11 January - The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ

(Image borrowed from Maher-Defender.org)

*wipes away the cobwebs*

Sigh. Late again.

I played the Saturday 5.30 pm Vigil Mass at Immaculate Conception Church. When I looked at the original list, I thought, "Not a one of these would go over well on the organ," so I didn't bring my organ shoes. Oops. I forgot that there was a change in the Offertory hymn, and that I could have played that on the organ. Oh well. I had the pleasure of working with two young (elementary-aged) violinists, and a couple of middle-school aged instrumentalists (flautist and clarinettist). They were all quite good. Actually, when I heard the violinists were also students at the Duke String School, I wasn't worried about them; I knew they'd be good. They think quickly on their feet and were able to "go with the flow" as they say, and IC's Music Ministry should be very proud of them!

As usual, the numbers come out of GIA's Gather Comprehensive 1994 (green cover):

The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ: Saturday 5.30 pm Vigil Mass
Prelude: Improvisation on BUNESSAN. Yes, I really did it. :)
Opening Hymn: 798, Baptized in Water (BUNESSAN)
Gloria: Joyful Gloria (Kevin Keil)
Psalm: 148, Isaiah 12 (M. Haugen)
Gospel Acclamation: 216 (Mass for the Life of the World)
Off: 376, Songs of Thankfulness and Praise (SALZBURG)
Sanctus, Mem. Accl., Amen, Agnus Dei: Mass of Creation
Comm: Flor y Canto 205, Psalm 41/42 (Like a Deer, sung in English; D. Peña)
Closing Hymn: 708, Lord of the Dance (SIMPLE GIFTS)
Postlude: Triumphal March (G. F. Handel)

I'll admit - the Joyful Gloria, which is a through-composed setting, isn't bad. Mr Keil did a good job with this one. I wasn't sure if the people were singing along though. I hope they were able to figure out it was in the Advent/Christmas supplement in the pews (yes, I made an announcement to inform people of its existence).

I came back the next morning to cantor the 7.45 am Mass. Now this was very irritating. Levels on the sound board were turned down to zero, so we effectively had no sound system. I felt so sorry for Fr Bill. He had to scream to make himself heard, and by the end of the Mass, his voice was so ragged to the point that he was close to losing it. I hope he's okay.

I had to project, and people told me they heard me, but I think I strained my voice doing that. So, needless to say, I kept silence over the next few days. The voice is fine now. Care, tea, and oh yes, salabat helped me.

With that, the list. Again, numbers out of Gather Comprehensive 1994. I'm not listing prelude/Communion/postlude as all those were the Organist's choice, and I wasn't the one at the console that morning.

The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ: Sunday 7.45 am Mass
Opening Hymn: 321, On Jordan's Bank (WINCHESTER NEW)
Gloria: 176 (Andrews)
Psalm: 40, Psalm 29 (Guimont)
Gospel Acclamation: 216 (Mass for the Life of the World)
Off: 376, Songs of Thankfulness and Praise (SALZBURG)
Sanctus, Mem. Accl., Amen, Agnus Dei: Community Mass (R. Proulx)
Closing Hymn: 514, God whose purpose is to kindle (HYMN TO JOY)

I finally figured out which switches were the ones set to "off" in the middle of the Eucharistic Prayer. I could almost hear the sigh of relief in Fr Bill's voice as the sound system came on.

So he was joking about it coming on just in the nick of time (for people to be subjected to the Litany of the Announcements at the end). I shared my discovery with the three friars, the organist, and one of my fellow cantors so that we'll know what to look for the next time we're faced with an apparently dead sound system. And admittedly, for that space, a sound system is essential. Unfortunately.

Next: St. Joseph's Episcopal Church where I played the usual 10.30 am service. As usual, the numbers are out of The Hymnal 1982.

First Sunday After Epiphany: Baptism and Holy Eucharist Rite II
Prelude: Improvisation on BUNESSAN (and it turned out better than what I did at IC, and I did it on the organ! :) )
Pro: 400, All creatures of our God and King (vs 1-3, 7; LASST UNS ERFREUEN)
Psalm: Psalm 29 (Guimont; text from BCP p. 620)
Seq: Gather Comprehensive 798, Baptized in Water (BUNESSAN)
Off: 448, O love, how deep, how broad, how high (vs 1-3, 6; DEUS TUORUM MILITUM)
Sanctus: S-128 (W. Mathias)
Lord's Prayer: chanted (S-119 in Hymnal 1982)
Agnus Dei: S-165 (W. Mathias)
Comm: 139, When Jesus went to Jordan's stream (CHRIST UNSER HERR ZUM JORDAN KAM)
Re: 121, Christ, when for us you were baptized (CAITHNESS)
Postlude: Triumphal March (G. F. Handel)

The Episcopal Centre at Duke University. This was the first service of the Spring Semester, and with that came a change. Because the chaplain, The Rev'd Sarah Ball-Damberg, accepted the call to be the Vicar at The Prince of Peace (Episcopal) Church in Apex, a new chaplain had to be called, and her name is the Rev'd Karen Barfield. Welcome aboard!

First Sunday After Epiphany: Holy Eucharist Rite II
Prelude: Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam (played over and over for at least 5 minutes because the students had never heard of it before)
Pro: 400, All creatures of our God and King (vs 1-3, 7; LASST UNS ERFREUEN)
Psalm: Psalm 29 (recited)
Seq: 121, Christ, when for us you were baptized (CAITHNESS)
Off: 448, O love, how deep, how broad, how high (vs 1-3, 6; DEUS TUORUM MILITUM)
Sanctus: S-125 (Community Mass; Proulx)
Comm: 139, When Jesus went to Jordan's stream (CHRIST UNSER HERR ZUM JORDAN KAM)
Re: 135, Songs of thankfulness and praise (SALZBURG)
Postlude: Triumphal March (G. F. Handel)

Tomorrow (18th January), Compline at the Chapel of the Cross will start up again. I am looking forward to it; I really missed it whilst the students were away on Christmas hols.