Notes About The Music

External Solemnity of St. Lawrence, 2024

Recessional music: Toccata from Symphony for Organ No. 5 in F minor, Op. 42, No. 1, Charles-Marie Widor (1844–1937)
Kyriale: Missa Beatus Laurentius, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525–1594)
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.

Deus Tuorum Militum is the hymn from Vespers which is sung for feasts of one martyr. Victoria composed the even verses of this hymn and alternated with one of the plainchant melodies.

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.

11th Sunday after Pentecost 2024

Recessional Music: Carillon de Westminster, Opus 54, No. 6, Louis Vierne (1870–1937)
Kyriale: Mass XI, 740; Credo IV, 780 

Offertory Antiphon: Exaltabo Te, Giovanni Croce (1557–1609)
Communion Motet: Cantate Domino, Giuseppe Ottavio Pitoni

The Offertory Antiphon this week is sung chorally set by Giovanni Croce. The text is from Psalm 29:2-3: I will magnify thee, O Lord, for thou hast set me up: and not made my foes to triumph over me.O Lord my God, I cried unto thee: and thou hast healed me. Croce’s sets each line of text in short sections with pairs or trios of voices that are followed soon by any remaining voices. He also makes use of the harmonic minor scale which creates a more brighter mood as the melodies rise and darker as they descend.

The motet Cantate Domino is a setting of Psalm 149:1–2 by Baroque Italian composer Giuseppe Ottavio Pitoni. Pitoni’s work, like much of late Baroque music, is tightly structured in small phrases with two main sections and follows the general format of “A-B-A.”, also called ternary form.

Giuseppe Ottavio Pitoni (1657–1743) was an Italian vocalist, organist and composer. He studied voice from the age of five and became a maestro di cappella (choirmaster) at Santa Maria Maggiore, Monterotondo, a historic church near Rome by sixteen. Pitoni held director positions at many parishes in Rome and was a prominent church musician during the late Baroque era.

10th Sunday after Pentecost 2024

Processional hymn: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, 927
Recessional hymn: God of Mercy God of Grace, 932
Kyriale: Mass XI, 740; Credo IV, 780

Offertory Antiphon: Ad te Domine, Levavi, Alessandro Scarlatti (1660–1725)
Motet at Communion: Anima Christi, Msgr. Marco Frisina

The Offertory antiphon this Sunday is a choral setting by Alessandro Scarlatti with text from Psalm 24:1-2: Unto thee, O Lord, will I lift up my soul; my God, I have put my trust in thee: O let me not be confounded, neither let mine enemies triumph over me. For all they that hope in thee shall not be ashamed. This passage of scripture is shared in common with the Introit from the First Sunday of Advent.

The motet after the communion 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.

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. 

9th Sunday after Pentecost 2024

Processional hymn: Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates, 931
Recessional hymn: Soul of My Savior, 938
Kyriale: Mass XI, 740; Credo IV, 780 

Motet after Offertory: Tollite portas, Giovanni Battista Martini (1706–1784)
Communion Antiphon: Qui Manducat, Heinrich Isaac (c.1450–1517) 

The communion antiphon sung this Sunday is another a setting by Heinrich Isaac: He who eats My Flesh, and drinks My Blood, abides in Me, and I in him, says the Lord. In this composition the Tenor voice retains the Gregorian melody with only slight ornamentation throughout. Unlike the setting heard last week, all the voices enter immediately following the incipit and maintain homophony (all voices moving as one voice) for the text, “and drinks My Blood.” Then each voice enters at different times weaving in and out, cross, and occasionally meet on the same tone and move apart—this movement between voices portrays “abide in Me and I in him” musically. 

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.