Christus Vincit - the BLOG!

FIRST FRIDAY AT HEARTS!

2012-01-29T19:05:00.001-05:00

Also the Feast of St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr - II-3-12, 6 PM
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

O Sacred Heart, O Love Divine
Psalm 117: Go out to all the world - Peloquin/Gelineau
Alleluia: Marier
Cor Jesu, Cor Amabile
Sanctus and Agnus Dei: Mass for Christian Unity
Memorial: We proclaim your death / BMP, Holy Angels Mass
Amen: Dresden
Adoro Te Devote / Mode V
To Jesus' Heart, All-Burning

Peace,
BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the fourteenth)

2012-01-28T23:21:00.002-05:00

Sections covered: Church, Parables/Teachings of Jesus

Reminder: * = new to the Worship series

*726 The Church of Christ Cannot Be Bound ("McKee") - I'll let you readers judge this one!

*727 Sing a New Church ("Nettleton") - Excellent tune. Text is a complete abomination! I'll say it again, quoting a former pastor of mine: Why don't we sing of the ONE TRUE CHURCH?

*728 Where Christ Is, His Church Is There ("Salzburg") - text seems ok. Tune excellent!

*729 You Strode within the Temple, Lord ("Kingsfold") - again text seems ok. Tune excellent, but too many of the same tune can make a hymnal very boring. "Halifax" ("Great Shepherd of a Loyal Flock", "'Mid Canyons Deep of Brick and Stone") would be a nice alternative.

*730 Christ, You Formed the Church, Your Body ("Fortunatus New") - the tune Worship II used (and Worship IV revived) for "Sing, My Tongue, the Glorious Battle".

*731 One Is the Body (Bell) - garbage

732 Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation ("Westminster Abbey") - always an excellent hymn, but there is text altered for the umpteenth time.

*733 Church of God, Elect and Glorious ("Abbot's Leigh") - good. I used to use it at my former parish. The Music Issue (OCP) uses "Hyfrydol".

*734 As a Fire Is Meant for Burning ("Beach Spring") - text: garbage (that dang "Gathered as One" motif again!)

*735 Living Stones ("Nettleton") - same critique as #734

736 The Church's One Foundation ("Aurelia") - Was in Worship II, changed in Worship III to "O Christ the Great Foundation", restored in Worship IV as "The Church's One Foundation", but someone killed the last verse. It should end "O happy ones and holy, Lord give us grace that we, like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with Thee."

*737 If Like Is Like a Wedding Feast ("Resignation") - Was the author of this "hymn" inspired by Forrest Gump or something? After all, life is like a box of chocolates. You never know whatcher gonna git!

738 O Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit ("Kontakion"/Russian Chant) - Now that we have this, we no longer need "Blest Are They".

*739 My Elder Son, Go Work Today (Krisman) - Text sounds like a dialogue (but then, so did the much more dignified "Watchman, Tell Us of the Night", between "Watchman" and "Traveler"). Tune isn't too bad. I liken it to something like the "Sussex Carol".

*740 Baited, the Question Rose ("St. Bride") - The passage about the "coin used for the tax".

*741 Build Your City on the Hill ("Puer Nobis Nascitur"/G. Shaw) - This is more of a Christmas tune, as I hear "Unto Us a Boy Is Born" with it. Low key for this one - C. "Unto Us" is in D.

*742 O Blest Are You ("St. Columba") - another Beatitudes translation.

*743 To Love Just Those Who Love You ("Aurelia") - Text is ok if you like a Romper Room intelligence, thus killing a nice tune.

*744 What Is the World Like (Morris) - garbage

*745 The Keeper of a Vineyard Dreamed ("Kingsfold") - I'll leave the judging of this text to you, our readers!

*746 If Christ Is Charged with Madness ("King's Lynn") - cool, two Vaughan Williams-harmonized tunes side by side. But "Madness"? Christ really didn't go "mad", did he?

Next installment: Christian Life

Peace,

BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the thirteenth)

2012-01-28T10:42:00.000-05:00

Sections covered in this installment: Love, Comfort, Kingdom/Reign of God
* = new to the Worship series

*693 Love One Another (Chepponis) - refrain melody doesn't seem bad. I don't have the accompaniment, so I can't completely judge the music.

*695 Your Ways Are Not Our Own ("Southwell") - not bad at all

696 Love Is His Word (Krisman) - tune not so hot (Worship III tune, a different one, wasn't either). Best tune for this hymn is one by Calvin Hampton found in WLP's "We Celebrate".

*698 No Greater Love (Joncas) - blech!

*699 Love Is the Law that Jesus Taught ("Beatus Vir") - nice tune, but #697 ("Lord of All Nations, Grant Me Grace", just two hymns before) already uses that tune. A wise move would have been to put the two hymns together, going text-only on the second (except in the accompaniment book).

*700 Where Charity and Love Prevail ("Christian Love") - Though I'm partial to the Mode VI "Ubi Caritas" (#694), there is definitely nothing wrong with this WLP staple either (translation: Omer Westendorf, tune: Dom Paul Benoit, who also wrote a good number of really cool organ works).

701 Not for Tongues of Heaven's Angels (Joncas) - the Peter Cutts tune in Worship III ("Bridegroom") is far better.

702 Ubi Caritas (Taize) - now in Latin, English, Spanish, Korean (with hieroglyphics), and Tagalog. I'm still waiting for a translation into German, Polish, Swahili, some species of Eskimo, and Narragansett Indian. :)

*703 Your Hand, Though Hidden, Guides Us ("King's Lynn") - not a bad text; love the tune!

*704 You Are Mine (Haas) - like "Beagle's Things" and "Be Very Afraid", another tune the English-speaking (and now Spanish-speaking) Church can do without! (Yes, there is a Spanish text added.)

705 O Jesus, Joy of Loving Hearts ("Wareham") - Was "JESUS, THOU JOY" in Worship II and using the tune "Song 5" by Orlando Gibbons, changed to "O JESUS, JOY" in Worship III and sung to the Mode I tune "Jesu, Dulcis Memoria". Now using "Wareham". All three tunes excellent. Would still prefer "JESUS, THOU JOY", however.

*706 O Christ, Who Shared Our Mortal Life ("Kingsfold") - one of seven hymns set to this tune - a great tune, but seven hymns in one hymnal to the same tune??? Not a bad text either.

707 I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say ("Kingsfold") - The hymn most widely used with "Kingsfold". The two numbers should have been flip-flopped, and the second being text-only (except in the accompaniment, of course).

708 My Shepherd Will Supply My Need ("Resignation") - key raised to C (was B-flat in Worship II and III).

*710 With a Shepherd's Care (Chepponis) - garbage

*711 O God, You Are My God Alone ("Resignation") - this time in B-flat. Again, this should have been put together (with "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need", three hymns before), with either the second to text-only, or high-key/low-key on facing pages.

712 The King of Love My Shepherd Is ("St. Columba") - key lowered from E-flat (Worship II and Worship III) to D.

*713 Eye Has Not Seen (Haugen) - garbage

714 How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds ("St. Peter") - glad to see the title switched back. Was "How SWEET" in Worship II, switched to "How GOOD" in Worship III.

*716 Come to Me (Bell) - blech!

*717 Come to Me, O Weary Traveler (Bob Moore) - probably his best tune!

*718 Nade Te Turbe (Taize) - garbage in all three languages (English, Spanish, and Korean)

*719 If You Have Faith (Krisman) - garbage/basura

*721 Blest Are They (Haas) - They should have kept the Russian chant setting from Worship III if they wanted a good Beatitudes setting.

*722 The Reign of God ("McKee") - the many parables of Christ about the Kingdom of God set to the Spiritual often used for "In Christ There Is No East or West". One of the better Spirituals, IMO.

*724 Let Us Come Now to the Kingdom ("Holy Manna") - Nice tune, but the text is definitely misplaced. It's more like one of those foolish "gathering" songs.

*725 We Will Walk With God (Swaziland traditional) - garbage

Next installment: Church (which unfortunately includes that "new Church" thingie)

Peace,
BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the twelfth)

2012-01-27T13:31:00.001-05:00

Managed to get iSNARK! 186 up and running (the review of the Adoremus Hymnal, Second Edition) in the middle of my continuing series on the title-by-title follow-up of our review of the hymnal Worship, Fourth Edition.

The sections covered in this installment: Lament (I lament when I see a good number of these songs be passed for hymns, believe me, or as the elderly of French-Canadian origin say, "believe you me"!), Blessing, Faith, Trust

* = new to the Worship series.

*668 God Weeps with Us Who Weep and Mourn (Morris) - Note how many times the name "God" is used in just the opening lines alone, just for the sake of refraining from giving God HIS FATHERhood. Ridiculous.

*669 When Streets Resound with Cries of Grief (Morris) - Way too many jumpy arpeggio jumps in this tune. I think of Randall DeBruyn's In Perfect Charity which does the same thing.

*670 When Painful Memories Haunt Each Day (Morris) - ok, not only do we have three Sally Ann Morris tunes in a row, two out of three (668 and 670) are the exact same tune! How about another CMD (Common Metre Double) tune? (Not Kingsfold, however. I like Kingsfold, but not to seven hymns in one hymnal.)

*671 May the Lord, Mighty God (Chinese) - no thank you.

672 May the Grace of Christ Our Savior ("Stuttgart") - missing that third verse from Carroll Thomas Andrews that was in Worship II and III.

*673 Faith Begins by Letting Go ("Dix") - Let me put it this way: Faith begins by letting go / of such songs like this, you know... ("Letting Go", pretty much the emotional opposite of one that's in Gather Comprehensive II, called "A Touching Place")

674 We Walk by Faith (Haugen) - Again, pretty much the only Haugen tune I don't mind, although I used to use "St. Anne" at my former parish (we had the Muzak Issue, which also uses the Haugen tune). Worship III used "Dunlap's Creek". Another nice tune that would work well for this hymn is "St. Botolph".

*676 A Living Faith ("St. Catherine") - Ah yes, the dreaded "A Living Faith" sadly made its way into the Worship series after infesting "RitualSong", "Catholic Community Hymnal", and "Gather Comprehensive II". This is the bastardized, watered-down, politically correct, puke-inducing version of "Faith of Our Fathers", where only the first verse is the revered hymn, while the next three verses involve all the other relatives. Blech!

*677 O God, Who Gives Us Life and Breath (Morris) - another Morris tune that sounds more like a Haugen tune.

*678 Center of My Life (Inwood) - blech!

*679 Show Me Your Hands, Your Feet, Your Side ("Land of Rest") - fine hymn

*680 Be Not Afraid (Dufford) - You should be! One would find this quite appalling to find this overplayed (especially at funerals) piece of dreck in a Worship hymnal.

*681 Good Shepherd, You Know Us ("St. Denio") - fine hymn

682 You Are the Way (Haugen) - the same tune as "We Walk by Faith". Appeared in Worship II as "THOU ART the Way" with the tune "Dundee", which is far better, but dropped in Worship III.

*683 To Whom, Lord, Shall We Go ("Festal Song") - Actually a fitting tune for this hymn.

*684 How Can I Keep from Singing (Lowry) - ah yes, the Quaker hymn, as one local friend of mine once called it, "How Can I Keep from Sinking". Not a fan!

*685 Nothing Is Impossible with God (Chepponis) - sounds like just about any old piano/guitar-driven ilk that one can find in a music issue.

688 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God ("Ein' Feste Burg") - same translation used in Worship II. Was bastardized to "God Is Our Fortress and Our Rock" in Worship III. The really cool original rythymic version that appeared as a second tune in II and III is dropped in IV.

689 O God, Our Help in Ages Past ("St Anne") - Key switched back and forth in the melody editions: C in Worship II, B-flat in Worship III, back to C in Worship IV. We need to bring back the "thees" and "thous", however.

*690 On Eagle's Wings (Joncas) - another one over-requested at funerals. AKA "Eagle's Claws", and "Beagle's Things". Like "Be Very Afraid", it's not a hymn, just a love ballad. I could play this on my radio all day long. Not at Holy Mass.

*691 The Lord Is My Savior ("Paderborn") - not bad at all; surprisingly the author is not afraid to use the masculine pronouns to refer to the Lord. Surprisingly even more that GIA allowed it to be included in one of their hymnals. Tune is nice too, some nice Marian texts have been set to it.

*692 The Storm Is Strong ("Erhalt Uns Herr") - tune good; help me on the text, someone!

