24 December - Christmas Eve

First of all, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

It seems too warm to be Christmas though. We're having a wet Christmas, as opposed to a white Christmas ... imagine this, as I was driving home from the 11.00 pm Christ Mass service at Chapel of the Cross, the temperature was 66 °F / 19 °C. Go figure? And this was at around 1.00 am! I could almost imagine I was back in San Diego, coming home from Midnight Mass there.

Well, this is a Music post, and so music lists I will post. I have three lists for you this morning (yes, it is Christmas morning as I type this).

Carol Woods. Services there are organised by Chapel of the Cross. This service resembles the 8.00 am summer morning Rite I services at Chapel of the Cross, with a few omissions, depending upon the Presider of the Day. Numbers are out of the Hymnal 1982.

Christmas Eve: Holy Eucharist Rite I
Prelude: O Magnum Mysterium (T.L. de Victoria)
Pro: 83, O come, all ye faithful (ADESTE FIDELES)
Seq: 87, Hark the herald angels sing (MENDELSSOHN)
Off: 115, What child is this (GREENSLEEVES)
Comm: 82, Of the Father's love begotten (DIVINUM MYSTERIUM)
Re: 100, Joy to the World (ANTIOCH)
Postlude: Vom Himmel Hoch (J.G. Walther; F. Zachau)

I will admit. Being at this service reminds me how much I miss hearing the Rite I language. I will be honest - I actually prefer the language of Rite I over Rite II. There is just something about confessing our "manifold sins and wickedness", or responding with "It is meet and right so to do" or "With thy spirit". More poetic, I think.

St. Joseph's Episcopal Church where I played the 5.30 pm Christmas Eve service. The service was preceded by a 15 minute carol service (that actually ran a couple of minutes over ... oh well, but at least the people were singing!) ...

Christmas Eve: Holy Eucharist Rite II
A Prelude of Christmas Music:

• Once in royal David's city (IRBY, arr. D. Willcocks)
• 104, A stable lamp is lighted, vs 1-2; 4 (ANDUJAR)
• Motet: Carol of the Manger (M. Wilson)
• 81, Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming (ES IST EIN ROS)
• 106, Christians, awake, salute the happy morn, vs 1-3 (YORKSHIRE)
• 105, God rest you merry, gentlemen, vs 1, 4 (GOD REST YOU MERRY)

Pro: 83, O come, all ye faithful (ADESTE FIDELES)
Gloria: S-278 (W. Mathias)
Psalm: Psalm 96 (Barrett)
Seq: 80, From heaven above to earth I come (VOM HIMMEL HOCH)
Off: 87, Hark the herald angels sing (MENDELSSOHN)
Sanctus: S-128 (W. Mathias)
Lord's Prayer: chanted (S-119 in Hymnal 1982)
Agnus Dei: S-165 (W. Mathias)
Comm: How Sweet is Love (M. Paget); 111, Silent night, holy night (STILLE NACHT); 96, Angels we have heard on high (GLORIA)
Re: 100, Joy to the World (ANTIOCH)
Postlude: Wir Christenleut' (J. G. Walther)

I'll admit - I was a little underprepared for this service. Somehow, I still managed to pull it off. The choir (and congregation, for that matter) were not so comfortable with the Mathias settings of the Mass, which frankly speaking, surprised me. Somehow in my mind, I equated the Mathias setting for Rite II Eucharist to be to the Episcopalians as (shudder) Massive Cremation Mass of Creation is to the American Roman Catholics. I guess that is not necessarily the case. Well, this lot will have the rest of the Christmas and Epiphany season to learn, and get used to, the Mathias setting. IMHO, it really should be in every Episcopal parish's repertoire, especially if they are primarily a Rite II parish. Again - just MHO; YMMV. (Yes, alphabet soup.)

After a lovely supper (and a beautifully roasted turkey, as provided by the Capons), I dashed off to Chapel Hill for service #3: the 11.00 pm Christ Mass at the Chapel of the Cross. As usual - it was a glorious service, a High Mass of sorts, complete with smells and bells. Oh, and music. Lots and lots of music.

Christ Mass: Holy Eucharist Rite I
Organ and Choral Voluntaries

• In dulci jubilo (BWV 729; J. S. Bach)
• Nun freut euch, lieben Christen g'mein (most likely BWV 734; Bach)
• Choral Anthem: Ding Dong! Merrily on high (G. R. Woodward/C. Wood)
• Noël, Grand Jeu et Duo (L. C. D'Aquin)
• Choral Anthem: The Infant King (S. Baring-Gould; arr. D. Willcocks)
• La Nativité: La Crèche; Les Anges; Les Bergers; La Sainte Famille (J. Langlais)
• Choral Motet: O magnum mysterium (M. Lauridsen)

Pro: 83, O come, all ye faithful (ADESTE FIDELES)
Gloria: S-202 (Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena; H. Willan)
Psalm: Psalm 98 (Ford; Plainchant Mode 7)
Seq: 91, Break forth, O beauteous heavenly light (ERMUNTRE DICH)
Off: Carol: The Sussex Carol (arr. D. Willcocks); Motet: Hodie Christus natus est (F. Poulenc)
Sanctus: S-114 (Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena; H. Willan)
Lord's Prayer: chanted (S-119 in Hymnal 1982)
Comm: 79, O little town of Bethlehem (FOREST GREEN); 101, Away in a manger (CRADLE SONG); 96, Angels we have heard on high (GLORIA); 111, Silent night, holy night (STILLE NACHT)
Re: 87, Hark the herald angels sing (MENDELSSOHN); 100, Joy to the World (ANTIOCH)
Postlude: Toccata (from Symphonie V; C.-M. Widor)

It was heaps of fun singing with the Senior Choir once again, and it was wonderful being with choristers who I haven't seen on a regular basis. Considering all that Chapel of the Cross has done for me, I'm more than happy to help out whenever I can.

So again: a very Happy Christmas to everyone.