28 March—Palm Sunday

Goodness, we are in Holy Week already!!!

To start off, my lists. You'll notice that the slate of music for both St Joseph's and Chapel of the Cross remain essentially unchanged from last year's lists with the exception of the choir anthems for both places.

With that ... the lists.

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

Palm Sunday: Holy Eucharist Rite II
At the Blessing of the Psalms:
Psalm: 157 Psalm 118 (Gallican Chant)
Processional: 154 All Glory, Laud and Honor (VALET WILL ICH DER GEBEN)

Psalm: Psalm Ps 31 (Tone II.1)
Sequence Hymn: 158, Ah holy Jesus, how has thou offended (HERZLIEBSTER JESU)
Offertory Hymn: 162, The royal banners forward go (VEXILLA REGIS PRODEUNT, plainsong Mode I)
Sanctus: S-117, J. McGregor, after Verbum caro factum est (Hassler)
Lord's Prayer: chanted (S-119 in Hymnal 1982)
Agnus Dei: S-157 (Merbecke)
Communion Anthem: Were You There? (Raymond Haan)
Recessional Hymn: 168, O Sacred Head, sore wounded (HERZLICH TUT MICH VERLANGEN)

I'd like to thank Meg (viola) and David (classical guitar) for their musical contributions to this service, especially for the anthem. Great job! :)

For the plainchant Vexilla Regis, I had the choir and congregation chant verse 5 a cappella. What a wonderful sound! The last, for O Sacred Head, taking the idea from someone who proposed it on PIPORG-L, I decreased the registration as we went from verse to verse, and then finally on the last verse, the congregation sang it, a cappella. It was a nice effect.

H/T to my friend Kathy P. for the Communion Anthem; her choir had sung that for Palm Sunday last year, and I was so charmed by it, I wanted it for my choir. They did wonderfully, and people commented on how much they enjoyed it, and how it really enriched and enhanced the service.

Now that is music to my ears. :)

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Chapel of the Cross

My friend, Chris, drew the organist playing duties for the 5.15 pm service.

With that, the music, including Chris's voluntary pieces.

Palm Sunday: Holy Eucharist Rite II
Prelude: Trumpet Tune (Douglas E. Wagner)

At the Blessing of the Psalms:
Anthem: Hosanna to the Son of David (Georg Philipp Telemann)
Processional: 154 All Glory, Laud and Honor (VALET WILL ICH DER GEBEN)

Sequence Hymn: 158, Ah holy Jesus, how has thou offended (HERZLIEBSTER JESU)
Offertory Anthem: God so loved the world (J. Stainer)
Sanctus: S-125 Community Mass (R. Proulx)
Communion Voluntary: Le Prie-Dieu (George Oldroyd)
Communion Hymn: 313, Let thy Blood in mercy poured (JESUS, MEINE ZUVERSICHT)
Recessional Hymn: 168, O Sacred Head, sore wounded (HERZLICH TUT MICH VERLANGEN)
Postlude: Prelude and Fugue in e minor (attr. J.S. Bach)

By the way, for both the service at St. Joseph's as well as that at Chapel of the Cross, the accompaniment for Herzliebster Jesu was taken from the Hymnal 1940. I'm not sure what the editors of the Hymnal 1982 did with the accompaniment, but I just found it easier to follow in the 1940 as opposed to the 1982. My choristers agreed with me and were happy to make the switch.

Have a Blessed Holy Week, everyone! ♥