Next installment: Love

Peace,

BMP

SUNDAY IV: ORDERED TIME (die Musik)

2012-01-26T14:33:00.000-05:00

I-29-12; Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

All numbers: Hymnal 1940

H-326: To the name of our salvation / "Oriel"
Psalm 95: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts / Alstott; "Respond and Acclaim"
Alleluia: Marier (verse of the day: tone 5)
H-355.1: All hail the pow'r of Jesus' name / "Coronation"
Sanctus and Agnus Dei: Christian Unity / Vermulst
We proclaim your death, O Lord / BMP
Dresden Amen
Cantate Domino Canticum Novum / d'Indy
H-356.1: At the name of Jesus / "King's Weston"
H-600: Ye holy angels bright / "Darwall's 148th"

Peace,
BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the eleventh)

2012-01-23T14:12:00.002-05:00

Before I go on, a couple of links I would like to share with our readers:
First, another excellent article on the language of hymnody by Professor Anthony Esolen, this one particularly on "Man" - What Is Man?
Also, a nice promo by Daniel Lord on Jeff Ostrowski's great little project, the Vatican II Hymnal. - Some New Church Music That Isn't Sickening

Continuing on one of GIA's four newest hymnals, Worship - Fourth Edition. Reminder that this is the follow-up I promised on iSNARK! podcast episode #185. We're almost halfway through this. In the middle of it all, I will be commencing work later today on iSNARK! #186, reviewing another hymnal (this one has a cover that is fire engine red, the same shade of red as my dad's old 1970 Chevy Townsman station wagon).

Sections covered in this installment: Petition/Prayer
* = new to the Worship series

*654 When My Soul Is Sore and Troubled (Krisman) - garbage
*655 Eternal Spirit of the Living Christ ("Sursum Corda") - tune nice, dang good text, too!
656 Jesus, Come! for We Invite You (Krisman) - probably one of Ronald Krisman's better tunes. Something about the text, however. "Jesus, come! for we invite you, guest and master, friend, and Lord". Anyone?
*657 Lead Me, Guide Me (Akers) - perfect for the hymnal that bears the same name, but definitely not for the Worship series.
*658 Lord, Teach Us How to Pray ("St. Thomas"/Williams) - nice tune, dumbed down text.
*659 Jesus, Show Us How to Pray ("The Call"/Vaughan Williams) - another nice tune, but would Ralph (or "Raph", depending on who refers to the great RVW) really want a hymn other than "Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life" set to this tune? Especially a text this awkward? Verse 2: "When we ask our angry 'Why'", Verse 3: "Filled with fear and nagging doubt".
*660 As a Chalice Cast of Gold ("Dix") - another nice tune, another awkward text.
*661 Be Still, My Soul, before the Lord (Haugen) - I never thought that the tune Haugen used for "We Walk by Faith" (to conclude his "Massive Cremation") would dare be used for another text. This is probably the ONLY hymn tune by Haugen that's even close to being useful as a hymn tune, btw. I have to give credit where it's due, the tune isn't bad at all. Anyone wanna review the text?
662 Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life ("The Call"/Vaughan Williams) - now THAT's more like it!
663 Seek Ye First (Lafferty) - now with a couple of added verses. This hymn can be done perfectly over Pachelbel's Canon in D, which, to me, is musical Sominex.
*664 We Cannot Measure How You Heal ("Radiant City") - not a bad new tune at all. Reminiscent of another tune I really like called "Charterhouse". Text is pretty good too!
*665 Have Mercy, Lord (Morris) - Too much social justice jargon wrapped in a rather poor attempt at a Taize-style song.
666 Silence, Frenzied, Unclean Spirit ("Ebenezer") - Something about the title and the number it is assigned (666) that might go hand in hand. The tune "Ebenezer" is much more singable than the Carol Doran tune used with this same hymn in Worship III. Works nicely with the Gospel about the unclean spirit (duh?).
*667 O Lord, Hear My Prayer (Taize) - eh

Next installment: Lament (speaking of which, how many more titles shall we lament?)
Peace,
BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the tenth)

2012-01-22T23:14:00.002-05:00

Sections covered: Thanksgiving, Grace/Mercy

* = new to the Worship series

631 Father, We Thank You Who Hast Planted ("Rendez a Dieu") - should be "Father, We Thank THEE Who Hast Planted".

632 For the Beauty of the Earth ("Dix") - Reverted to "Dix", which was also the tune in Worship II. However the text is bastardized in Worship IV. The tune in Worship III is "Lucerna Laudoniae", which is a nice little David Evans tune. However, "Dix" is definitely more highly associated with the hymn.

*633 God, Our Father, You Have Granted ("Regent Square") - pretty good text.

634 We Praise You, O God ("Kremser") - Worship II had "We Praise THEE, O God", the proper title. Hymn was missing in Worship III, returned in bastardized form in Worship IV, but now "We Gather Together" is missing, which was in both II and III.

635 Confitemini Domino (Taize) - originally in Latin only, now with added English, Spanish, and Lithuanian. Music is maybe third rate at best.

636 Let All Things Now Living ("The Ash Grove") - love the hymn, but loathe the altered text (which neuters the Lord by once again removing any pronouns reflecting God's fatherhood).

*638 Sing a Happy Alleluia (Morris) - Please tell me GIA isn't serious. They can't be if they're including titles like that! I started laughing when I saw the title, and I'm thinking (my wife hates the following song, but sorry honey, I have to) "Happy happy joy joy!" And just when I thought texts by Haugen and Haas were goofy!

*639 In the Lord I'll Be Ever Thankful (Taize) - not so hot!

*640 Shepherd, Do You Tramp the Hills ("Aberystwyth") - Two good hymns I often associate with the lovely tune "Aberystwyth" are missing ("Jesus, Lover of My Soul" and "Watchman, Tell Us of the Night"), and instead we get this title and "Wild and Lone the Prophet's Voice", which I reviewed here. Sheesh!

642 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling ("Hyfrydol") - need to revert to Worship II text!

*644 The One Who Longs to Make Us Whole ("The Flight of the Earls") - not bad

645 There's a Wideness in God's Mercy ("In Babilone") - love the hymn, but a couple of reversions we need to see: Verse 2: "Than the measures of MAN'S mind", and verse 3 "SOULS OF MEN, why will you scatter..."

*647 When Jesus Passed through Jericho ("Forest Green") - ok text, love the tune

*648 What Love and Deep Devotion (Krisman) - boot it!

*649 God the Sculptor of the Mountains ("Julion") - lovely David Hurd tune, but not-so-lovely text. "We are formless, shape us now!"

*651 Keep in Mind (Deiss) - A good chunk of the Deiss repertoire is quite good, including this.

*652 Shall Tribulation or Distress (Morris) - nice text, awful tune.

*653 God Is Forgiveness (Taize) - in English, Polish, and Spanish. ok at best

Next installment: Prayer/Petition

Peace,

BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the ninth)

2012-01-21T22:56:00.001-05:00

Sections: Light, Word, Praise

* = New to the Worship series

*583 Arise, Your Light Has Come ("Festal Song") - good

*584 Christ, Be Our Light (B. Farrell) - I've grown sick of this one quite quickly

585 I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light ("Houston") - mezza mezza

*586 We Are Marching (South African) - no thank you.

*587 Lord, Jesus Christ/Jesus le Christ (Taize) - nah!

*588 Light Shone in Darkness ("Mighty Savior") - tune nice, text was good till I got to verse 3 "Christ's body, groaning..."

*589 O Radiant Christ, Incarnate Word ("Wareham") - I love the tune. Text is good also.

*591 Praise to You, O Christ, Our Savior (B. Farrell) - sounds like something from the folk group I grew up with in the early to mid 1970's. Not the kind of reminder I care to have.

*593 There Is a Story Full of Love ("Land of Rest") - nice tune; however, the text is the first from the pen of Brian Wren that is a miss.

*594 A Year of God's Favor ("St. Denio") - text ok, tune excellent.

*595 In this Place Your Word Is Planted ("Stuttgart") - anyone?

*596 Sing Praise to the Lord / Cantad al Señor (Brazilian) - garbage/basura

*597 Glory and Praise to Our God (Schutte) - see #596

*598 Laudate, Laudate Dominum (Walker) - one of his better musical settings. Refrain text in Latin and English. Verses in English and Spanish. Mix and match, I guess.

*600 Sing a New Song (Schutte) - Well, they dropped the "Yahweh" in verse 1 - a good thing, pursuant to recent Church directives. The bad thing: the goofy melody is still around.

*603 Bless the Lord, My Soul (Taize) - in English, Spanish, and in Portuguese.

604 Praise the Lord, You Heav'ns, Adore Him ("Hyfrydol") - Worship II: "Praise the Lord, YE Heav'ns, Adore Him", tune "Austria" (which I miss). Worship III: "Praise the Lord, O Heav'ns, Adore Him", tune "Heavenly Hosts" (an English copyright administered in the USA by GIA). Now Worship IV: "Praise the Lord, YOU Heav'ns, Adore Him", tune "Hyfrydol" (the first tune I saw this text with - in the 1979 "We Celebrate").

607 All Creatures of Our God and King ("Lasst Uns Erfreuen") - Please revert to the Worship II version of the text.

609 Adoramus Te, Domine (Taize) - still in Latin (good), but now with added English, and Korean hieroglyphics. WTF???

610 Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven ("Lauda Anima") - we need thees and thous.

611 Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You ("Hymn to Joy") - should be "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore THEE!" What the hell are they thinking???

612 Sing Praise to the Lord ("Laudate Dominum") - lovely Parry tune. However, should be "O PRAISE YE the Lord".

*613 Magnificat (Taize) - I got this one to work at my former parish by adding verses of the Magnificat itself in Latin to Tone 6F in between refrains. A lot better than singing it as a round.

614 Holy God, We Praise Thy Name ("Grosser Gott") - one song they don't DARE to alter, thank God. Even better, they added the missing verse "Lo, the apostolic train..."

615 God, Whose Song Became Creation (Hopson) - Melody is totally unsingable. Text isn't so hot either.

616 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty ("Lobe den Herren") - text changes again (bad), and a lower key - key of F (good).

*618 Alabare (M.J. Alonso/J. Pagan) - garbage

*619 Jubilate, Servite (Taize) - music not so hot. (text in Latin, English, Spanish)

620 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence ("Picardy") - missing thees and thous.

*621 Soli Deo Gloria (Haugen) - Only the refrain is in Latin. The music is typical Haugen fare. Blech!
*622 Praise Our God and Savior (Taize) - mezza...

*623 Heaven Is Singing for Joy (Sosa) - bilingual English/Spanish, music is garbage

*624 Canticle of the Turning ("Star of County Down") - The tune is an Irish tune that seems to mirror "Kingsfold". However, the title makes no sense, nor does the primary lyric "The world is about to turn." The world is already turning.

*626 You, Lord, Are Both Lamb and Shepherd ("Picardy") - Originally known as "Christus Paradox" in the RitualSong hymnal (was set to "Westminster Abbey"). Text is a little strange ("You, the everlasting instant" begins the closing lines of each verse).

627 O God, beyond All Praising ("Thaxted") - nice new middle verse, and I like the "Christ, the man from heaven" cliche. A million points for that!

*628 Come, Christians, Join to Sing ("Madrid") - nice addition, and in A-flat.

Next installment: Thanksgiving.

Peace,
BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the eighth)

2012-01-20T22:52:00.000-05:00

Sections: Christ the King, Creation, Providence

Reminder: *=new to the Worship series

*561 At the Name of Jesus (Clemens) - a round that reminds me of an old J.S. Paluch standby, "Shalom, My Friends".

*562 Let Kings and Prophets Yield Their Name (Krisman) - I'll let you judge.

563 At the Name of Jesus ("King's Weston") - the REAL "At the Name of Jesus"! However, in another attempt by a major publisher to neuter God the Father, "'Tis the Father's pleasure we should call him Lord" became "It is God's good pleasure we should call him Lord." Possible candidate for WTF Award number four??? A new verse 2 added, a couple of verses removed.

565 The King of Glory (Israeli/Jabusch) - Take it away, please. Liturgical dance is not allowed! Repeat, liturgical dance is not allowed!

566 All Hail the Pow'r of Jesus' Name ("Coronation") - missing two verses

*567 O Christ, What Can It Mean for Us (Morris) - "A different kind of king?" (Mind you, the same nun that wrote "Sing a New Church" wrote this text). The tune isn't so hot either. And another thing: is it me, or does Sally Ann Morris have this knack for topping hymns off to a high E-flat? Every one I've seen of hers tops off at E-flat.

569 Jesus Shall Reign ("Duke Street") - Lowered key to C. We're using this hymn this Sunday - in the normal key, D.

571 Crown Him with Many Crowns ("Diademata") - Must restore verse 5 to "Crown Him the Lord of years, THE POTENTATE OF TIME, Creator of the rolling spheres INEFFABLY SUBLIME". Even Shamus O'Reilly knows what that means!

*573 Let All Creation Bless the Lord ("Lobt Gott den Herren") - Nice Vulpius tune. Words are a bit strange, however.

