Rembrandt van Rijn, The Prophetess Anna, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 1631At 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, Eucharistie chantée and Evensong
3) The Concert Calendar
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Philippe de Champaigne, The Presentation in the Temple
Royal Museums of Arts of Belgium, 1648
The Presentation in the Temple
When, in the last of the plagues upon Egypt, the angel of destruction passed over Egypt, the first-born son of every Hebrew family was spared. In future generations, the first-born son came to be understood as belonging especially to the Lord and had to be purchased back, for the poor by a pair of turtle-doves or pigeons.
Thus the Introit for Choral Eucharist this coming Sunday, the Feast of the Presentation:
The old man carried the child,but the child ruled the old man;him whom the Virgin brought forth,and after childbirth remained a virgin,him whom she bore, she adored.
William Byrd, Senex puerum portabat [text], performed by the Choir of Durham Cathedral, James Lancelot conducting [YouTube].
And this is the Communion anthem:
Today the Blessed Virgin Mary presented the child Jesus in the Temple;
and Simeon, full of the Holy Spirit, took Him in his arms,
and blessed God, and said: Now dismiss your servant depart in peace.
William Byrd, Hodie beata virgo [text], performed by the Choir of Guildford Cathedral, Barry Rose conducting [YouTube].
Simeon's prayer is clearly announced in the canticle of evensong as it is every evening:
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: according to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen: thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared: before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles: and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
William Byrd, Nunc dimittis from the Third Service, performed by The Merbecke Choir of Southwark Cathedral [YouTube].
The organ voluntaries at Choral Eucharist and evensong echo the Nunc dimittis:
In peace
and joy I now depart
For God
has called.
I trust
in Him with soul and heart,
Calm,
prepared.
God doth
e'er His promise keep,
And
death's a few years' sleeping.
--Tr. C. S. Terry
Dietrich Buxtehude, Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin, BuxWV 76 [Chorale text], performed by Helga Schauerte-Maubouet at the Arp Schnitger organ of Sankt Jacobi, Hamburg [musicMe].
Johann Sebastian Bach, Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin, BWV 616 [Chorale text], performed by James Kibbie, 1717 Trost organ of St. Walpurgis, Großengottern, Germany [listen].
Lord God, now open wide Thy Heav'n, My parting hour is near;
My course is run, enough I've striven, Enough I've suffered here;
Weary and sad, My soul is glad That she may lay her down to rest;
Now all on earth I can resign, But only let Thy Heav'n be mine.
--Tr. C. Winkworth
Johann Sebastian Bach, Herr Gott, nun schleuss den Himmel auf, BWV 617 [Chorale text], performed by James Kibbie, 1724-30 Trost organ of the Stadtkirche “Zur Gotteshilfe,” Waltershausen, Germany [listen].
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McGill University Noon-Hour Organ Recital Series
The Wolff organ of Redpath Hall - Admission Free
Fridays from January 24 to February 28 at 12:30 pm:
Friday, January 31: Alexandra Fol
Programme
Friday, February 7: Jonathan Vromet
Friday, February 14: Adrian Foster
Friday, February 21: John Grew
Friday, February 28: Hans-Ola Ericsson
and Lena Weman, baroque fluteFriday, February 7: Jonathan Vromet
Friday, February 14: Adrian Foster
Friday, February 21: John Grew
Friday, February 28: Hans-Ola Ericsson
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Charles Tournemire, L'orgue mystique: Nativity Cycle, Op. 56: No.11
Performance by Georges Delvallée on the 1880 Cavaillé-Coll organ in the Cathedral of Saint-Croix, Orléans
Mass of the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Prelude for the Introit [YouTube]
Offertory [YouTube]
Elevation [YouTube]
Communion [YouTube]
Diptych [YouTube]
Click for the entire performance of L'Orgue mystique by Georges Delvallée.
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Hans Holbein, Presentation in the Temple, Kunsthalle Hamburg, 1500-1501
Bach Cantatas for the Feast of The Presentation:
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Ich habe genug / I have enough, Cantata 82, with 22 different performances.
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Erfreute Zeit im neuen Bunde /Joyful time in the new covenant, Cantata 83, with performances by Gardiner, Harnoncourt and Leusink.
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin /With peace and joy I go from here, Cantata 125, with performances by Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Herreweghe and Leusink.
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin /With peace and joy I go from here, Cantata 125, with performances by Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Herreweghe and Leusink.
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn! / I am not letting you go, unless you bless me first!, Cantata 157, with performances by Koopman, Leonhardt, Leusink and Rilling.
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Der Friede sei mit dir /Peace be with you, Cantata 158, with performances by Gardiner, Herreweghe, Leonhardt, Leusink, Rifkin, Richter.
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Komm, du süße Todesstunde /Come, sweet hour of death, Cantata 161, with performances by Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Koopman, Leusink, Sándor, Schröder and Thomas.
James Tissot, Jesus Calms the Storm, Brooklyn Museum, late 19th cent.
Bach Cantatas for the 4th Sunday after Epiphany:
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit /If God were not with us at this time, Cantata 14, with performances by Gardiner, Koopman, Leonhardt and Leusink.
Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Jesus schläft, was soll ich hoffen? /Jesus sleeps, what should be my hope?, Cantata 81, with performances by Chin, Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Kuijken, Leusink, Richter and Rilling.