Compline at Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, NC—10.30.2011

Compline at Chapel of the Cross.

We've been using the Order for Compline, as set by David Hurd.

Here are our little additions:

Lord, for Thy tender mercy's sake (Farrant)
Psalm 91 (chanted to Tone 8)
Hymn: Christ, mighty Saviour (CHRISTE, LUX MUNDI, plainsong Mode 7)
In manus tuas (Sheppard; sung in addition to "Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit ...)
Lord's Prayer (Robert Stone)
Nunc Dimittis from Short Service (O. Gibbons)
Salve Regina (Marian antiphon right after the Dismissal)
Ave Maria (Josquin Desprez)
Organ improvisation by the abfab Van Quinn on Kyrie from Missa de Angelis


(Note: the picture above depicts one of the votive candle layouts that Jimmy Satterwhite had laid out a couple of years ago. I can't remember where the picture came from, though.)

30 October—Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 26)

It's equally fitting that my second post after a long time away is a music list from my services earlier in the morning.

Here are two lists.

---

My turn came for cantoring the 7:45 a.m. Mass at Immaculate Conception Church. Any numbers you see come out of GIA's Gather Comprehensive 1994 (green cover). My friend, Jane L., was behind the console.

Sunday 7.45 am Mass: Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Prelude: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (BuxWV 184; Dieterich Buxtehude)
Opening Hymn: 493, The works of the Lord are created in wisdom (KREMSER)Gloria: Misa Luna, using the words from the new Roman Missal
Psalm: 129, Ps. 131 (D. Haas, with verses chanted to Psalm Tone VI)
Gospel Acclamation: 262, Joyful Alleluia (H Hughes)
Offertory: 572, For the Beauty of the Earth (DIX)
Sanctus, Memorial Acclamation: Mass of Light, using the words from the new Roman Missal
Amen, Agnus Dei: Mass of Creation, using the words from the new Roman Missal
Communion Voluntary: Improvisation on Sanctus XVIII
Recessional: 714 God, Whose Purpose Is to Kindle (HYMN TO JOY)
Postlude: Ein' feste Burg (Helmut Walcha)

Just to catch you up: We've been singing the new English translation of the Roman Missal since Easter, 2011. We switched to the new translation of the Credo at Pentecost. It sounds to me that people are picking up the Gloria (but then again, the 7:45 am crowd were not as familiar with Misa Luna with the old translation) but that people are falling back to singing the old words with the Mass of Light, as well as the Mass of Creation settings. One would think they'd get it by now. I even make it a point to lift up the leaflet that contains the words and music so that people will see it while I'm cantoring.

We'll see how it goes once everything switches over come First Sunday in Advent (November 27). If I remember to write a blog post that day, I'll report back on how it went.

---

St. Joseph's Episcopal Church where I played the usual 10:30 am service. As usual, the numbers are out of The Hymnal 1982.

Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost: Holy Eucharist Rite II
Prelude: Improvisation on El Camino and on Kedrov's "Lord's Prayer"
Processional: 546, Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve (SIROË)
Song of Praise: S-236 (Benedictus es, Domine; J. Rutter)
Psalm: Psalm 107 (Simplified Anglican Chant)
Sequence Hymn: 545, Lo! what a cloud of witnesses (ST. FULBERT)
Offertory Anthem: When the Poor Ones (D. Cherwien, accompanied by classical guitar)
Sanctus: S-125 Community Mass (R. Proulx)
Lord's Prayer: chanted (S-119 in Hymnal 1982)
Fraction Anthem: S-167, The disciples knew the Lord Jesus (M. Martens; Mode 6)
Communion Hymn: 656, Blessed are the pure in heart (FRANCONIA)
Recessional: 437, Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord! (BIRMINGHAM)
Postlude: The choir joined me in singing 688, A mighty fortress is our God (EIN FESTE BURG)

It's been a while since I did a music list blogpost! First of all: many thanks to Dave Belcher, who did a masterful job on the guitar. He is classically trained, and he makes that guitar sound like a lute. The choir also did a wonderful job with this anthem as well. People mentioned it to me after service as well.

We're going to stick with this set of service music until the end of November, when we switch to a new set. We're going to be introducing a new musical setting of the Lord's Prayer, and the one suggested was the Kedrov setting of the Lord's Prayer. My plan is to play improvisations on a theme of that setting so that by the time we sing it on November 27, it'll be in the congregation's ear.

