February 1, 2015





Hans Memling, Presentation in the Temple, Museo del Prado, Madrid, c. 1470


Simeon took him in his arms and praised God  [NRSV, Luke 2:28].


The Presentation of the Lord / Candlemas
February 1, 2015


Click to go immediately to:

1) The Music Programme Homepage

2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist, Eucharistie chantée and Choral Evensong

3) The Concert Calendar

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William Byrd


The Mass setting for the 10am Choral Eucharist this coming Sunday is William Byrd, Mass for 5 voices.  Byrd composed Masses for 3, 4, and 5 voices.


Click to go to a variety of performances.


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Giotto di Bondone, The Presentation, Cappella Scrovegni, Padua, 1304-06


The Nunc dimittis or Canticle of Simeon is very much associated with the Feast of the Presentation.  It is recited or sung daily in evensong and compline.


Click to read about the Nunc dimittis.


The Nunc dimittis has been made very popular in the Geoffrey Burgon version composed for the end credits of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.  Click to read about it with the original version.


Click to go to a number of versions of the Nunc dimittis including a YouTube playlist of over 50.


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Marcel Dupré


Traditionally the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord brings to a close the Christmas season.


Marcel Dupré composed the Six Antiennes pour le temps de Noël, Op. 48 (Six Antiphons for the Christmas Season) in 1952.  The last of these antiphons, Lumen ad Revelationem, for the Feast of the Presentation, is the postlude for the 10 am Choral Eucharist this coming Sunday.


Ecce Dominus veniet, et omnes sancti ejus cum eo: et erit in die illa lux magna, alleluia  / Lo the Lord shall come, and all his saints with him: and there shall be on that day great light, alleluia. (1st Sunday Advent)


Omnipotens sermo tuus, domine, a regalibus sedibus veniet, Alleluia. / Thy all-powerful word, Lord, shall come from the abodes of kings, alleluia.  (4th Sunday Advent)


Tecum principium, in die virtutis tuae in splendoribus sanctorum, ex utero ante luciferum genuit te. / Thine is the princedom in the day of thy virtue, amid the splendours of the saints, from the womb before dawn I engendered thee. (Christmas Day)


Germinavit radix Jesse: orta est stella ex Jacob: Virgo peperit Salvatorem:  te laudamus, Deus noster. / The root of Jesse has had seed: the star of Jacob has risen: the virgin has brought forth the Saviour: we praise thee, our God. (Circumcision)


Stella ista sicut flamma coruscate, et Regem Regum Deum demonstrat: Magi eam viderunt et magno Regi munera obtulerunt. / That star shines as a flame, and shows God, the King of Kings: wise men saw it and offered gifts to the great king. (Epiphany)


Lumen ad revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel. / A light to lighten the gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.  (Presentation)


Click to hear Marcel Dupré,  6 Antiennes pour le Temps de Noél, Opus 48, performed by Ben van Oosten at the 1915 Casavant Frères organ of the Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Montréal.  Michael Barone of Pipedreams gives a brief commentary after the first antiphon.






Marcel Dupré improvises on Lumen Ad Revelationem. Recorded in concert February 2, 1964 at the organ of Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse. [YouTube]


Marcel Dupré, Lumen ad revelationem, performed by Rick Berg at the organ of Notre Dame Cathedral, Dax, France [YouTube]


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Charles Tournemire, L'orgue mystique: Nativity Cycle, Op. 55: No.11




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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Click to go to Bach Cantatas for Online Listening.


Bach Cantatas for The Purification of the Blessed Virgin (Presentation of the Lord):




Laurentius, presbiter de Antwerpia, Presentation in the Temple, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, The Hague, c. 1350-60


Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach,  Ich habe genug / I have enough, Cantata 82, with thirteen 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,  Komm, du süße Todesstunde / Come, sweet hour of death, Cantata 161, with eight different performances.


Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Bekennen will ich seinen Namen / I want to acknowledge his name, Cantata 200, with eight different performances.


