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.
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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.
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.
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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.
Performance by George Baker at the Aeolian-Skinner / Schudi / J-FDupont organ (2000) of Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas [BNQ; BM] (info)
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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Mass of the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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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.