As for the postlude: last week, I ended by playing "Great is Thy Faithfulness" (and that has an interesting story... when I eventually catch up on my blogposts, which will be backdated... I'll explain the story) and much to my surprise, the choir joined in singing after they returned to the choir area. (My intention was to do an improvisation on a theme of "Great is Thy Faithfulness".)

I had the same intention for "A Mighty Fortress"... when the choir started singing along to that, I thought I might as well play through the entire hymn, and if anyone wanted to join in singing, they were more than welcome to.

I get the feeling people are enjoying this hymn-sing after service...

If I have energy left, I'll put up my Compline list when I get home from that service later on tonight.

Grace and peace!

Pipe Screams! 2011

How fitting that my first post after a long time is a concert post! Tim Baker over at University United Methodist Church organised another Pipe Screams! for this year. It was co-sponsored by the Durham-Chapel Hill Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

Just as in previous years, this year's Pipe Screams! benefit Habitat for Humanity of Orange County. In addition to Tim and UUMC's Handbell Choir, members of the Durham-Chapel Hill AGO also contributed pieces to this most entertaining program. Speaking of which, here is the music that was presented at this program.

• "Ghost Organist": Funeral March of a Marionette—Charles Gounod (1818-1893)
• UUMC Handbell Choir: Danse macabre (Op. 40, arranged for handbells)—Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)
• Laurel Siviglia and Sandy Hobgood: Toot Suite (S.212°) for Calliope or Organ, Four Hands—P.D.Q. Bach (1807-1742)?
  • I. Preloud
  • II. O.K. Chorale
  • III. Fuga Vulgaris
• Tim Baker: The Sad Story of the Forgotten Soprano in the Pipe Chambers
• Mila Karamushka: Suite médiévale: V. Acclamations—Jean Langlais (1907-1991)
• "Soprano in the Pipe Chamber (Leslie Heal Ray), accompanied by "Ghost Organist": Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14—Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
• Valerie Lefever Hughes: A Diet of Worms—Michael Horvit (b. 1932)
• Em Haas, alto; Meghan Cox, piano: "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" from Phantom of the Opera—Andrew Lloyd Webber (b. 1948)
• Tim Baker: Toccata and Fugue in d minor (BWV 565—J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

Details about Joy Funtila Larsen's Viewing and Funeral Mass

For those of you who knew Joy (and to whom I had referred in my previous post) here are details about daily prayers, viewing, and funeral this week (courtesy of Aurora Sprague).

Please spare a thought, prayer, etc. to her husband, Carl, and their children, Cade, Ian, and newborn baby Caitlyn Marie.

---

We are having prayer every night at Joy's house at 7:30pm through October 9.

Joy's Address:

3137 Groveshire Dr.
Raleigh, NC 27616


First Viewing: October 6th, 6 – 8 p.m.

Renaissance Funeral Home
7615 Six Forks Road
Raleigh NC 27615

Second Viewing:
October 7 at St Raphael's Church on Falls of the Neuse at 1pm followed by Mass at 4pm

Edited to add: Joy's obituary has posted. You can read it at the News and Observer or at the Renaissance Funeral Home webpage.

A tragic story

I never knew her.

And yet, everyone was talking about her. How tragic her story was. A young mother, expecting her third child. She had two older boys, and this baby would be her first girl. There were lots of happy expectations. No one suspected that anything would go wrong.

She had a young, fresh face. Petite. Slim. Active. Taught traditional Filipino dance to the children. All cut short. The baby girl was born. Unfortunately, four hours later, she was gone. She was 36 years old.

There was speculation as to what had happened. They just know there was a lot of bleeding. A baby girl will never know her mother. Two young boys will grow up without their mother. A distraught husband, who keeps expecting to see his wife walk through the door with the baby, is left to watch after his young family alone.

I stumbled upon her baby registry earlier today. Glancing at all the pink-themed items, one could see they were preparing for the joyous arrival of an eagerly-awaited baby girl. All I could feel was sadness.

I ask your prayers for the repose of the soul of this young mother... for the well-being of her three children, especially for the baby girl who was just born... and for the young widower.

Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace. Amen.