum, or the Masses of the Dead.