574 All Things Bright and Beautiful ("Royal Oak") - lovely hymn, but again, God the Father has been neutered. How many times can you repeat the name "God" in one verse without it sounding like a first grade reading book? "God (formerly "HE") made their glowing colors, God (again, formerly "HE") made their tiny wings." "See God. See God make birds. See God make wings for the birds..."

*576 Canticle of the Sun (Haugen) - take it away!!! Far, far away!!!

*577 God of the Sparrow ("Roeder") - Utter garbage, especially the text.

*578 How Great Thou Art ("O Store Gud") - I never thought for a million eons that this depressing, very often misplayed (and overplayed) song would make it in a Worship volume.

*580 O God, You Search Me (B. Farrell) - Not bad, probably the best work of Bernadette Farrell. Doesn't say much for the rest of her dreck, trust me. All one has to do is look at "God Has Chosen Me" in almost any Muzak Issue over the past 20-some years.

*581 We Are Known and Not Unnumbered ("Lauda Anima") - Love the tune. Can't say the same for the text.

*582 When You, Lord, Walked ("Morning Song") - seems ok. Anyone?

Next installment: Light

Peace,

BMP

DOESN'T IT SEEM FUNNY...

2012-01-19T19:12:00.002-05:00

...that most of the people who express a disagreement to a blog post leave no profile, only a nickname? Reminds me of the time I blogged about Barack Sadaam Hussein Obama bin Laden.
Peace,

BMP

SUNDAY THE THIRD OF ORDERED TIME (and a funeral)

2012-01-19T11:30:00.001-05:00

I-21-12; Church of the Sacred Heart
West Warwick, Rhode Island

(H-780) Christ is made the sure foundation / "Westminster Abbey"
Gloria (if sung): Gloria Simplex / Proulx
Psalm 25: Teach me your ways, O Lord / Alstott; "Respond and Acclaim"
Alleluia: Marier (If you have a St. Michael Hymnal, it's #223)
(H-570.2) O Jesus, I have promised / "Day of Rest"
Sanctus and Agnus Dei from "Mass for Christian Unity" / Vermulst
We proclaim your death, O Lord from "Holy Angels Mass" / BMP
Dresden Amen
In Thee is gladness / "In der ist Freude"
(H-405) I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew / "Artavia"
(H-542) Jesus shall reign wheree'er the sun / "Duke Street"

I-22-12 (Sat.): Funeral Mass at 10 AM

UPDATED I-20-12 to reflect the WSHR request line!
("SHR" stands for "Sacred Heart Radio" - hehehehehe!)

Requiem Aeternam / Mode VI
(W-524) Holy God, we praise Thy name / "Grosser Gott"
Psalm 23: My shepherd is the Lord... / Gelineau
Alleluia: Marier
Ave Maria: Schubert
Sanctus and Agnus XVIII
Morten tuam annuntiamus, Domine / "Jubilate Deo"
Dresden Amen
Lux Aeterna / Mode VIII
Panis Angelicus / Franck

I believe that my Redeemer Lives / St. Louis
How great Thou art / "O Store Gud"

H=Hymnal 1940 (Maroon) / W=Worship III

Peace,
BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the seventh)

2012-01-17T22:11:00.003-05:00

Trinity, Body and Blood of Christ, Sacred Heart

* = new to the Worship series

*548 O Dawn of All Creation ("Andujar") - one of some really good hymn tunes by David (not Bob) Hurd. However, being in the Trinity section of the hymnal, I'm still trying to find a Trinitarian connection with the text. I see descriptors such as "Dawn of all creation", "Light of incarnation", and "Flame of transformation", but no direct invoking of the Father, the Son, and/or the Holy Spirit.

549 Come Now, Almighty King ("Italian Hymn") - tune name aka "Moscow" and "Trinity". Should be "Come, THOU Almighty King". Missing another good hymn with the same tune: "Thou, Whose Almighty Word" (which was bastardized in Worship III to "God, Whose Almighty Word")

*550 How Wonderful the Three-in-One ("Rockingham") - the tune often used with "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross". I like this better than the Early American tune ("Prospect"?) that is often used with this.

*552 The Play of the Godhead ("Bedford Park") - tune written by Robert Batastini, not bad. However, almost any hymn text (including this one) that has "dance" in it, and even worse, the rhyming word "romance", gives me the shivers. I mean, these words are perfectly acceptable in any pop love ballad, but not in a hymn.

553 Holy, Holy, Holy ("Nicaea") - please revert to Worship II text

*554 Come, Join the Dance of Trinity ("The Flight of the Earls") - see my note about "dance" in #552, above.

556 Adoro Te Devote / Hidden Here before Me (Mode V) - The third line of music is missing a note. Those who know the hymn as well as I will spot it. This musical alteration was also used in Worship III. The correct melody was used in Worship II. Also, there has been a different translation each issue - Worship II: "Godhead Here in Hiding"; Worship III: "God with Hidden Majesty"; Worship IV: "Hidden Here before Me". The Worship II version is best. Even OCP has been using it as of late.

557 O Food of Exiles Lowly / O Esca Viatorum ("Innsbruck") - tune name aka "First Friday" (probably in association with "O Sacred Heart, All-Holy"). Nice to see the added Latin.

*558 Tell the Gospel's Boundless Riches ("Rustington") - nice stirring Parry tune. Text, for coming from Sr. Delores, actually isn't bad at all.

*559 O Christ, Your Heart Compassionate ("Resignation") - good

560 To Christ the Prince of Peace ("Festal Song") - Worship III used the tune "Narenza". While "Festal Song" is a fine tune, "Narenza" seems to have a stronger association with this particular text.

Next installment: Christ the King

Peace,

BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the sixth)

2012-01-16T18:51:00.001-05:00

Ascension, Pentecost

* = new to the Worship series

529 Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise ("Llanfair") - go back to the Worship II text

530 A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing ("Lasst uns Erfreuen") - they ADDED a verse. Coo1!

*531 Since Our Great High Priest, Christ Jesus ("All Saints") - nice addition!

*532 Go to the World ("Sine Nomine") - weak text. Save the tune for "For All the Saints".

535 Spirit Divine, Inspire Our Prayer ("Graefenberg") - third title in three issues. Worship II: ATTEND Our PRAYERS. Worship III: ACCEPT Our PRAYERS. Worship IV: INSPIRE Our PRAYER. I believe a verse or two was also added.

*536 O Spirit All-Embracing ("Thaxted") - not bad for a Dufner text

*537 Come Spirit Blest / Ven Creador (Krisman) - I'd rather stick with/Profiero seguir con "Come Holy Ghost" and/y "Veni Creator Spiritus", thank you very much/muchos gracias.

538 Veni, Sancte Spiritus (Taize) - Partial to the actual sequence chant

*539 Laus Tibi Sancte Spiritus ("O Filii et Filiae") - Latin refrain (commendable). English verses - you be the judge.

*540 Holy Spirit, Come to Us (Taize) - in English, Spanish, and Latin - reminds me of this goofy round we had to sing in fifth grade, "Love, love, love, love, Christians, this is your call..."

541 Holy Spirit, Lord Divine ("Veni, Sancte Spiritus"/Webbe) - tune is a welcome edition. Text is a translation of the "Veni Sancte" by my local colleague, Peter Scagnelli.

*545 Living Spirit, Holy Fire (True) - text by Ruth Duck, tune by Lori True. I'll pass the buck to you, the reader.

547 Spirit of God within Me (Joncas) - The tune in Worship III is better. The tune "St. Christopher" would work well also.

Next installment: Trinity.

Peace,

BMP

JANUARY WTF AWARD UPDATE

2012-01-15T16:20:00.001-05:00

And now there are three - a record in one month!

It started with the traffic cop who doesn't know a red light from a green light.

Now I have TWO more to add! This makes a record THREE WTF awards in one month!

First, one - dateline: Cranston High School West, Cranston, Rhode Island. Picture this:

The school, for over fifty years, has had a nice little prayer banner in the school's auditorium, not hurting anyone. In fact, the prayer was written by a guy, David Bradley, who was in the seventh grade at the time he was asked to write it. He will be 65 this Thursday.

Fast forward to 2012 - this Jessica Ahlquist, CHSW student and resident atheist, with the help of her daddy and the infamous American Civil Liberty (Deprivation) Union, er, ACL(D)U, get a federal judge to order the banner taken down. So apparently any Christian religion is not ok, but atheism, which is a religion in itself (albeit without a God), is.

Incidentally, Governor Lincoln Chafee, to whom I gave a WTF award last month for insisting the Christmas tree he less-than-ceremoniously lit is nothing more than a "holiday tree", supports the judge's decision. Why should I not be surprised?

To add insult to injury, now that Miz Ahlquist got her wish, she now fears for her life (apparently there have been threats against her, not surprising; I wish no harm on anyone, but I have to say, it's not surprising) and she no longer wants to attend Cranston West, the very school she just (by some fluke) successfully sued. In fact, it's been noted in a Facebook thread that she is looking to attend LaSalle Academy in Providence - a Catholic high school. I suppose she'll be looking to do similar damage to that school as well?! One can only hope whoever is in charge of admissions at LaSalle will note Miz Ahlquist's behavior when deciding whether or not to let her in, if what I read is true, that is.

So, this makes Jessica Ahlquist the second WTF Award recipient of January 2012.

Now for the latest one - dateline: a Citizens Bank branch inside a Stop and Shop supermarket.

Normally you would think that a bank is the easiest place to ask for something as simple as a couple of rolls of quarters. For months, I have been able to do that with no problem. The supermarket branch is open for a brief time on Sundays and some holidays (they'll be open tomorrow, MiLK Day from 11-3), something normal bank branches do not do.

This afternoon, after I finished my last Mass of the day, I went to the Stop and Shop near home to pick up a gallon of milk and grab a couple of rolls of quarters so we can do our laundry (we have a laundry room downstairs in our apartment building). This time, I get "Do you have an account here?" I said to the teller, "No, but I get them here all the time. Why?" "Because we're not allowed to take money from non-customers," she said. "Since when? That's new to me." "It's not new. I'll do it this one time as a courtesy." So from now on you need an account just to make change? What the sam hell is this dame (or her employer) thinking? It's not like my $20 bill is going to bounce like a basketball check. It's that kind of service that just gives me more reason NOT to start account with Citizens. What kind of tie-ups would I encounter if my money did land up there? No thanks, I don't want to know. Oh, and further, as of a little over a year ago, they now charge seven bucks to cash a check that's drawn on their bank if you don't have an account. As my mother would say about banks and utilities, "The bigger they get, the worse they get!"

So, WTF Award number three for January 2012 goes to Citizens Bank.

Peace,

BMP

TIM TEBOW

2012-01-14T19:01:00.001-05:00

I for one can appreciate Tim Tebow's taking a knee in prayer. We all could use a little prayer. You see, Tim is not necessarily praying for a win. He could be praying that he at least finishes the game in one piece. At the same time, he is very likely thanking Almighty God for giving him the talent to do what he does as well as he does. Of course, winning is an added bonus. Won't happen against the Patriots, but Tim is by all means doing the right thing.

After all, (I now quote my pastor) would you rather live with the Tebows, or would you rather live with the Kardashians?

Or even better: Would you rather live LIKE the Tebows, or would you rather live LIKE the Kardashians? I'll take the former, thank you very much.

Peace,
BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the fifth)

2012-01-14T13:37:00.000-05:00

Now for the Easter section of the hymnal. * = new to the Worship series.

*498 Christ Is Risen! Shout Hosanna! (Haas) - I like Brian Wren's poetry. So many good 87 87 D tunes out there and they pick a tune by David Haas. Sheesh!
*499 Day of Delight ("In Der Ist Freude") - Love the tune. Used it last fall with "In Thee Is Gladness". However, this version was altered to be a responsory. The refrain text is nice. The verses could be too easily likened to Haugen's hideous "Canticle of the Sun".

*500 Goodness Is Stronger than Evil (Bell) - garbage

*503 Alleluia! Jesus is Risen! ("Earth and All Stars"/Johnson) - nice

*504 Earth, Earth, Awake (Morris) - the other Morris tune that is good. That makes two out of a boatload.

*505 Christ Has Risen (Morris) - garbage (more typical)

*506 Who Are You Who Walk in Sorrow ("Holy Manna") - ???? (Hint: this text is copyrighted by NaPalM, administered by GIA).

