Tuesday, 14 September, 2004
HOLY CROSS DAY
25th Anniversary of the Ordination of the Ven Barrie Hodgin
7.00pm Solemn Mass coram Episcope
(The Rt Rev Christopher Gregorowski, Bishop of Table Bay)

Walford Davies : Solemn Melody

Propers:  Nos autem gloriari
Service:          Missa O quam gloriosum - Victoria
Motets:   If ye love me - Tallis
                  Sacerdotes Domini - Byrd
                  Inclyta, et Virgo pia - trad. Tyrolean

Int   :   Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - Praxis pietatis
Grad : O Thou who camest from above - Hereford
Off   :  Lift up your hearts! - Woodlands
Com : Once, only once, and once for all - Albano
Rec  :  Immortal, invisible, God only wise - St Denio

Widor : Toccata, from Fifth Organ Symphony

Well, that was a quite lovely service - marvellous atmosphere, a host
of visiting clergy including an RC bishop and a brace of
Redemptorists from the rector's former order.

I only hope they didn't take the line "Above the level of the former
years" as a snide reference....

Most of the music was chosen by the rector, who celebrated the mass
coram episcope. We did most of the ceremonial from Ritual Notes -
although cutting out the really fussy bits, like the vimpas and
candle bearer. But even in simplified form, this liturgy is powerful
muti and moments like the Priest Assitant censing the bishop at the
offertory or the deacon bringing him the Peace during the Agnus Dei
or, most memorably, the bishop kneeling at the prie dieu in the
centre of the crossing at the Elevations, do stand out.

The Dean, Precentor and one of the other regional bishops were
present and I got the distinct impression they were taking notes of
the liturgy - certainly, judging by some of the questions afterwards.

The reduced choir (several away and othes working) had a real chamber
quality and sang quite beautifully.

The Inclyta - sung at the end of communion - was a novelty: it was
something from the rector's Redemptorist past, a three part setting
of a Marian antiphon for men's voices, based on a Tyrolean melody.(I
suspect three Alphorns, originally!) I have it in Sibelius, if anyone
is interested - it was the single item of the evening which attracted
most favourable comment.

Cheers

 | |
 | |
 | |
 | |    Deon Irish
 | |    Titular Organist and Choirmaster
 |  \   St Michael & All Angels
 | |    Observatory, Cape
 \ /    http://stmichael.org.za

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