February 28, 2010

Illustrator of Petrus Comestor's 'Bible Historiale', Abraham and the smoking braiser, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, The Hague, 1372

When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.[NRSV, Genesis 15:17].

Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
Second Sunday of Lent

Click to go immediately to:

1) The Music Programme Homepage

2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist and Evensong

3) The Concert Calendar

Relive the Christ Church Cathedral Choirs concert that celebrated the 150th anniversary of the cathedral: music composed by cathedral musicians and music composed for the cathedral. Click for more information and learn how to purchase your own CD of the Banquet céleste. Your contribution supports music at the cathedral.




The introit for evensong this coming Sunday, February 28, is the Lent Prose (Attende, Domine), a tenth-century masterpiece of the Mozarabic liturgy. Click to go to numerous chanted versions in Latin and English, as well as a modern version composed by Pierre Villette.

Anthony Van Dyck, A Penitent St. Peter, Staatliche Museen, Berlin, 1618-20

2010 is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Robert Schumann (1810-1856)



Robert Schumann, 6 Fugues on B.A.C.H., Op.60, performed by Günther Fischinger on the Witte organ of the Buurkerk, Utrecht. [listen]

Robert Schumann

Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Tilge, Höchster, Meine Sünden / Blot out, O God, my sins [Miserere], BWV1083; Parody of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Stabat Mater; performance by Benita Valente, soprano; Judith Malafronte, alto; the American Bach Soloists, Jeffrey Thomas conducting.





Click to go to Francis Poulenc, Quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence, for chorus, FP 97, performance by The Sixteen, Harry Christophers conducting.

Francis Poulenc

Click to go to a performance of Josquin des Préz, Stabat Mater dolorosa, by the Capilla Flamenca.


Master of the Bruges Passion Scenes, Calvary, Groeninge Museum, Bruges, c. 1500

February 21, 2010

Rembrandt van Rijn, Satan Tempting Christ to Change Stones into Bread, Widener Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1635-40

The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread [NRSV, Luke 4:3]."

Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
First Sunday of Lent

Click to go immediately to:

1) The Music Programme Homepage

2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist and Evensong

3) The Concert Calendar

Relive the Christ Church Cathedral Choirs concert that celebrated the 150th anniversary of the cathedral: music composed by cathedral musicians and music composed for the cathedral. Click for more information and learn how to purchase your own CD of the Banquet céleste. Your contribution supports music at the cathedral.

The organ postlude for choral Eucharist on this coming Sunday, the First Sunday of Lent, is Johann Sebastian Bach, Fantasia in C minor, BWV 562. Click to read about it and to go to a number of performances.

McGill Winter Noon-Hour Organ Recital Series
The Wolff organ of Redpath Hall: 12:30 pm

Admission Free

Friday, February 19: Willliam Porter



2010 is the 300th anniversary of the birth of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-36)


Click to go to Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Missa Romana; Elisabeth Colombani, soprano; Malgorzata Grzegorzewicz Rodek, soprano; Iva Ionova, soprano; Marcin Ciszewski, countertenor; Konstantin Mikhalski, countertenor; Matteo Bellotto, bass; Orchestre de l'Académie Baroque Européenne d'Ambronay; Rinaldo Alessandrini conducting.




Click to go to William Byrd, Miserere mei, Deus a 5 voces, performance by The Cambridge Singers, John Rutter conducting.

Click for a performance of Josquin des Prez, Miserere mei, Deus, performed by A Sei Voces.

Georges Rouault, Miserere: Sometimes a blind man has consoled the seeing.

Click to go to a performance of Richard Davy, Stabat Mater dolorosa, by the Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford, Grayston "Bill" Ives conducting.

Antonello da Messina, Crucifixion, Koninklijke Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp, 1475

February 17, 2010

El Greco, St. Francis and Brother Leo Meditating on Death, National Gallery, of Canada, Ottawa, 1600-02

Remember, you are dust and unto dust you shall return [Ash Wednesday liturgy].

Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
Ash Wednesday

Click to go immediately to:

1) The Music Programme Homepage

2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist and Evensong

3) The Concert Calendar



On Ash Wednesday in choral Eucharist, the Miserere mei, Deus, Psalm 51 [50 in the Latin Vulgate] will be chanted during the liturgy of the ashes. Here is a version chanted in Latin. Additional versions of the Miserere will be posted every week throughout Lent.

Georges Roualt, Miserere: Always scourged

Miserere mei, Deus (Psalm 51 [50]) in Gregorian chant by Giovanni Vianini, Schola Gregoriana Mediolanensis. [YouTube]




The Communion motet for choral Eucharist on Ash Wednesday is Claudio Merulo, Peccantem me quotidie / I sin every day. Click to go to performances by a number of composers.

