Feast of St. Lawrence 2025
Processional Hymn: O Thou, the Martyrs’s Glorious King, 872
Recessional Hymn: From All Thy Saints In Warfare (music found in back of church)
Credo: II, 772; Et Incarnatus excerpted from Josquin des Prez Missa Pange Lingua
Kyriale: Missa Beatus Laurentius, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Motet after Offertory: Beatus Laurentius, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Motet after Communion: Deus Tuorum Militum, Tomás Luis de Victoria (c.1548–1611)
For the occasion of the solemnity of our patron’s feast, the choir will sing the Missa Beatus Laurentius by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525–1594), which is a polyphonic setting of the ordinary text of the Mass. Beatus Laurentius is the fifth antiphon from Vespers for the feast. Both the Mass and motet are composed using a cantus firmus, where one voice is singing the original Gregorian melody in long notes while the musical ideas are developed in the other four voices. Palestrina used the themes created in the motet and altered them to fit the various texts for the Ordinary of the Mass, giving the composition the designation of a “Parody Mass.” The five voice choir splits into six for the final movement where two tenor voices singing in canon—meaning the same tune but a few measures apart—using the Gregorian melody to the text of Agnus Dei.
G.P. Palestrina (c. 1525–1594) is highly regarded for his contributions of Sacred Polyphony and development of counterpoint in the late 16th Century. In the post-Tridentine period he earned the reputation of the ideal Catholic composer for his success in reconciling the functional and aesthetic aims of Catholic church music. Palestrina wrote over 105 Masses and 250 sacred motets in addition to many other works.
8th Sunday after Pentecost 2025
Processional hymn: Thy Grace, O Holy Ghost, Impart, 885
Recessional hymn: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, 927
Kyriale: Mass IV, 710; Credo II, 772
Hymn after Offertory: Memento Rerum Conditor, Chant
Communion Antiphon: Gustate et Videte, Heinrich Isaac
Memento Rerum Conditor is the hymn sung during Compline of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The tune is sung to many texts—Te Gestientem (feast of the Rosary), Nunc Sancte Nobis (at Terce), Rerum Tenax Vigor (None)—prescribed for feasts of Our Lady.
The communion antiphon is a setting by Heinrich Isaac. The text of the antiphon is from Psalm 33:9: O taste, and see, how gracious the Lord is: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. This short composition, as in last week’s setting, the Soprano and Tenor voices have ornamented versions of the Gregorian melody.
Heinrich Isaac (c.1450–1517) was a Renaissance composer from the South Netherlandish region. His output was rivaled only by Orlandus Lassus in number and variety of composition. Most notable of his collections is Choralis Constantinus which contains nearly 400 Gregorian chant based motets of propers for the Mass.
7th Sunday after Pentecost 2025
Processional hymn: Blessed Lamb on Calvary’s Mountain, 864
Recessional hymn: I Sing the Mighty Power of God, 934
Kyriale: Mass XI, 740; Credo II, 772
Motet after Offertory: Adoro Te Devote, arr. Mark Emerson Donnelly
Communion Antiphon: Inclina Aurem Tuam, Heinrich Isaac
The choral selections this Sunday both have Gregorian chant melodies as the foundation for their composition. Adoro Te Devote is a familiar chant written by St. Thomas Aquinas along with many other texts he composed for the institution of the feast of Corpus Christi in 1264. Living composer, Mark Emerson Donnelly, created a harmonization which retains the original melody.
The communion antiphon is a setting by Heinrich Isaac. The text is from Psalm 31:3, “Bow down thine ear, make haste to deliver us.” The Soprano and Tenor voices retain the Gregorian melody in this short setting.
Heinrich Isaac (c.1450–1517) was a Renaissance composer from the South Netherlandish region. His output was rivaled only by Orlandus Lassus in number and variety of composition. Most notable of his collections is Choralis Constantinus which contains nearly 400 Gregorian chant based motets of propers for the Mass.
6th Sunday after Pentecost 2025
Processional hymn: Hail, True Victim, Life and Light, 904
Recessional hymn: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, 900
Kyriale: Mass XI, 740; Credo II, 772
Offertory Motet: Anima Christi, Msgr. Marco Frisina
Hymn at Communion: Salve Mater, Carmelite Chant arr. Paul Thomas May
The motet after the offertory chant is perhaps the most famous setting of the prayer Anima Christi by Msgr. Marco Frisina. Monsignor’s setting can be accompanied with either strings or organ and alternates full choir with a solo voice.
Salve Mater is a hymn composed in the 11th century and exemplifies Mary’s role as Mother of all Christians. The hymn is structured with a refrain and verses. Text of the refrain reads: Hail, Mother of mercy, Mother of God and Mother of pardon, Mother of hope and Mother of grace, Mother, full of holy gladness. O Mary!
Msgr. Marco Frisina (b. 1954) is an Italian priest who was ordained in 1982. Msgr. Frisina graduated with a degree in composition from the Conservatory of Santa Cecilia and obtained his license in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute. He began directing sacred music in Rome in 1984 when he founded the Choir of the Diocese of Rome and has held numerous other music positions in service to the Vatican.
5th Sunday after Pentecost 2025
Processional hymn: My God, Accept My Heart This Day, 942
Recessional hymn: Lord, Enthroned in Heav’nly Splendor, 939
Kyriale: XI, 740; Credo: II, 772
Antiphon after Offertory: Ave Verum Corpus, Chant
Hymn during Communion: Festivis resonent, Chant
The prayer Ave Verum Corpus is a short Eucharistic hymn dating from the 14th century and attributed to Pope Innocent VI (d. 1362). During the Middle Ages the prayer was sung at the elevation during the consecration at Mass.
The month of July is dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord with its titular feast on the first of the month. The hymn sung at Vespers for this feast is Festivis resonent. The second verse translates as: While we, with tears and sighs profound,That memorable Blood record, Which, stretch’d on his hard Cross, from many a wound The dying Jesus pour’d.