507 O Sons and Daughters ("O Filii et Filiae"/Mode II) - always nice, but I prefer "YE Sons and Daughters".

508 This Is a Day of New Beginnings ("Rendez a Dieu") - better tune that what was in Worship III

511 The Strife Is O'er ("Victory") - "Lord by the stripes which wounded YOU?????" WTF?????

512 At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing ("Salzburg") - bring back the thees and thous please!

*513 They Disbelieved for Joy ("Festal Song") - the most familiar text to go with this tune is "Rise Up, O Men of God" (aka, "Rise Up, O Saints of God"). However, the text might be a little off, considering the only one that "disbelieved" that I know of was Thomas (Didymus).
*517 Rise to Sing! the Light Is Breaking ("Pethel") - not bad at all

*518 Joyful Bells Ringing / Suenen Campanas (Bertolino) - I think of Cielito Lindo when I sight-read this piece, along with a couple of guitars, a guitarra (that big really fat guitar), and a few trumpets. Not exactly my idea of what I want to be singing at Mass - even in English.

519 Regina Caeli (Mode VI) - with a new English translation. I like the one in Worship III better.

*521 We Walk His Way (South African) - no thanks!

*522 Be Not Afraid, Sing Out for Joy (Taize) - in English, Czech, Polish, and Croatian. No matter which way you slice it, still not a keeper!

*523 Christ the Lord Is Ris'n! (Ghanaian) - I'll pass!

*525 Surrexit Christus (Taize) - in Latin, English, and Lithuanian. eh...

526 Sing with All the Saints in Glory ("Hymn to Joy") - now with added Spanish. I still like the Worship II version better ("Sing with all the SONS OF glory...")

Next installment: Ascension and Pentecost

Peace,

BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the fourth)

2012-01-13T22:21:00.002-05:00

This installment includes music and muzak under the Lent and Holy Week categories.

* = new to the Worship series.

*459 Jesus, Tempted in the Desert ("Ebenezer", aka "Ton-y-Botel") - fine

*460 Restore Us, O God (Clemens) - scrap it!

461 Lord, Who throughout these Forty Days ("St. Flavian") - revert to the Worship II version, please.

462 Somebody's Knockin' at Your Door (Spiritual) - scrap it!

*463 From Ashes to the Living Font ("St. Flavian") - text ok, but partial to "Lord who throughout"

*464 Crucem Tuam (Taize) - ok

*465 The Cross of Jesus (O'Brien) - garbage

466 Forty Days and Forty Nights ("Heinlein") - better version in Worship II

467 The Glory of these Forty Days ("Erhalt Uns, Herr") - fourth verse altered...again!

468 Before the Fruit Is Ripened by the Sun ("Sursum Corda") - help me on this text. Tune is fine.

469 Parce, Domine (Mode I) - always a favorite. Verses to Psalm 51 now with the Revised Grail Psalter

*472 This Is the Time of Fulfillment (Chepponis) - I like the refrain melody. Would like to see the verses to judge better

*475 Return to God (Haugen) - garbage in English and en Español

*476 Restore in Us, O God (Morris) - help

*477 Once We Sang and Danced with Gladness ("Kas Dziedaja") - text seems ok, though I'm used to seeing "By the Babylonian Rivers", a Psalm 137-based hymn which unfortunately was dropped.

*478 Merciful God (Alonso) - garbage

*479 As the Winter Days Grow Longer ("Suo Gan") - nope

*480 Stations of the Cross (Rowan) - Not a bad piece at all, though I'm still partial to the "Stabat Mater"

*481 Palm Sunday Processional (Cooney) - There are so many better choices!

*482 No Tramp of Soldiers' Marching Feet ("Kingsfold") - Timothy Dudley-Smith has the right idea, but "tramp" just doesn't sound good.

483 All Glory, Laud, and Honor ("St. Theodulph") - sounds better with the thees and thous.

*484 Stay with Me (Taize) - eh

*485 So You Must Do (Haugen) - garbage

*486 Glory in the Cross (Janco) - Steven Janco has the right idea, but the refrain sounds like typical Haugen-d'Hass fare, musically. Text-wise, the refrain is basically the Holy Thursday Introit - a good thing. The verses are those that should be used for Good Friday, not Holy Thursday.

489 O Sacred Head, Surrounded ("Passion Chorale") - now with added Spanish. However, let's go back to the Worship II version of the English ("Death's palid hue comes o'er thee, the glow of life decays...")

491 Sing, My Tongue, the Glorious Battle ("Fortunatus New") - was in Worship II, replaced by "Sing, My Tongue, the Song of Triumph" (using "Picardy"), returned for Worship IV. Fine piece.

*493 In Manus Tuas, Pater (Taize) - in Latin, English, and Spanish - a paraphrase of the Responsorial Psalm antiphon for Good Friday. - eh

Next installment: Easter

Peace,

BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the third)

2012-01-13T13:43:00.000-05:00

Sections for the solemnities during the Christmas Season other than Christmas itself.
Reminder: * = new to Worship series.

*439 Come, Sing a Home and Family ("Carol") - pretty good text. Might be easy to tell it's not a GIA or OCP text. It's actually Alan Hommerding's text, owned by World Library. However, I would have rather kept the Mozart tune that's used in We Celebrate, rather than use the tune that's intended for "It Came upon the Midnight Clear".

*441 The First One to Know ("Paderborn") - Now you know that THIS is a typical GIA text when you see such lines as "He felt the connection of life touching life". The tune is nice, and fitting with many hymns of 11 11 11 11 meter that are of Mary and/or Joseph.

*442 Our Savior's Infant Cries Were Heard ("St. Columba") - Nice text. I like St. Columba as a tune, but not for this particular hymn, or anything for Christmas season for that matter. May I suggest Siroe (aka Christmas) or Winchester Old.

SPEAKING OF WINCHESTER OLD: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night was dropped for this edition. Bad move!

*443 Within the Father's House ("Optatus Votis Omnium") - nice text. Tune is normally used with "The Coming of Our God", an Advent hymn that would have been a lot better than "Are You the Coming One" (also short meter, but set to "St. Thomas" by Aaron Williams).

444 Sing of Mary, Pure and Lowly ("Pleading Savior") - The last three GIA hymnals (RitualSong, Catholic Community Hymnal, and Gather Comprehensive II) have used "Sing of Mary, MEEK and Lowly". Thankfully, for this hymnal, the editors have come to their senses.

*446 Gentle Mary Laid Her Child ("Tempus Adest Floridum") - nice text, and the tune is a favorite of mine (think "Good King Wenceslas").

450 As with Gladness Men of Old ("Dix") - I wish they'd revert to the text that was in Worship II.

451 Songs of Thankfulness and Praise ("Salzburg") - Another text that should be reverted to what was in Worship II.

*452 The People Who Walked in Darkness (Morris) - Why is it songs about walking in darkness have to either be St. Louis Jesuit tunes (e.g., "The People that Walk in Darkness", "City of God") or sound like St. Louis Jesuit tunes (e.g., this one)? I think the ICEL Resource Collection (a joint venture of ICEL and GIA back in 1981) has "The People that in Darkness Walked" set to a traditional common meter tune, but I forgot which tune. I once had the book, but lost it in a fire a little over seven years ago. Never replaced it. Anyhoo, they should use that instead.

*455 The Strong and Gentle Voice (Morris) - Who is this "Dove" and why is it being referred to by feminine pronouns? Normally, when I hear "Dove" in hymnody, I assume the Holy Spirit. The tune here is one of only a couple by Sally Ann Morris that are any good (she has more tunes in this hymnal than David Haas, believe it or not, and almost as many as Marty Haugen).

456 When Jesus Came to Jordan (Hopson) - Was set to a G minor Dutch tune in Worship III that sounded a bit lame (unlike most Dutch hymn tunes). For Worship IV, we get this Hal Hopson tune which is quite good.

*457 To Jordan Jesus Humbly Came ("Winchester New") - Another Hommerding text. Nice.

458 When John Baptized by Jordan's River ("Rendez a Dieu") - Good text, but should be in G, not F.

Next installment: Lent and Holy Week!

Peace,

BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the second)

2012-01-12T23:36:00.001-05:00

Continuing our posts on the hymn section of Worship IV (the "pet name" of Worship - Fourth Edition), we're going to now comb the Christmas section of the hymnal. Again, not all hymns will be listed. Those not listed are those that pass without any question. Any hymns marked with a * are new to the Worship series, but may have appeared in other hymnals, including but not limited to Gather, RitualSong, and hymnals by other publishers.

413 Silent Night / Noche de Paz ("Stille Nacht") - Adding on the Spanish is all well and good for those bi-lingual parishes that want to join in the fun. But how about the original German?

414 Hark! the Herald Angels Sing ("Mendelssohn") - always love the carol, but certain lines on verse 3 annoy me no end.

*418 You Came among Us at Christmas Time ("Resonet in Laudibus", arr. Vaughan Williams) - the tune is always a pleasure. However, Sr. Delores (who also infested mainstream Catholic hymn books, including Worship IV, with Sing a New Church) re-wrote the chorus so that it sounds more like a typical OCP/GIA Communion hymn. Remember, most proper Communion antiphons didn't even come close to being Eucharistic-themed. I say bring back Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine from Hymnal 1940 - same tune, same harmony, half-step higher.

*421 Sing Alleluia (O'Brien) - too sing-songy, just like most of what Francis Patrick O'Brien writes.

*422 Sing We Now of Christmas ("Noel Nouvelet") - a welcome addition

423 Gloria, Gloria (Taize) - typical

424 Joy to the World ("Antioch") - now with added Spanish.

426 O Come, All Ye Faithful ("Adeste Fideles") - now with added Spanish, but good to see the Latin is also retained - four verses, and not just like one like in OCP's Today's Missal. Second verse should read, however, "Lo! He abhors not the Virgin's womb."

427 Good Christian Friends, Rejoice ("In Dulci Jubilo") - should be "Good Christian MEN, Rejoice".

428 Go, Tell it on the Mountain (Spritual) - I love to hear the Brothers Four go to town with it on my parents' old The Great Songs of Christmas album (volume 4). However, I'm not big on singing it at Mass, probably because of my reminder of the days of sitting back on the recliner and rockin' out with the Brothers Four.

*430 Love Has Come ("Un Flambeau") - the tune that is normally associated with Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella. Not bad for a modern text, but nothing beats the original.

*431 Wood of the Cradle (O'Brien) - toss with the firewood

432 A Child Is Born in Bethlehem / Puer Natus in Bethlehem ("Puer Natus in Bethlehem"/Mode I) - The text was in English and Latin in Worship II. Latin was dropped in Worship III, then returned in Worship IV. This time, instead of four verses, there are seven. Two of the verses ("In hoc natali gaudio" and "Laudetur sancta Trinitas") are gone, but five more have surfaced. Let me remind you of what I mentioned in the podcast, that Richard of Catholic Light, who sang with me at First Friday Mass last week, discovered 14 verses, all in Latin. The verses from Worship II and III are verses 1, 5, 13, and 14, according to this site with the 14 verses. The verses from Worship IV are 1, 5, "Cognovit bos et asinus" (not amongst the verses on aforementioned link), 6, 9, 11, and 12. Nice addition.

*434 Glory / Gloria (Sosa) - garbage / basura

*436 Star-Child (Krisman) - garbage

Next installment - the remaining solemnities of the Christmas Season.

Peace,

BMP

WORSHIP IV, THE FOLLOW-UP (Part the First)

2012-01-12T19:37:00.005-05:00

Last night, I uploaded my review of the brand-spankin'-new GIA hymnal, Worship IV, on the 185th installment of my iSNARK! podcast. During my review, I mentioned that as a follow-up I will do the best I can with this with the many new titles in this hymnal, but I'll be seeking help from the more learned. I'm going to list them all, in installments (after all, there are 614 titles in the hymn section). This is a black list, a white list, a question mark list, and an everything-in-between list. I didn't include any of the better regular staples unless something got changed about it. So here goes, part one.

NOTE: My main focus is on the hymns right now. We'll attack the music of the Mass Ordinary later. * = hymns that are new to the Worship series. Some may have appeared in Gather.