Christian Dare: The Publican

The organ postlude for choral Eucharist on Ash Wednesday is Johann Sebastian Bach, O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß / O man, bewail thy grievous fall, BWV 622. Click to go to a number of performances.





2010 is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Luigi Cherubini (1760-1842)


Click to go to Luigi Cherubini, Requiem in C-minor, performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra, Ambrosian Singers (John McCarthy, chorus master), Riccardo Muti conducting.

February 14, 2010

Duccio di Buoninsegna, Transfiguration, National Gallery, London, 1308-11.

Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him [NRSV, Luke 9:30].

Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
Transfiguration Sunday

Click to go immediately to:

1) The Music Programme Homepage

2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist and Evensong

3) The Concert Calendar

Relive the Christ Church Cathedral Choirs concert that celebrated the 150th anniversary of the cathedral: music composed by cathedral musicians and music composed for the cathedral. Click for more information and learn how to purchase your own CD of the Banquet céleste. Your contribution supports music at the cathedral.

Henry Purcell, Thou knowest Lord, is the Introit for evensong this coming Sunday. Originally it was part of the Funeral Music for Queen Mary. Click to read about and listen to the Funeral Music, elements of which have found themselves in the sound tracks of The Clockwork Orange and The Godfather.


McGill Winter Noon-Hour Organ Recital Series
The Wolff organ of Redpath Hall: 12:30 pm

Admission Free

Friday, February 12: Thomas Pousont


2010 is the 600th Anniversary of the Birth of Johannes Ockeghem (1410-97)

Click to go to Johannes Ockeghem: Missa 'Ancilla Domini,' Pro Cantione Antiqua; Collegium Aureum; Bläserkreis für Alte Musik; Bruno Turner conducting.

Jan van Eyck, Mary (detail), The Ghent Altarpiece, Cathedral of Saint Bavo, Antwerp, 1432

Click to go to Alonso Perez de Alba, Stabat Mater dolorosa, performance by Rogers Covey-Crump, John Potter, tenors; Gordon Jones, bass; Hilliard Ensemble.

El Greco, Crucifixion, Museo del Prado, Madrid, 16th c.

Johann Sebastian Bach did not compose a cantata specifically for the Transfiguration. Cantata 1, Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern / How brightly shines the morning star, originally intended for the Feast of the Annunciation, is often also used for Transfiguration Sunday, the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. Click to go to a performance by Soprano: Malin Hartelius; Tenor: James Gilchrist; Bass: Peter Harvey; Monteverdi Choir / English Baroque Soloists; John Eliot Gardiner conducting.

Fra Angelico, Transfiguration, Convento di San Marco, Florence, 1440-41.jpg

February 7, 2010

Rembrandt van Rijn, The Prophetess Anna, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 1631

At that moment she [Anna] came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem [NRSV, Luke 2:38]

Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
The Presentation of Our Lord

Click to go immediately to:

1) The Music Programme Homepage

2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist and Evensong

3) The Concert Calendar

Johann Sebastian Bach, Cantata 82, Ich habe genug, is among his most popular. Composed for the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, now more commonly known as the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord, Cantata 82 is a reflection on the Song of Simeon, the Nunc dimittis. Click to read about Ich habe genug with the possibility of listening online to a wide variety of performances.

Aert de Gelder, Simeon's Song of Praise, Mauritshuis, The Hague, c. 1700

McGill Winter Noon-Hour Organ Recital Series
The Wolff organ of Redpath Hall: 12:30 pm

Admission Free

Friday, February 5: Han Mi Kang
Friday, February 12: Thomas Pousont


2010 is the 550th anniversary of the birth of Pierre de la Rue (1460-1518).


Click to go to Pierre de la Rue: Missa l'Homme armé, performance by the Ensemble Clément Janequin, Dominique Visse conducting.

Click to go to Giovanni Maria Nanino, Stabat Mater, performance by the Altöttinger Kapellsingknaben.

Bernardo Daddi, Crucifixion, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, c. 1325-30

In addition to the celebrated Canata 82, Ich habe genug, Bach created another cantata for the Feast of the Purification, BWV 200, of which only an aria fragment remains. Click to go to a performance by Robin Tyson, countertenor; the Monteverdi Orchestra, John Eliot Gardiner conducting.

Rembrandt van Rijn, Presentation in the Temple, Hamburger Kunsthalle, c. 1627-28