Bach Cantatas for the 4th Sunday after Epiphany:


James Tissot, Jesus calms the storm, Brooklyn Museum, late 19th cent.


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.    

January 25, 2015


Lorenzo Veneziano, Conversion of Saint Paul, Staatliche Museen, Berlin, 1370


I asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord answered, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting [NRSV, Acts 26:15].”


Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
The Conversion of Saint Paul

Click to go immediately to:

1) The Music Programme Homepage

2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist, Eucharistie chantée and Choral Evensong

3) The Concert Calendar

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Henry Purcell  is the composer featured at the upcoming Choral Evensong.


The Best of Henry Purcell performed by Emma Kirkby; Catherine Bott; James Bowman and The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood conducting. [musicMe]


A Purcell Songbook performed by Emma Kirkby. [musicMe]


Purcell performed by the Choir of St. John’s College, Cambridge, George Guest conducting. [musicMe]


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Queen Mary II

Henry Purcell: Funeral Music for Queen Mary


                                                 
Read about Henry Purcell (1659-95).   
  


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Henry Purcell's complete music for the funeral of Queen Mary sung by the Winchester Cathedral Choir with the Brandenburg Consort and the Baroque Brass of London, David Hill, conducting [musicMe playlist]:   
                                                                                          
The Queen's Funeral March;


Canzona; Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets (text);
                                                                              
The Queen's Funeral March (Recession);


Man that is born of a woman (text);     
                                                                                         
In the midst of Life (text);


Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets (text);  
                                                                                                   
Rejoice in the Lord always (text);   
                                                    
Remember not, Lord, our offences (text);


Voluntary in c;


Give sentence with me, O God (text);
                                                        
Jehova, quam multi sunt hostes (text);
                                              
O, I'm sick of life (text);


A Double Verse in G;    
                   
My beloved spake (text);
                                                              
Hear my prayer, O Lord and let my crying come unto Thee.;
O God, Thou art my God (text).


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Click to listen to the Fundacja Nowa Orkiestra Kameralna Choir, Richard Bylicki Berkeley, conducting, perform Thou knowest Lord.


Click to Listen to the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge, sing Hear my prayer; listen as well to O God, Thou art my God (text).


Click to Listen to the Ad Hoc Singers peform Jehova, quam multi sunt hostes(text).


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Walter/Wendy Carlos reworked the Funeral March for the title music of Stanley Kubrick's film, The Clockwork Orange.  (Carlos was then on the verge of sexual reassignment.) [YouTube]


Click to hear the Funeral March linked to the finale, Death and Baptism, of The Godfather.


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McGill University Noon-Hour Organ Recital Series
Fridays to February 28 at 12:30 pm
No recital on Friday, January 23.

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Charles Tournemire, L'orgue mystique: Nativity Cycle, Op. 56: No.10






Mass of the 3rd Sunday after the Epiphany


Prelude for the Introit [YouTube]
Offertory  [YouTube]
Elevation [YouTube]
Communion [YouTube]
Postlude and Free Modal Fugue  [YouTube]


Click for the entire performance of L'Orgue mystique byGeorges Delvallée.
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Click to go to Bach Cantatas for Online Listening.



Paolo Veronese, Jesus and the Centurion, Toledo Museum of Art, 1580


Bach Cantatas for the Third Sunday after Epiphany:


Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Alles nur nach Gottes Willen /Everything according to God's will, Cantata 72, with performances by Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Leusink, Rilling, and Suzuki.


Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Herr, wie du willt, so schick's mit mir /Lord, as you will, deal with me,Cantata 73, with performances by Gardiner, Leonhardt and Leusink.


Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Was mein Gott will, das g'scheh allzeit / What my God wants , may it always happen, Cantata 111, with performances byGardiner, Harnoncourt, Herreweghe, Kamp, Leusink, Richter and Rilling.

Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe / I stand with one foot in the grave, Cantata 156, with performances by Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Leusink and Thomas.