ADVENT:
386 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel ("Veni, Veni, Emmanuel/Mode I) - thee/thou/thy eliminated, but nice to see the added Latin in the refrain. Would be nice to see the Latin verses as well.
387 O Come, Divine Messiah ("Venez, Divin Messie") - thee/thou/thy eliminated
389 Prepare the Way of the Lord (Taize) - mezza-mezza at best
*390 Wild and Lone the Prophet's Voice ("Aberystwyth") - nice tune, some questionable text "make a choice", "quitting all the sins you prized". Would have rather had "Watchman, Tell Us of the Night", which was in Worship II to the same tune.
392 On Jordan's Bank ("Winchester New") - I love the tune, but they bastardized the text once again. "Breast" in the second verse has become "soul", "heart", now "life". WTF?
*393 Awaken, Sleepers, Sing for Joy ("Tallis Ordinal") - ok
394 Come, O Long-Expected Jesus ("Jefferson") - returning the Early American tune that was in Worship II. Nice, but should be "Come THOU Long-Expected Jesus"
*396 Though Famed in Israel's Royal Hist'ry ("Wer Nur den Lieben Gott"/Neumark) - nice tune, text seems pretty good too.
*397 Like a Bird (Joncas) - garbage
*399 Are You the Coming One ("St. Thomas"/Williams) - nice tune - text questionable at best
*400 A Morning Star Draws Near ("Morning Song") - sounds good
403 The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns ("Morning Song") - good, but I'm partial to the "St. Stephen" tune that was in Worship III. Besides, only three hymns before this is another hymn set to "Morning Song".
*404 My Soul in Stillness Waits / En el Silencio Te Aguardo (Haugen) - garbage / basura
406 Awake, Awake, and Greet the New Morn (Haugen) - garbage
*407 Unexpected and Mysterious ("Dohmnach Trionoide") - nice tune, text seems ok
*408 Now the Heavens Start to Whisper ("Suo Gan") - not a big fan of the tune, but text seems ok
*409 Sleepers Wake ("Wachet Auf") - nice tune, text good, but this is the THIRD different translation of the "Wachet Auf" in three issues. Worship II had "Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying". Worship III had "Wake, O Wake, and Sleep No Longer".
*410 Wait for the Lord (in five languages/Taize) - eh...
*411 As Servants Working an Estate ("Llangloffan") - nice tune, but I'm used to seeing it in G minor. Text is a little weird. You be the judge.
*412 Maranatha, Lord Messiah (K. Powell) - not really

Tomorrow, the Christmas section!
Peace,
BMP

FUNERAL MUSIC THIS WEEK

2012-01-08T19:40:00.004-05:00

Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

Tuesday I-10-12 at 10 AM

To casket: Requiem Aeternam / Mode VI
* To altar: W-583 Amazing grace / "New Britain
Psalm 27: The Lord is my light and my salvation / Proulx/Gelineau
Alleluia: Marier
* Offertory: Ave Maria / Schubert
Sanctus and Agnus XVIII
Memorial: Mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine / "Jubilate Deo"
Amen: Dresden
Communion: Lux Aeterna / Mode VIII
- * The Old Rugged Cross
Commendation: I believe that my Redeemer lives / H. St. Louis
* Recessional: W-467 Sing with all the saints in glory / "Hymn to Joy"

Saturday I-14-12 at 10 AM

Psalm, Alleluia, Ordinary, and Commendation same as the Tuesday funeral.

To casket: Requiem Aeternam / Mode VI
* To altar: W-583 Amazing grace / "New Britain
* Offertory: Ave Maria / Schubert
Communion: Lux Aeterna / Mode VIII
- H-223 Jesus, Son of Mary / "Adoro Te Devote"
Recessional: W-178 In Paradisum / Mode VII

* = requested / W = Worship, Third Edition / H = Hymnal 1940

Peace,
BMP

TRAFFIC COP + TRAFFIC LIGHT = COLOR BLIND

2012-01-05T09:06:00.001-05:00

2012's FIRST WTF AWARD!!!

Is it me or are traffic cops THAT stupid? There was a tanker truck stuck at a traffic light (he had his four-ways on), so my wife and I took a turn at the junction before to go around. We come onto the junction where the truck was stuck, but the other way. Our light was green. Wouldn't you know the cop runs up the street, STOPS THE GREEN LIGHT TRAFFIC to let the tanker (who's light was red) through to take a left. Our tax dollars at work!

I hereby award this cop the first WTF award of 2012! He really earned this one!

Peace,

BMP

SACRED HEART TRIPLE THREAT

2012-01-01T18:19:00.004-05:00

Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

First Friday - Bl. Andre Bessette (Optional Memorial) / I-6-12, 6 PM
(who at one time was a West Warwick resident!)

Entrance hymn: W-376 Angels we have heard on high / "Gloria"
Psalm 147: Praise the Lord, Jerusalem / Gelineau/Waddell
Alleluia for Christmas season: BMP (Proper verse is same as Baptism of the Lord ABC)
Offertory hymn: W-392 Adeste Fideles (in Latin)
Sanctus and Agnus Dei: Mass for Christian Unity
Memorial: We proclaim your death / BMP, Holy Angels Mass
Amen: Dresden
Communion anthem: Puer Natus in Bethlehem / Mode I
Recessional hymn: W-387 Hark! the herald angels sing / "Mendelssohn"

The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ / I-8-12

The brass will be back in town for three of our four Masses!
Entrance hymn: H-12 O come, all ye faithful / "Adeste Fideles", arr. Willcocks
Gloria: (7:30 AM) Mass VIII; (all others) Mass of the Shepherds / Yon
Psalm 72: Lord, every nation on earth will adore you / BMP
Alleluia for Christmas season: BMP
Offertory hymn: H-51 We three kings of Orient are / "Kings of Orient"
Sanctus and Agnus Dei:
-- (7:30 AM) Mass for Christian Unity / Vermulst; (all others) Mass of the Shepherds / Yon
Memorial: We proclaim your death / BMP, Holy Angels Mass
Amen: Dresden
Communion anthem (except 7:30): Hallelujah (Messiah) / Handel
Meditation hymn: H-52 As with gladness men of old / "Dix"
Recessional hymn: H-47 What star is this with beams so bright / "Puer Nobis"

Sunday II of Ordinary Time / I-15-12
(No "Here I Am Lord" here! Our parish is Schutte-free! That's even better than smoke-free!)

Entrance hymn: H-10 On Jordan's bank the baptist's cry / "Winchester New"
Gloria: Missa Simplex / Proulx
Psalm 40: Here am I, Lord, I come to do your will / Gelineau/Proulx
Alleluia: Marier (verse to Psalm tone 5)
Offertory hymn: H-9 Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding / "Merton"
Sanctus and Agnus Dei: Mass for Christian Unity
Memorial: We proclaim your death / BMP, Holy Angels Mass
Amen: Dresden
Communion anthem: Be thou my vision / Desrocquettes
Meditation hymn: H-195 Let all mortal flesh keep silence / "Picardy"
Recessional hymn: H-53 Songs of thankfulness and praise / "Salzburg"

Peace,
BMP

NEW YEAR'S AT HEARTS

2011-12-30T12:46:00.005-05:00

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God - I-1-12
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

Entrance: H-13.1 While shepherds watched their flocks by night / "Winchester Old"
Gloria: (7:30 AM) Mass VIII; (all others) Mass of the Shepherds / Yon
Psalm 67: May God bless us in his mercy / Alstott
Alleluia: Alleluia for Christmas Season / BMP, adapted from "Divinum Mysterium", Mode V
Offertory: H-30 The first Nowell / English
Sanctus and Agnus Dei:
-- (7:30 AM) Mass for Christian Unity / Vermulst; (all others) Mass of the Shepherds / Yon
Memorial: We proclaim your death / BMP, Holy Angels Mass
Amen: Dresden
Communion: W-374 Lo! how a rose e'er blooming / "Es ist ein ros' entsprungen"
Meditation: H-44 In the bleak midwinter / Holst
Recessional: H-42 Angels we have heard on high / "Gloria"

Peace,
BMP

A WEDDING...ON NEW YEAR'S EVE!

2011-12-26T09:24:00.001-05:00

First one of its kind in about ten years!

Last time I had a New Year's Eve Wedding was at Holy Name (it was the daughter of a couple that sang in the gospel choir there). This time, it's at Sacred Heart.

Entrance: Prince of Denmark's March / Clarke
Psalm 128: O blessed are those who fear the Lord / Gelineau
Alleluia for Christmas Season / BMP, adapted from "Divinum Mysterium", Mode V
Offertory: Ave Maria / Schubert
Sanctus and Agnus: Mass for Christian Unity / Vermulst
Memorial: We proclaim your death, O Lord (Holy Angels Mass) / BMP
Dresden Amen
Communion: Panis Angelicus / Franck
Recessional: Trumpet Tune / Purcell

Peace,
BMP

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL READERS

2011-12-25T00:46:00.000-05:00

Peace,
BMP

TWO MORE FUNERALS

2011-12-20T22:53:00.002-05:00

Wednesday and Thursday, both at 10, both at Sacred Heart!

Approaching Christmas Season is one of the worst, if not THE worst, times for a family to lose someone. Yet Advent and Christmas always seems to be the busiest when it comes to funerals. And as much as this is a living for me, my prayers are always with the souls and their families in their tough times.

Anyhoo, the music will be pretty much the usuals for both funerals.

Requiem Aeternam / Mode VI
Jesus, Lover of my soul / "Aberystwyth"
Psalm 25: To you, O Lord / Gelineau
Alleluia / BMP, adapt. from "Creator Alme"
Ave Maria / Victoria (Wed.); Bach/Gounod (Thurs.)
Sanctus XVIII
Mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine / "Jubilate Deo"
Dresden Amen
Agnus XVIII
Lux Aeterna / Mode VIII
Jesus, Son of Mary / "Adoro Te"
I believe that my Redeemer lives / H. St. Louis
In Paradisum / Mode VII

Peace,
BMP

CHRISTMAS AT HEARTS!

2011-12-19T22:16:00.005-05:00

The Masses of Christmas at Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI
Saturday XII-24-11 at 5 and 10:30 PM
Sunday XII-25-11 at 9 and 11:15 AM

Vocal quartet and brass trio at all Masses!

Choral/Brass Prelude (20 Minutes before each Mass)
1. Good Christian men, rejoice / "In Dulci Jubilo" (Brass)
2. O little town of Bethlehem / "Forest Green" (Quartet)
3. Tollite Hostias / Saint-Saëns (Quartet)
4. In the bleak midwinter / Darke (Quartet)
5. Joseph dearest, Joseph mine / arr. Vaughan Williams (Quartet)
6. What Child is this / "Greensleeves" (Brass)

Mass
PSALMS:
(5:00) Psalm 89: For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord / BMP
(10:30) Psalm 96: Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord / Proulx/Gelineau
(9:00/11:15) Psalm 98: All the ends of the earth have seen... / Rice
ALLELUIA: BMP, adapted from Divinum Mysterium, Mode V
ORDINARY:
Gloria, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei: Mass of the Shepherds / Yon
Memorial: We proclaim your death, O Lord / BMP
Amen: Dresden

HYMNS, etc.
Entrance: W-392 O come, all ye faithful / "Adeste Fideles"
- Verse 1 in Latin, then vv. 1-4 in English, arr. Willcocks
Offertory: W-387 Hark! the herald angels sing / "Mendelssohn", arr. Willcocks
Communion: O Holy Night / Adam
Meditation: W-379 Silent night, holy night / "Stille Nacht"
Recessional: W-399 Joy to the world! the Lord is come / "Antioch"

Postludes:
1. Angels we have heard on high / "Gloria" (Brass only)
2. Hallelujah! (from "Messiah") / Handel (organ)

Peace,
BMP

GAUDETE SUNDAY BULLETIN INSERT

2011-12-19T22:01:00.002-05:00

In light of that moron that got elected Governor of Rhode Island last year despite only 35% of the vote and his "Holiday Tree" lighting at the State House on XII-6-11

This is the way of Governor (Grinch) Chafee and similar whack-jobs!

The Perennial Tree
This holiday tree can be left up ALL YEAR!

The New Years Tree - Hang empty champagne bottles on it with silly hats and toy horns
The George Washington Tree - Hang pictures of the first President on it (or chop it down and admit it)
The Martin Luther King Tree - Hang pictures of MiLK (editing mine) and have a recording of his wonderful I Have a Dream speech playing
The Valentine's Day Tree - Hang little hearts and candy
The Lincoln's Birthday Tree - Hang log cabins with beards on them
The St. Patrick's Day Tree - Have a corned beef and cabbage dinner and decorate the tree with shamrocks (iSNARK! side note: it's GREEN, just like a Christmas tree!)

The Labor Day Tree - Have employees come and occupy your living room
The Columbus Day Tree - Everyone go out and discover something you have never seen
The Halloween Tree - Hang pumpkins and masks from it and have children go beg it for candy
The Easter Tree - Hang colored hard-boiled eggs from it (but NOTHING with Jesus)
The Memorial Day Tree - Bring flowers, but DON'T pray
The Independence Day Tree - Parade around it and smoke lots of pot
The Thanksgiving Day Tree - Have a big turkey dinner there and hang pilgrims and Indians on it
The Christmas/Holiday Tree - Decorate with politically correct decorations, but no God talk or else!

Peace,
BMP

AN EXTRAORDINARY FORM HIGH MASS...

2011-12-19T11:51:00.004-05:00

...at another one of my old stomping grounds!

