5th Sunday after Pentecost 2024
Processional hymn: My God, Accept My Heart This Day, 942
Recessional hymn: Lord, Enthroned in Heav’nly Splendor, 939
Kyriale: Mass IX, 740; Credo IV, 780
Motet after Offertory: Jesu Rex, Admirabilis, G.P. Palestrina (c. 1525–1594)
Communion Antiphon: Unam petii, Rev. Giovanni Francesco Anerio
The communion antiphon is taken from Psalm 26:4 which says, “One thing I ask of the Lord; this I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.” Rev. Giovanni Francesco Anerio sets this verse and adds the continuation of the verse, “to behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and to visit his temple.” Rev. Anerio arranges the four voices to sing in pairs or trios for the first half of the motet and all voices move together during the second half of the motet. Neither the rhythms nor the harmonies become too complex in this composition, which may be a choice inspired by the Psalm’s text.
Rev. Giovanni Francesco Anerio (c.1569–1630) was a priest associated with the Oratory of St. Philip Neri and composer of the Roman school in the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras. Father Anerio’s compositional output was prolific and includes one of the first ever sacred oratorios, the Teatro armonico spirituale, wherein he made settings of the parable of the Prodigal Son and the Conversion of Saul.
4th Sunday after Pentecost 2024
Processional hymn: All Ye Who Seek A Comfort Sure, 862
Recessional hymn: Faith of Our Fathers, 928
Credo IV, 780
Kyriale: Missa O quam gloriosum est regnum, Tomás Luis de Victoria (c.1548–1611)
Offertory Antiphon: Illumina oculos meos, Orlandus Lassus (c.1532–1594)
Motet at Communion: Factus est Dominus, Orlandus Lassus
The communion is taken from Psalm 17:3 which proclaims, “O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer: my God, my rock of refuge!” Orlandus Lassus sets this same verse in the motet Factus est Dominus. This work, as Discite a Me sung last week, is structured in three distinct sections. The A section has all voices singing simultaneously with varied rhythms to the text, “The Lord is become my rock.” For the words, “my refuge and deliverer,” the top voices sing as a duet and is followed by the lower voices also in a duet. The voices meet together in groups of three and sing together rhythmically for the words, “I will trust in Him,” followed by overlapping duets. In the final three measures, the addition of an altered tone—specifically the flattened 7th scale degree—creates a somewhat surprising tonality just before the voices reach their final cadence. This altered 7th scale degree is not only common among the renaissance composers, but is also a character of some Gregorian melodies to indicate approaching the end of the chant.
Orlandus Lassus (c.1532–1594) is known for the mature polyphonic style in the Franco-Flemish school. He wrote over 2,000 works in Latin, French, Italian, and German both sacred and secular. Lassus along with Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and Tomás Luis de Victoria are the most influential composers of the late Renaissance.
3rd Sunday after Pentecost 2024
Processional hymn: To Christ, the Prince of Peace, 861
Recessional hymn: Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven, 933
Kyriale: Mass IX, 740; Credo IV, 780
Motet at Offertory: Discite a me, Rev. Michael Haller
Motet at Communion: Ametur, a3, Rev. Tom Luby, MSC
Rev. Michael Haller’s setting of Discite a me is a relatively short meditation on Matthew 11:29b, “learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart.” This work is structured in three distinct sections which can be described as A, B, and C. The A section has a descending motif with each voice entering in a staggered fashion to the words, “learn of me.” The B section moves to a triple meter and all the voices sing in rhythmic unison to the words, “for I am meek.” In the final section the voices sing in pairs, then as a trio, and all voices conclude together with the text, “and humble of heart.” The final two chords create a plagal cadence, which is also known as the “Amen” chords at the end of some hymns and other sacred works.
Rev. Michael Haller (1840–1915) was a German priest, Kapellmeister, and Composer. He was ordained in 1864 and served as choir director and professor of music in Regensburg; briefly in the same position that would later be held by Mgr. Georg Ratzinger from 1964–1994. In 1899, Haller was given the designation of Canon at Monastery of Our Lady of the Old Chapel in Regensburg. For his work in sacred music, Pope Leo XIII awarded him the medal Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice in 1915.
External Solemnity of Corpus Christi 2024
Processional hymn: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, 900
Hymn of Thanksgiving: Adoremus in Æternum, 970
Credo: IV, 780
Kyriale: Missa O quam gloriosum est regnum, Tomás Luis de Victoria (c.1548–1611)
Hymn at Offertory: Ave Verum Corpus, William Byrd (c. 1543–1623)
Communion Motet: Sicut cervus, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c.1525–1594)
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. Next to Mozart, the setting by William Byrd is perhaps the most famous setting of the Eucharistic themed text. In his setting, Byrd doubles the latter portion of the prayer which says: “O sweet, O gentle, O Jesus, son of Mary, have mercy on me.”
William Byrd (c. 1543–1623) became Catholic in the 1570s and he composed much music for the church against government ordinances. In 1605 the first volume of the Gradualia, which are settings of the propers of the Mass, was banned in England under penalty of imprisonment along with all of his Catholic music. By the time of his death he was seen favorably as a composer by both Anglican and Catholic alike.
Trinity Sunday 2024
Processional hymn: Holy, Holy, Holy, 929
Recessional hymn: O God, Almighty Father, 977
Kyriale III, 705; Credo IV, 780
Responsory: Tibi laus, Orlandus Lassus
Communion antiphon: Benedicimus Deum, John Mason
The Responsory Tibi Laus is the refrain portion of the fifth Responsory from Matins today. Those who have assisted at Tenebræ will recall that office is a combination of Matins and Lauds which are the first two hours of the Divine Office. During Matins, each of the nine readings are followed by a responsory. The responsory is usually in two parts: a respond (or refrain) which is often split in two, and a verse. In the second half of Orlandus Lassus’s (c.1532–1594) setting, the words O beáta Trinitas are sung three times with three of the four voices in rhythmic unison which emphasizes the “three in one.”
Orlandus Lassus (c.1532–1594) is known for the mature polyphonic style in the Franco-Flemish school. He wrote over 2,000 works in Latin, French, Italian, and German both sacred and secular. Lassus along with Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and Tomás Luis de Victoria are the most influential composers of the late Renaissance.