Organ Masses 4th October 2020

First Mass (Vigil)- St Dominic’s, Bishopbriggs

Prelude–Prelude and Fugue in E Minor BWV 555, J.S.Bach
Offertory- Organ Concerto No.2 in G Major, Movement 2 BWV 592, J.S.Bach
Communion- Organ Concerto D Minor Mov 2 Largo e Spiccato BWV 596, J.S.Bach (Vivaldi)
Communion of the Faithful- Conzona in D Minor BWV 588, J.S.Bach

 

Second and Third Masses- St Brigid’s, Toryglen

Proper- Da Pacem
Prelude- Kyrie Versets*
Offertory- Gravis modulatio pro Offertorio*
Communion- Benedictus & Elevatio simul*
Postlude- Brevis modulatio post Agnus*

* Missa in Dominicis diebus Op. 8, Giovanni Battista Fasolo

Organ Mass 27th September

27th September- 17th after Pentecost

Low Mass with Chant and Organ

Proper- Justus Es
Prelude- Canzona in Re Minore, Zipoli
Offertory- Elevatione in Fa Maggiore, Zipoli
Communion- O Salutaris Hostia, Bentivoglio
Postlude- Quattro Versi in Re Minore, Zipoli

Organ Mass- 16 August

This week the repertoire for Sunday’s Organ Mass has a Marian theme. It was such a shame not to celebrate the feast of the Assumption with solemnity today and while the Mass of the day will be XI Sunday after Pentecost, in Scotland the bishops have transferred holy days that fall on Saturdays to the following Sunday and before the 1962 Missal, the Assumption had an octave (yes, I realise that Sundays are not included…) So, those are my excuses, if any are needed for a dose of hyperdulia, for paying musical tribute to Our Blessed Lady, Assumed body and soul into Heaven and reigning as Queen over all!

Introit- Chorale, Suite Gothique, Leon Boellmann

Offertory- Prier du Notre Dame, Suite Gothique, Leon Boellmann

Communion- Ave Maria, Op. 65 Alexandre Guilmant

Communion of the Faithful- Versts on Ave Maris Stella, Improv and Op. 65 Alexandre Guilmant

 

Organ Mass 9th August 2020

Programming music for liturgy is a delicate business- the last thing that we want is to have consecutive items which clash in key or style. Although most folk don’t realise it, which is kind of the point, I always programme music that is from one particular style and try to ensure that consecutive items are related in key so as to avoid any subtle yet distracting gear changes!

The current covid-compliant liturgical arrangements have some bearing on the music chosen; mainly that rather than an uplifting ‘sortie’ a second communion piece is required after Mass as the people ‘receive and leave.’ Timing is also a factor since usually I only programme the Prelude and Postlude with only improvisations after the offertory and communion motets (unless we don’t have enough singers for motets in which case I do programme organ music.). This makes timing the end of the music to the end of the liturgical action quite straightforward. With full pieces, there may be a need to improvise an ending if the priest is ready earlier than expected, especially at the moment when playing for Low Mass with no ceremony (no incense etc).

Recent organ Masses have been in the French Classical (what we call baroque) and French Romantic styles with all of last week’s music being by J.S. Bach. This week we have an English flavour with music by the 18th Century London composer John Stanley.

Introit- Adagio, Voluntary IV, D Minor, Op.VII

Offertory- Andante, Voluntary IV, DMinor, Op.VII

Communion- Adagio, Voluntary VII, E Minor, Op.VII

Communion of the people- Voluntary VII, G Minor, Op. V

Organ Mass 2nd August 2020

2nd August 2020

Organ Mass 11.30am, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Balornock

Introit-Prelude and Fugue in E Minor BWV 555, J.S.Bach

Offertory- Organ Concerto No.2 in G Major, Movement 2 BWV 592, J.S.Bach

Communion- Organ Concerto D Minor Mov 2 Largo e Spiccato BWV 596, J.S.Bach (Vivaldi)

Communion of the Faithful- Conzona in D Minor BWV 588, J.S.Bach

Musical Options for Liturgical Lockdown

As we return to public Mass and we labour under continued restrictions, music directors are trying to figure out what is possible when it comes to liturgical music. Here are a few possibilities.

  1. A Sung Mass with one Cantor. In Scotland, the guidance from the bishops allows for a cantor to be used ‘at a distance.’ I am not a scientist but as a singer, I know that for possibly centuries, we have been using a breath control exercise which involves singing without extinguishing a candle at mouth level. If the candle does not go out, I wonder how much singing really propels droplets. Anyway, due to the inability to have servers and therefore incense etc, a Low Mass with the ordinary and propers sung by one cantor/organist is possible. The congregation are not allowed to sing and should not join in with the ordinary of the Mass- under the guidelines.
  2. An Organ Mass.  This is not the alternatim practice of baroque France but rather an instrumental version of what would have been the most common practice in preconcilliar Scotland, a Low Mass with Hymns. Where once hymns would have been sung, up to the Introit, during the Offertory, Communion and at the end of Mass, organ music is played (Fortescue, pg 177). This is a long standing tradition in Catholic music which the French call it a ‘Messe Basse’ and there are pieces of music written for the purpose. I have even read that the French symphonic repertoire, with its four movements or parts in each opus were written to fit the Procession, Offertory, Communion and Sortie of the Mass.  Organ music can also be played between the elevation and the Pater Noster and adapting music written for an alternatim Mass such as Couperin’s Messe pour les couvents can be effective as can the elevation toccatas of Italian composers like Frescobaldi and Zipoli. An accomplished organist may also improvise these pieces of music as is done every Sunday at the weekly Organ Mass at St Jame’s, Spanish Place, London. It should be pointed out that while my default is the Traditional Latin Mass, it is possible to achieve a similar effect in the Novus Ordo although with some alterations because all of the prayers except the offertory, if you are lucky, are read aloud. The ‘Introit’ piece/improvisation would have to end when the priest reaches the altar and the offertory would not be as long but communion and ‘sortie’ music should work without issue.

Some may ask, why bother, why not just have a Low Mass. Well, the Church has been the primary patron of the arts for most of Her history. Why? Because God is worth the maximum beauty that we can offer and because sacred music lifts the heart and mind to God- the chant most fully as is clothes the sacred silence and provides an exposition of the text in sound, and other music after that. Sunday is different. We can steep ourselves in the silence of the Low Mass during the week but Sunday is the Lord’s day and deserves the most solemnity that we can achieve.

So, there are my thoughts on Sacred Music in Lockdown Liturgy.

I will be playing an Organ Mass tomorrow, with the following music.

Introit- (Up to the Introit)- ‘Duo’, Suite du Premier Ton, Louis Nicolas Clérambault

Offertory- ‘Récit de Nazard’ Suite du Deuxieme Ton, Louis Nicolas Clérambault

Communion- ‘Récits de Cromorne et de Cornet séparé en Dialogue’, Suite du Premier Ton, Louis Nicolas Clérambault

Sortie- ‘Grand plein jeu’, Suite du Premier Ton, Louis Nicolas Clérambault

Clérambault was organist of the Church of St Sulpice, Paris. He died in 1749.

Feast of the Assumption: Ave Maris Stella, Marcel Dupré

Blessed be Her Glorious Assumption! 

On this feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I wish to share the hymn from Second Vespers ‘Ave Maris Stella.’ This hymn dates back to the 11th century and is of unknown origin, although it is often attributed to St Bernard. It is, however, a much later rendering that I write of here, that of Marcel Dupre.

Continue reading “Feast of the Assumption: Ave Maris Stella, Marcel Dupré”