Precious Blood Church in Woonsocket, RI is celebrating an Extraordinary Form High Mass on Thursday, December 29, at 7 PM (Concert of Christmas Music at 6:30 PM). Celebrant is Fr. Michael Wooley. Henri St. Louis will be conducting the Schola Cantorum Sanctae Caeciliae. The Sung Mass will be William Byrd's Mass for Four Voices.

Precious Blood Church is located at 94 Carrington Avenue (corner of Park Avenue) in Woonsocket. Parking available in the lot on Hamlet Avenue.

Some side notes:
Both the conductor and myself have served at Precious Blood at one point or another. I was at Precious Blood from 1989-1997. Henri St. Louis worked there for almost twelve years, two organists before me. He is a top notch musician. He also took care of any maintenance/repair work on the organ while I was there.
The organ is an Aeolian-Skinner, Opus 1099, three manuals, 26 ranks, built in 1947.
The celebrant, Fr. Michael Wooley, is the pastor at St. Joseph's Church in Woonsocket. Too bad he's not at Precious Blood! He was a summer seminarian at Precious Blood late in my stay there.

Peace,
BMP

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS (Heavy Duty)

2011-12-15T23:05:00.008-05:00

One of the most complex arrangements of The Twelve Days of Christmas that I've ever heard comes from a 1963 album that Firestone distributed called Firestone Presents Your Favorite Christmas Carols, Volume 2. (Yes, the album is a year older than I am!)

This is an album I grew up with as a wee one, and thanks to the owner of the Audio Archives blog, I was able to download an .mp3 of the entire album. In fact, the Audio Archives blog has numerous old albums on .mp3. I also downloaded Firestone's Volume 4, and an RCA Victor collection (RCA Victor Presents Music for the Twelve Days of Christmas).

The album in this discussion features Risë Stevens (mezzo), Brian Sullivan (tenor), the Columbus Boychoir (now the American Boychoir, since their 1980 move to Princeton, NJ), along with the Firestone Orchestra and Chorus.

There are twelve tracks on the album, songs done by each of the "stars" on the album. You can even sing along, as the lyrics are on the back of the album jacket. The album ends with The Twelve Days of Christmas, performed by (as appears in the credits) "Entire Company". Yup - everyone on the album! And to boot, each verse has its own arrangement, vocally and orchestrally - a different color to each verse, pretty much. Several key changes as well!

Verse 1: Key of E-flat, sung by Risë Stevens, backed by the Columbus Boychoir.
Verse 2: same
Verse 3: Key of A-flat, sung by Brian Sullivan.
Verse 4: same
Verse 5: Key of F, sung by Chorus.
Verse 6: Key of B-flat, sung by the Columbus Boychoir.
Verse 7: Key of E-flat, started by Risë Stevens, backed by the Columbus Boychoir. From this verse on, you'll see the switching off of artists for each line (6 geese, 5 rings, etc.).
Verse 8: Key of A-flat, started by Brian Sullivan.
Verse 9: Key of F, started by the men of the chorus.
Verse 10: Key of F, started by the Columbus Boychoir.
Verse 11: Key of F, started by Risë Stevens and Brian Sullivan.
Verse 12: Key of G, started by EVERYONE. (The only verse in a sharp key. While the other key changes are merely changes, this one is an actual modulation.)

Get the entire album here!

Peace,
BMP

THIS WEEKEND AT HEARTS

2011-12-15T11:08:00.002-05:00

Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

Funeral Mass - 9 AM Saturday XII-17-11

Requiem Aeternam / Mode VI
H-415.1 Jesus, lover of my soul / "Aberystwyth"
Psalm 25: To you, O Lord, I lift my soul / Thompson/Gelineau
Alleluia for Advent Season / BMP (adapt. from "Creator Alme Siderum", Mode IV)
Ave Maria / Victoria
Sanctus and Agnus XVIII
Mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine / "Jubilate Deo"
Amen / Dresden
Lux aeterna / Mode VIII
H-223 Jesus, Son of Mary / "Adoro Te"
I believe that my Redeemer lives / H. St. Louis
In paradisum / Mode VII

Fourth Sunday of Advent - XII-18-11

W-373 The King shall come when morning dawns / "St. Stephen"
Psalm 89: For ever I will sing / BMP
Alleluia for Advent Season / BMP (adapt. from "Creator Alme Siderum", Mode IV)
W-357 O come, O come, Emmanuel / "Veni, Veni, Emmanuel"
Sanctus and Agnus / "Mass for Christian Unity"
We proclaim your death, O Lord / "Holy Angels Mass"; BMP
Amen / Dresden
Ave Maria / Arcadelt
W-364 Come, O long-expected Jesus / "Stuttgart"
W-367 O come, divine Messiah / "Veni, Divin Messie"

Peace,
BMP

NOW, ON A POSITIVE NOTE:

2011-12-11T19:36:00.007-05:00

My FAVORITE Christmas songs

Again, this isn't in any particular order, and this includes both sacred AND secular Christmas songs, as well as parodies (I've always said, if you're going to thrash a Christmas song, it needs to be funny!).

ANYTHING from the Beach Boys Christmas Album.
Sleigh Ride (instrumental/orchestral version only), particularly the Boston Pops, and a really cool organ rendition by Cameron Carpenter. The only vocal versions I like would be parodies.
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, by Ringo Starr (I also appreciate Gene Autry's classic version)
White Christmas, Drifters version only
Blue Christmas, Elvis version only
ANYTHING from the Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass Christmas Album.
ANYTHING from Straight No Chaser.
Caroling, Caroling, Tennessee Ernie Ford version only
All I Want for Christmas Is You, Mariah Carey version only (and WITHOUT Justine Bieber!)
I'm definitely a sucker for a really good parody. I highly recommend Tom's Townie Tunes (WROR-FM, Boston) and Bob Rivers Twisted Tunes (KJR-FM, Seattle). Side note: Bob Rivers used to work with WAAF-FM (Worcester/Boston) in the 1980's (anyone remember the Bob and Zip Show?) It was Rivers that wrote the renowned classic Twelve Pains of Christmas and Grandma Got Dismembered by a Chainsaw.
Holy $&!+, It's Christmas, by Red Peters
ANYTHING done with a good choir/organ/brass. I love a good Willcocks or Vaughan Williams arrangement just as much as any other organist in his/her right mind. :)
'Twas the Night Before Christmas, written by Ken Darby, arranged by Harry Simeone (sang this in high school chorus, very haunting)
ANYTHING by the Chipmunks
The Twelve Days of Christmas, the following versions: The Chipmunks, The Muppets, the Ralph Hunter Choir (RCA Presents Music for the Twelve Days of Christmas), Tennessee Ernie Ford (Sing We Now of Christmas, a 1960's album on Capitol), and one of the "heaviest" versions you'll ever find, the entire cast of the 1963 album Firestone Presents Your Favorite Christmas Carols, Volume 2, consisting of mezzo-soprano Risë Stevens, tenor Brian Sullivan, the Columbus Boychoir (now the American Boychoir, since moving to Princeton, NJ, in 1980), and the Firestone Orchestra and Chorus.
ANYTHING from the album The Glorious Sound of Christmas, by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra, plus the Temple University Concert Choir, directed by Robert Page (my dad was Robert Page, but not THAT Robert Page).
Jingle Bombs, by Achmed the Dead Terrorist (via Jeff Dunham)
Finally, any parody my son Chris comes up with from out of the blue!

Entire album of RCA Presents Music for the Twelve Days of Christmas on one .mp3
Entire album of Firestone Presents Your Favorite Christmas Carols, Volume 2 on one .mp3
Source of both .mp3's - I grew up with those!

Peace,
BMP

THE iSNARK! and THE WANDERER

2011-12-11T18:31:00.004-05:00

Red Sox Cap Tip to my pastor and direct supervisor, Fr. Bucci!

Last Wednesday, after the 6:00 Mass, my pastor said to me, "Brian, did you know your name's in the Wanderer?" My first instinct was "OK, what did I do this time?" (read: Who did I piss off this time?) Turns out it was a good thing. One, I wasn't the only one - mine was amongst a list of names. Two, it was an article by the CMAA's Jeffrey Tucker about new composers. And being up there, little old me, with the names I was listed with, makes me feel honored (and humbled).

Below is the article, in case it expires. Enjoy!
Peace,
BMP

(Source - The Wanderer, XI-17-11. Links added by yours truly.)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Revival Of Catholic Musical Creativity

By JEFFREY TUCKER

Years ago, I lamented that the end of the age of Catholic musical creativity seemed to be upon us. In the 1980s, we became aware of these vast treasures of polyphony thanks to the secular popularity of the great music of the Renaissance. On CDs, we listened to the amazing work of a thousand years and we wondered: What happened? Where are Josquin, Palestrina, Victoria, Mozart, and Bruckner? What happened to smash this tradition? The documents of the Second Vatican Council talk about beauty, chant, and polyphony, but all we hear in our parishes is something else entirely.

Then chant became popular the same way. We listened in our cars, in our living rooms, on our iPods. Chant was everywhere but in our parishes. Why did all musical greatest seem to be in our past but nowhere in the present and highly unlikely in the future?

Thinking about this more, I began to understand. The liturgy was unstable, and composers aren’t drawn to that. Choirs were being disparaged and put down. Excellence in music was under attack in favor of an amateurism chic. The beautiful was unfashionable because it supposedly contradicted the real world in which we live our lives. Liturgy was supposed to be more like reality television than prayerful theater. No wonder the composers had lost interest. The musicians had all been chased away.

Well, that was all before this year. In 2011, we’ve seen an incredible outpouring of fantastic composition by excellent musicians, all of it structured for liturgical use using the musical and textual language of the liturgy itself. The books and collections are pouring out faster than even close observers can follow, and this new material is completely unlike the usual fare we’ve been treated to over the last decades, which has been essential pop music with madeup, feel-good lyrics. The new approach to composition takes the liturgy and its tradition seriously.

It is an astonishing turnaround, something that could only be expected by a person of a mighty faith and optimism.

What has inspired all of this? There are many factors. The propers of the Mass have been rediscovered as source texts after decades of neglect. The proliferation of the Extraordinary Form of Mass has given hope that order can prevail over chaos. Papal liturgy has been seriously upgraded. Gregorian Chant is back as a living form of music.

More than anything else, the appearance of the Third Edition of the Roman Missal has provided incredible encouragement that the Church has once again begun to take its liturgy task seriously. The language is solemn, rhetorically high, and dignified. It is not pop language, so it strongly suggests in its own linguistic structure that draws from something. Pop music is not the appropriate approach. It calls for chanted music that comes from the liturgy itself.

This is the thing that has inspired so much creative energy.

Most serious musicians I know are very excited about the opportunity. They sometimes wake in the morning with a melody in their heads and quickly write it out, just like in the movies. They fill in the other parts and, next thing you know, they have a Mass setting ready to go. There are many sites that are now posting these for free. Other composers have established their own commercial sites where you can buy the Mass for $ 75.00 and make as many copies as you want. Then, of course, there are the conventional sources for music.

Catholic musicians are increasingly taking these resources for granted so it can be hard to fully appreciate the difference between now and, say, five years ago. There was hardly any Catholic music online. Composers were not really doing the Catholic thing. There was little inspiration and plenty to inspire depression. The chant movement was in its infancy. The idea of the new missal had long been rumored but most people figured it was aeons away and there was not much hope for it at any point in the future.

And now suddenly, it is upon us. We are amazed to see a flurry of new names who are leading the way in new composition: Kevin Allen, Jeffrey Ostrowski, Adam Bartlett, Richard Rice, Arlene Oost- Zinner, Aristotle Esguerra, David Hughes, Fr. Samuel Weber, Brian Michael Page, Bruce Ford, Ian Williams, Kathy Pluth, David Friel, Chris Mueller, Richard Clark, Noel Jones, Jacob Bancks, and so many others. Many of these people never imagined that they would find themselves in the ranks of Catholic composers. They were reluctant to accept the role, but they still answered the call. We are all privileged to be alive in these times of the revival of the highest of the sacred arts. This is the dream of so many people for so long. Back in the sixties, a generation of musicians saw an astonishing collapse take place before their very eyes. No matter what they did, they could not stem the tide. Not only did their worst predictions come true, those predictions were surpassed and then some. Even more shocking was the collapse lasted much longer than anyone could have expected. Forty- five years is a long time to wait. And forty years is a long time to live with a missal text that was nowhere near being what it should be.

The sufferings of those generations should be kept in mind as we go forward. They worked, prayed, wrote, and did their best to keep beauty alive in times when it was not appreciated or encouraged. They knew that it would return someday, but most did not live to see this day. They are our benefactors and we should be grateful and pray for them. They kept the tradition alive, and now it is thriving again, being refurbished so that it can be handed on to the next generation.

