The First Sunday of Advent
Click for a number of different interpretations of Johann Sebastian Bach, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme,
BWV 645 (Sleepers Awake).
1972 Vierdag organ, Bethlehemkerk, The Hague
Click to read about the Advent Prose to be sung at both Choral Eucharist and evensong this Sunday, November 30, as well as read about the Introit of the Roman Mass for the 4th Sunday of Advent and listen to a number of musical selections.
Conditor Alme Siderum (Creator of the Stars of Night) is the quintessential advent hymn. During advent it is always sung at Roman Catholic vespers. The prelude and postlude at evensong this Sunday, November 30, are organ versions of the hymn.
Click to read about Conditor alme siderum and to listen to a number of choral and organ arrangements.
This year the Advent Procession of Lessons and Carols will take place on the 2nd Sunday of Advent, December 7, at 4:00 pm.
Agnolo Bronzino, St. John the Baptist, Galleria Borghese, Rome, 1550-55
Click to go to Advent organ music programmes archived by Pipedreams: 2006 - 2004 - 2002 - 2001 - 2000 - 1998.
Patrick Wedd will continue his reprise of the complete organ works of Olivier Messiaen on the Wilhelm organ of Christ Church Cathedral this Saturday, November 29, at 5:00 pm.
Patrick Wedd will perform Olivier Messiaen, Livre du Saint Sacrement I-IV, XII-XVIII.
To prepare, listen to:
Jennifer Bate, Olivier Latry, Dame Gillian Weir.
St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue has online excellent programme notes.
Click here, then go to page 30 for the comments on Le livre du Saint Sacrement.
These programme notes accompany John Scott's Messiaen recitals at St. Thomas. Click here to listen online.
Olivier Messiaen, Le Quatuor pour la fin du temps, is being performed by Simon Aldrich, clarinet; Louise Bessette, piano; Olivier Thouin, violin; Yegor Dyachkov, cello; at three Maisons de la culture, free admission, laissez-passer required, on Thursday, November 28, at 8:00 pm at Côte-de-neiges; on Friday, November 29, at 8:00 pm at La Chapelle historique du Bon-Pasteur; on Monday, December 2, at 8:00 pm at Frontenac.
To prepare click to read about le Quatuor and listen to three different performances.
William Blake, Angel of the Revelation, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, c.1603
Olivier Messiaen, Les offrandes oubliées, will be performed by the McGill Symphony Orchestra, Alexis Hauser conducting, as part of a concert including Rachmaninoff, Concerto pour piano no. 3, op. 30 (Lana Henschell, piano) and Stravinsky, Petrouchka, on Friday, November 28, and Saturday, November 29, at 7:00 pm, in Pollack Hall. Admission $12.
To prepare, if one has online library access to the Naxos Music Library, listen to a performance of the piano version by Håkan Austbø. [NML]
Fra Angelico, Christ Glorified in the Court of Heaven, National Gallery, London, 15th cent.