MusicNotes
May 26-27
Prelude- Veni, Creator Spiritus, Libby Larsen (b. 1950)
This solo organ piece is based on a familiar Gregorian chant melody, found in our Worship hymnal, on page 479. The text of this Latin hymn dates from the 9th century, written by Rabanus Maurus. This hymn is traditionally sung at Pentecost, as well as for other occasions, such as confirmation and ordination. We sang it two Sundays ago, and you will hear it again after Communion at the 10:30 mass. This setting will help set the tone for this Pentecost mass by surrounding the chant melody with simple, light flute accompaniments, calling to mind the wind imagery of the Holy Spirit. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Church this weekend, this instrumental prayer is asking the Holy Ghost to come and inspire our souls. Libby Larsen, originally from Wilmington, Delaware, has become one of the most prolific and performed composers of our time. She has been composer-in-residence for several large orchestras, and as a Grammy award-winner, her music appears on several recording labels. She has become a fixture in contemporary classical music.
Anthem- Send it on Down, arr. Geron Davis (b. 1964)
During the preparation of the altar, the St. Mary's Choir will sing this traditional Gospel song. This lively piece is a prayer to God to send down his Holy Spirit. It sets a mood of excitement and anticipation as we await the Spirit of God to fill our hearts in a new way. I will play this in a traditional Gospel piano style, and the choir will sing it from memory. They have learned it by ear, in the traditional way most Gospel choirs learn parts. Geron Davis is a very popular sacred musician and writer and has played a significant role in contemporary Christian music. He is a member of the well-known sacred group, Kindred Souls.
Communion Meditation- Hymn to the Holy Spirit, Randolph Currie (b. 1943)
After the Communion procession, the choir will sing this anthem, based on the chant tune Veni Creator Spiritus, which we heard before mass. The piece features the chant in both Latin and English, with simple and sparse organ accompaniment. It closes with a grand doxology, before quietly disappearing again at the end. Currie maintains the texture of the original chant melody by leaving it mostly untreated. The organ accompaniment only adds a few notes and interludes to the texture, as the text and melody of this gorgeous hymn come across clearly on their own. Currie is the organist at St. Joseph's in Sylvania, Ohio, and teaches at Lourdes College. His music is generally easy to learn, but beautiful and very practical for Eucharistic use. He writes, "When I write, I try to produce music which is serviceable and well-crafted, like good antique furniture. I also consider it a challenge to write music which is not difficult to perform, but is interesting enough to bear repeated performances."
Postlude- Improvisation: "Receive the Holy Spirit"
It would be a shame to spend the weekend praying for the Holy Spirit without allowing the Spirit to fill me in its most fitting musical way, improvisation. After the mass has ended, I will improvise a festive piece on the same chant that we heard throughout the mass. In this improvisation, I will try to capture my understanding of the power of the Holy Spirit- the power to transform, the power to inspire, and, most of all, the power of God living through us and in us.
Dialogues/Acclamations/Litanies- Mass of St. Frances Cabrini and Celtic Alleluia
To help signal the transition to the Easter season, we return to a familiar set of mass parts (Kyrie, Gloria, Gospel Acclamation, Holy, Memorial Acclamation, Lamb of God), the Mass of Saint Frances Cabrini, by Kevin Keil. For the Gospel Acclamation, we are using the Celtic Alleluia, by Fintan O'Carroll and Christopher Walker. A change in the mass parts we sing together helps to remind us of our new post-Easter perspective, a new context of hope, victory, and redemption.
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