TOP TEN MOST HATED CHRISTMAS SONGS

2011-12-09T16:31:00.002-05:00

...or muzak that gets passed as Christmas songs

Here goes, in almost no particular order:

1) Happy Christmas/War Is Over (by Lennon, OR ANYONE who covers it --- and I'm a Beatles fan) Sounds like a really bad 1970 folk Mass revival
2) Santa Baby (by ANYONE) Nothing like a Christmas wish list by some spoiled, greedy slut
3) Baby, It's Cold Outside (by ANYONE) Which really has nothing to do with Christmas
4) The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (by almost ANYONE)
5) I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (especially the version by John Cougar Mellencamp)
6) Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (any version where the chorus screams SAAAAAAAAAAAAANTA Claus is comin' to town; SAAAAAAAAAAAAANTA Claus is comin' to town... / that goes for Bruce Springsteen, The Jackson 5, and similar styles. However, I LOVE the arrangement by the Beach Boys.)
7) Last Christmas (Wham!) Every time I hear that song, I think it's Boy George of Culture Club (BLECH!)
8) Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (by Billy Gilman - his then-boy voice sounds way too girly, or that jerk who keeps crooning "Rudy" in place of "Rudolph") (However, I'll always appreciate the classic Gene Autry version and the Ringo Starr rendition as well)
9) It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (by almost ANYONE - parodies are OK)
10) Silver Bells (by ANYONE, especially Gloria Estefan) "This is Santa's big scene?" Was Jesus' big scene first!

Honorable mention on my Scheiße-Liste:
We Three Kings/God Rest Ye (by Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan)
Little Drummer Boy (Bob Seger cover)
Let There Be Peace on Earth (Since when did THAT become a frickin' Christmas song?)
Merry Christmas, Darling (Carpenters - and I normally appreciate their music) "Christmasing"? Since when did "Christmas" become a VERB?
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree (by ANYONE) "New old fashioned way" just never made sense to me, and probably never will
Silent Night (by Stevie Nicks) Can't stand her voice. Period.
ADDED XII-9-11:
Where Are You Christmas? - from the "Grinch" movie. Sorry, I like the cartoon much better. The movie seems to have a very morbid, depressing backdrop, like if Tim Burton had written it. As for the song... COME ON! Christmas comes once a year, December 25. Jesus hasn't failed yet! Be patient! Be ready, but patient! The music is depressing, too.
Grown-Up Christmas List - music sounds too much like "Where Are You Christmas". BLECH!
Anything sung by Annie Lennox. I can't stand her voice!
And what the hell is that goofy ditty that the kiddies sing over the Taco Bell Cannon indeed? BORING!!!

Peace on Earth,
BMP

GAUDETE SUNDAY

2011-12-09T08:51:00.002-05:00

Third Sunday of Advent - XII-11-11
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

Much will be the same today as Sunday II, as John the Baptist is in our Gospel reading again today. The only difference will be the Responsorial Psalm, the Alleluia verse, and the Communion anthem.

Entrance hymn: H-5.2 Lo, he comes with clouds descending / "Helmsley"
Responsorial: My soul rejoices in my God / R. Rice
Alleluia: Alleluia for Advent Season / BMP (adapt. from "Creator Alme Siderum", Mode IV)
Offertory hymn: H-10 On Jordan's bank the baptist's cry / "Winchester New"
Sanctus and Agnus: Mass for Christian Unity / Vermulst
We proclaim your death, O Lord: Holy Angels Mass / BMP
Amen / Dresden
Communion: Magnificat / Tone 8G/C. Grassi
Meditation hymn: H-7 Hark! the glad sound, the Savior comes / "Bristol"
Recessional hymn: H-9 Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding / "Merton"

Peace,
BMP

I'M SORRY, BUT...

2011-12-06T18:11:00.002-05:00

Regretfully, we weren't able to make EITHER tree-lighting ceremony, the one at the State House, or the one at St. Patrick's, just blocks west of the State House. My front brakes were grinding to the point of fear, and we needed to get that addressed as soon as humanly possible (I wouldn't have had time any other day this week, due to holy day Masses and prior family commitments). Therefore, our top priority was to get our minivan safe (it's our only transportation).

Not to mention, my conscience was in a big debate with itself over the last couple of days. Do I go to the sure thing (St. Patrick's), or do I go to the State House (where our idiot governor decided to call the tree he's lighting a "holiday tree") to join WPRO-AM's John DePetro and his flash mob to sing "O Christmas Tree" and actually DEFEND Christmas? I mean, it's great that there is a place where our faith is guaranteed. But I feel that there are those times when one feels the need to try to get back those values of faith that are being taken away. Instead, the ultimate decision was to protect my family. I'll be doing plenty of driving the next few days (including work - three Masses for the Immaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation).

At the same time, I make my prayer for those attending BOTH ceremonies. I hope they went well at both venues. As for the State House, I hope John DePetro and his flash mob was able to make a definitive statement to Governor Grinch (Chafee).

Peace,
BMP

JOLLY OLD ST. NICHOLAS

2011-12-06T13:20:00.005-05:00

Jolly Old St. Nicholas
used his fisticuffs,
Punching out a heretic
by name of Arius. (need some help finishing this one)

Inspired by a story that Jeff Miller posted on Facebook. Never knew this factoid till today.

I managed to pull this off instead after reading Jeff's link (to which he sings, I saw Santa punching Arius):

Arius got b*tch-slapped by dear Santa
with a knuckle sandwich one fine eve.
Happened at the Council of Nicaea;
Now every Sunday, we pray "I believe".

Jay Anderson also has a cool Christmas ditty relating to this event:

You better not blaspheme. You better not lie.
Or you might wind up With a black eye.
Santa Claus is coming to town.

Finally, Rich of Catholic Light finishes the I Saw Mommy song (also via Facebook):

‎I saw Santa punching Arius,
in Nicaea where the council met last night;
the bishops were aghast, and the bruise is going to last:
he seized him with his left hand and then slapped him with the right;
Now the Emperor's pursuing Nicholas,
and wants to put him in a prison cell;
Probably neither will repent 'til their wrath is fully spent
and the heresy's condemned to hell.

Peace to you, my little snark-o-maniacs on this feast of Jolly Old St. Nicholas.
BMP

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION AT SACRED HEART

2011-12-04T21:32:00.004-05:00

Wednesday XII-7-11 at 6 PM / Thursday XII-8-11 at 9 AM and 7 PM
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

Entrance: W-708 Immaculate Mary / "Lourdes Hymn"
Psalm 98: Sing to the Lord a new song / Gelineau book (1065)
Alleluia: Alleluia for Advent Season / BMP (adapt. from "Creator Alme Siderum", Mode IV)
Offertory: W-695 The angel Gabriel from Heaven came / "Gabriel's Message"
Sanctus and Agnus: Mass for Christian Unity / Vermulst
We proclaim your death, O Lord: Holy Angels Mass / BMP
Amen / Dresden
Communion: Ave Maria / Arcadelt or Victoria
Recessional: W-702 Hail, holy Queen enthroned above / "Salve Regina Caelitum"

Peace,
BMP

IN THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF iSNARK! MEDIA...

2011-12-02T23:28:00.004-05:00

Three podcast episodes in a two-week span!

Pep talk just before the full implementation of the Roman Missal, Third Typical Edition!

Music special for the Last Week of Ordinary Time (Christ the King and Thanksgiving Day)

Do we really have to "gloat in song" about our actions?

You'll find these ONLY on

Liturgy, music, and fun, in a way only iSNARK! can provide!
Peace,
BMP

O CHRISTMAS TREE!

2011-11-29T20:53:00.005-05:00

A Christus Vincit WTF Award Ceremony

Can you believe our frickin' nitwit governor wants to omit Christmas altogether in this year's State House tree-lighting ceremony???!!! Yeah, we're talking Rhode Island's Lincoln Chafee, a former Republican who turned Independent, the man who got in despite 65% of the voters voting against him (seven people ran; I voted for John Robitaille, a Republican, who came second). Chafee, son of the late great John Chafee who's probably rolling in his grave watching Linc's antics unravel, plans to call the Christmas tree a "holiday tree".

Now, just WTF is a holiday tree? And what holiday do we put this up for? Arbor Day? Valentine's Day (Look, honey, I got you a tree for Valentine's Day!)? Mother's Day (Look, mom, I grew this with my magic beans!)? How about Ides of March Day? That would be a hoot, wouldn't it?!

For cripes sakes, Governor, grow up! Your father would have never thought of these things when he was governor, or in the U.S. Senate. Who are you looking to suck up to? Certainly not the people of Rhode Island, the people you are supposed to be serving. Over 60% of Rhode Islanders are Catholic. They all celebrate Christmas. In fact, over 90% of the people in these great United States celebrate Christmas.

So, by the power invested in me, by me, and by the readers of this snarky little blog I write, I hereby award the (Dis)Honorable Lincoln Chafee, Governor of Rhode Island, the Christus Vincit WTF AWARD for December 2011. Oh, and um, Merry Christmas!

Incidentally, John DePetro of WPRO Radio (AM 630) is looking to start a flash mob to sing "O CHRISTMAS TREE" at the State House, 5:30 PM, Tuesday, December 6, the Feast Day of Saint Nicholas. If you're near the area, come join the mob!

Peace,
BMP

CHRISTMAS CONCERT IN WARWICK, RI

2011-11-27T19:04:00.004-05:00

Saturday, December 10, 2011 - 7 PM - St. William Church, Warwick, RI

St. William Church will be putting on a Christmas concert on Sat. XII-10-11 at 7 PM. Featured choirs will be the Pro Cantare and the St. William Church Choir, both directed by organist (and old friend and mentor) Reuel Gifford, as well as the Chamber Singers of Rhode Island College, directed by Theresa Coffman.

My wife and I have gone to concerts directed by Reuel Gifford a number of times at St. William, as well as his previous parish, St. Mary in Providence. He does not disappoint. We will be there again!

BTW, after the concert, stop in the hall for munchies!

Directions here!

Peace,
BMP

DURING THE WEEK

2011-11-27T17:23:00.002-05:00

Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

Monday XI-28-11 at 10 AM / Funeral Mass

Procession to casket: Requiem aeternam / Mode VI
Procession to altar: H-415.1 Jesus, lover of my soul / "Aberystwyth"
Psalm 25: To you, O Lord, I lift my soul / Thompson/Gelineau
Alleluia: Alleluia for Advent Season / BMP (adapt. from "Creator Alme Siderum", Mode IV)
Offertory: Ave Maria / Schubert (requested)
- (Yeah, they specified Schubert this time, so I'll oblige.)
Sanctus and Agnus XVIII
Mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine / "Jubilate Deo"
Amen / Dresden
Communion: Lux aeterna / Mode VIII and H.223 Jesus, Son of Mary / "Adoro Te"
Commendation: I believe that my Redeemer lives / H. St. Louis
Recessional: In paradisum / Mode VII

Friday XII-2-11 at 6 PM / First Friday

Entrance: O Sacred Heart, O love divine
Psalm 27: The Lord is my light and my salvation / Proulx/Gelineau
Alleluia: Alleluia for Advent Season / BMP (adapt. from "Creator Alme Siderum", Mode IV)
Offertory: Creator alme siderum / Mode IV
Sanctus and Agnus: Mass for Christian Unity / Vermulst
We proclaim your death, O Lord: Holy Angels Mass / BMP
Amen / Dresden
Communion: Veni, veni, Emmanuel / Mode I
Recessional: To Jesus' Heart all-burning

Peace,
BMP

FIRST TWO SUNDAYS OF ADVENT

2011-11-21T15:59:00.006-05:00

Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

MASS:
Alleluia: Alleluia for Advent Season / "Creator Alme Siderum", adapted by BMP

Sanctus and Agnus: Mass for Christian Unity / Vermulst
Memorial A: Holy Angels Mass / BMP

Amen: Dresden

First Sunday of Advent - November 27, 2011

Entrance hymn: H-9 Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding / "Merton"
Psalm 80: Lord, make us turn to you... / G. Evans
Offertory hymn: H-2 O come, O come, Emmanuel / "Veni, veni, Emmanuel" (Mode I)
Communion anthem: H-3 Wake, awake, for night is flying / "Wachet auf"
Meditation hymn: H-11 The King shall come when morning dawns / "St. Stephen"
Recessional hymn: H-1 Come, thou long-expected Jesus / "Stuttgart"

Second Sunday of Advent - December 4, 2011

Entrance hymn: H-5.2 Lo, he comes with clouds descending / "Helmsley"
Psalm 85: Lord, let us see your kindness... / BMP

Offertory hymn: H-10 On Jordan's bank the baptist's cry / "Winchester New"
Communion anthem: Veni, veni, Emmanuel (in Latin) / Mode I
Meditation hymn: H-7 Hark! the glad sound, the Savior comes / "Bristol"
Recessional hymn: H-9 Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding / "Merton"

Peace,
BMP

THANKSGIVNG DAY MUSIC

2011-11-20T18:11:00.005-05:00

9 AM - November 24, 2011 - Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

What's better than a big parade in front of Macy's on the day before Black Friday? The tranquility of an hour (well, maybe a little shorter) with God to give him thanks at Holy Mass at Sacred Heart Church, of course.

I'll be going solo Thursday morning for the 9:00 Mass, and I got the hymns from Father just after the 11:15 Mass this morning. So, here's the final list.

M-315 We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing / "Kremser"
Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever / Alstott
Alleluia / Murray (verse of the day to Psalm Tone 8G)
M-137 Come, ye thankful people, come / "St. George's Windsor"
Sanctus, Memorial, and Agnus / Roman Missal, 2010
Amen / adapted from the Sanctus from Mass VIII
Sing to the Lord of harvest / "Wie Lieblich Ist Der Maien"
W-488 Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All / "Sweet Sacrament"
M-276 Now thank we all our God / "Nun Danket"

Peace,
BMP

TONIGHT IN BOSTON...

2011-11-18T11:24:00.003-05:00

(click the picture so you can read it!)

At St. Cecilia Church, 30 St. Cecilia St. (corner of Belvedere), right behind Berklee College of Music's Mass. Ave. building, Boston, MA. Beautiful church with a majestic four-manual organ by Smith and Gilbert.

Peace,
BMP

CHRISTUS REX AT SACRED HEART

2011-11-16T13:18:00.003-05:00

Christ the King - November 20, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

Our brass trio (trumpet, flugelhorn, and French horn) will be with us at the Saturday 5:00 Mass and the Sunday 9:00 and 11:15 Masses.

W-493 Rejoice, the Lord is King / "Darwall's 148th"
Gloria: Roman Missal, 2010
Psalm 23: The Lord is my Shepherd / O. Alstott
Alleluia: A. G. Murray (verse of the day: tone 8G)
W-500 Christ is the King, O friends rejoice / "Gelobt sei Gott"
Sanctus and Memorial A: Roman Missal, 2010
Amen: adapted from the Sanctus of Mass VIII
Agnus: Roman Missal, 2010
Christus Vincit / BMP (see below)

W-497 To Jesus Christ, our sovereign King / "Ich Glaub an Gott"

BENEDICTION (at all Masses celebrated by the Pastor)
W-756 O Salutaris / Duguet
W-757 Tantum Ergo / "St. Thomas"
W-524 Holy God, We Praise Thy Name / "Grosser Gott"

Peace,
BMP

INTERESTED IN A QUALITY MUSICAL EDUCATION FOR YOUR SON?

2011-11-15T08:52:00.004-05:00

Then look no further than the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School at St. Paul Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They raise the bar (and then some) when it comes to music in Catholic worship! I finally had a couple of chances to attend the 11:00 Mass there (February and March 2011) before finally returning to parish work myself. These guys really are a cut above the rest. So, if you have a son who loves to sing and you want to nurture that love in a liturgical and educational environment that is a cut above the rest, consider BACS. Below is a flyer I got from music director John Robinson. You can click on it to make it bigger.

Peace,
BMP

SUNDAY DIRTY TREE

2011-11-10T15:51:00.003-05:00

Sunday XXXIII of Ordinary Time - November 13, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

Ah yes, the tale of the Dirty Tree. NO, this isn't the Gospel passage for Sunday. It's part of an episode of Men from Maine that I was listening to on WROR-FM (105.7 Boston). "Lem" is at a job interview at this drugstore in Bangor, ME, when the boss gave him a test.

Boss: OK now, without using actual numbers, represent for me the number 9.
(Lem scribbles)
Boss: You just drew three trees.
Lem: That's right, 'cuz tree, plus tree, plus tree, equals nine.
Boss: Alright, alright. Represent for me the number 99.
(Lem scribbles once again)
Boss: You just drew smudges over all those trees.
Lem: That's right, 'cus dirty tree, plus dirty tree, plus dirty tree, equals ninety-nine.
Boss: Oh, alright. Just... show me the number 100.
(And again, Lem scribbles)
Boss: You just drew poop in front of all those trees.
Lem: That's right, 'cus dirty tree and a turd, times tree, equals a hundred.

Anyhoo, here's the music for Sunday 33:

H-398 We love the place, O God / "Quam Dilecta"
Gloria: Roman Missal, 2010
Blessed are those who fear the Lord / Batastini/Gelineau
Alleluia: Murray
H-573 Go, labor on! spend and be spent / "Angel's Song (Song 34)"
Sanctus and Memorial / Roman Missal chant, 2010
Amen / adapted from "Sanctus VIII"
Agnus / Roman Missal chant, 2010
Ave Verum / Perosi
H-223 Jesus, Son of Mary / "Adoro Te"
H-600 Ye holy angels bright / "Darwall's 148th"

Keep your trees clean!
Peace,
BMP

AND TO TOP IT OFF, THE WEEKEND!

2011-11-02T22:30:00.000-04:00

Sunday XXXII of Ordinary Time - November 6, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

H-5.2 Lo, He comes with clouds descending / "Helmsley"
Gloria / Roman Missal chant, 2010
My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord, my God / R. Rice
Alleluia / A. G. Murray (verse: Tone 8G)
H-4 Rejoice, rejoice, believers / "Greenland"
Sanctus and Memorial / Roman Missal chant, 2010
Amen / adapted from "Sanctus VIII"
Agnus / Roman Missal chant, 2010
Pie Jesu / G. Faure
H-223 Jesus, son of Mary / "Adoro Te Devote"
H-539.2 Soon may the last glad song arise / "Truro"

UPDATE 11/2/11: Request from the pastor, since he loved the Pie Jesu so much at the All Souls Masses that he asked me if we could repeat it this Sunday. Absolutely!

Peace,
BMP

THREE DAYS OF MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

2011-10-30T15:08:00.003-04:00

Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

All Saints - Tuesday, November 1, 2011 / Masses at 9 AM and 6 PM

MASS:
Psalm: Lord, this is the people / J. R. Carroll/J. Gelineau
Alleluia: A. G. Murray (verse: tone 8G)
Amen: adapted from Sanctus VIII
Remainder of Ordinary: Roman Missal, 2010

HYMNS, etc.:
Entrance: W-706 By all your saints still striving / "St. Theodulph"
Offertory: W-707 Ye watchers and ye holy ones / "Lasst uns erfreuen"
Communion: Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All / Mother A. Donnelly
Recessional: W-705 For all the saints / "Sine Nomine"

All Souls - Wednesday, November 2, 2011 - Masses at 9 Am and 7 PM

MASS:
Psalm: The Lord is my Shepherd / O. Alstott
Remainder of Mass: same as 11/1

HYMNS, etc.:
Entrance: Requiem Aeternam / Mode VI
Roll call of the parish deceased 2011 (7 PM): Ave Maria / J. Arcadelt
Offertory: H-223 Jesus, Son of Mary / Adoro Te Devote
Communion:
- 1) Lux Aeterna / Mode VIII
- 2) Pie Jesu / G. Faure
Recessional: W-178 In Paradisum / Mode VII

Sacred Heart Community Mass (First Friday) - November 4, 2011 - Mass at 6 PM

MASS:
Psalm: The Lord has revealed to the nations / M. Joncas/J. Gelineau
Remainder of Mass: same as 11/1

HYMNS, etc.:
Entrance: O Sacred Heart, O Love Divine
Offertory: Cor Jesu, Cor Amabile
Communion: Adoro Te Devote / Mode V
Recessional: To Jesus' Heart, all-burning

Peace,
BMP

FOR ALL YOU FACEBOOKERS OUT THERE...

2011-10-29T11:33:00.005-04:00

Two pages available to you for your liking:

and

(also at Facebook)

Clicking on the graphics above will bring you to their respective pages.
Come on down and join the fun!

Peace,
BMP

ALL HALLOWS EVE EVE

2011-10-28T15:55:00.002-04:00

Sunday XXXI - October 30, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

MASS:
Psalm: In you, Lord, I have found my peace / R. Rice
Alleluia: R. Twynham (verse to tone 6F)
Amen: adapted from Sanctus VIII
Remainder of Ordinary: Roman Missal, 2010

HYMNS, etc.:
Entrance hymn (NOT "gathering song"): Praise, my soul, the King of heaven / "Lauda Anima"
Offertory hymn (NOT "preparation song"): Immortal, invisible, God only wise / "St. Denio"
Communion anthem: Let all mortal flesh keep silence / "Picardy", arr. G. Holst
Meditation hymn: Draw nigh and take the Body of the Lord / "Garden"
Recessional hymn: (NOT "sending forth song"): For all the saints / "Sine Nomine"

Peace,
BMP

NEXT TWO SUNDAYS

2011-10-13T14:47:00.003-04:00

Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

Twenty-Ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time - October 16, 2011

Entrance hymn: Praise to the Holiest in the height / "Newman"
Psalm 96: Give the Lord glory and honor / R. Rice
Alleluia / R. Twynham (verse: Tone VI)
Offertory hymn: Faith of our fathers / "St. Catherine"
Sanctus, Memorial, and Agnus / Sacramentary 2010
Amen / adapted from "Sanctus VIII"
Communion anthem: Cantate Domino canticum novum / V. D'indy
Meditation hymn: Fairest Lord Jesus / "St. Elizabeth"
Recessional hymn: The Church's one foundation / "Aurelia"

Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time - October 23, 2011

ALLELUIA AND SUNG ORDINARY SAME AS ABOVE!
Entrance hymn: Hosanna to the living Lord / "Hosanna"
Psalm 18: I love you, Lord, my strength / R. Rice
Offertory hymn: Love divine, all loves excelling / "Hyfrydol"
Communion anthem: Ubi Caritas / Mode VI
Meditation hymn: Hark, my soul! it is the Lord / "Campian"
Recessional hymn: When morning gilds the skies / "Laudes Domini"

Peace,
BMP

I'M WITH FATHER

2011-10-09T14:23:00.003-04:00

Periodically, I've been known to get a compliment from the "person in the pew" - not just at Sacred Heart, but just about anywhere I've served as an organist, whether as the principal organist or as a fill in. Oftentimes, it's my voice that gets more compliments than my organ playing, which is fine, although at a Mass as early as 7:30 AM, I often like to think the opposite. After all, Sunday is the one day I awaken at 5:45 AM and I sound about as tired as I am sometimes. The rest of the week I often sleep till about 8 (unless there is a funeral).

The compliments I usually watch out for the most, and I say this out of 30 years experience as an organist, are the ones that come from any woman who is old enough to be (but isn't) my mother. That is because most of THOSE compliments will often come with a "but". The compliment I got after 7:30 Mass this morning from a woman who fit the stereotype I just mentioned is no exception.

The woman started out with "You have an amazing voice!", to which I replied, "Thank you." "However, you never play any songs that I know."

Where the sam hell have I heard that before? Probably anywhere I've worked. I already knew what songs she was looking for, as they're the typical fare of most mainstream Catholic parishes, not to mention I did work at Sacred Heart for a brief period in 1989, under a pastor who is now retried. In 1989, Sacred Heart WAS one of those mainstream parishes. Let's go back to the conversation, shall we?

I went on to explain to the woman that I do not pick the hymns. "Well, who does?" "The pastor does. I only pick the Mass and the communion anthem." "Oh," she said with a change of tone for the droopier. "Were you looking for songs that sound more like pop music?" "Yes. In fact, I go to some of my friends' churches and they play those there." She mentioned two churches in particular. I will not mention them here. I will say that they are in neighboring towns. I explained to her, "You know, those styles of music were never meant to be played at Mass". "I know, but I miss those." "Sorry, but I'm with Father."

If I wasn't "with Father" on what the Church teaches on liturgy and music, my chances of being Sacred Heart's organist would most likely be slim and none, especially when you consider his desire to restore the liturgy to its highest beauty, something to be highly appreciated.

So here I stand. I'm with Father. And Father is with Mother - Holy Mother, the Church.

Peace,
BMP

SUNDAY XXVIII

2011-10-07T22:15:00.002-04:00

Twenty-Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time - October 9, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

Hosanna to the living Lord / "Hosanna"
I shall live in the house of the Lord / R. Rice
Alleluia / R. Twynham (verse of the day: Tone 8G)
My God, thy table now is spread / "Rockingham"
Sanctus, Memorial, Agnus / Sacramentary, 2010
Amen / adapted from "Sanctus VIII"
Pange lingua gloriosi / C. Rossini
Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless / "St. Agnes"
Ye watchers and ye holy ones / "Lasst uns erfreuen"

Peace,
BMP

FUNERAL FOR A TEENAGER

2011-10-03T20:55:00.002-04:00

Wednesday, October 5, 2011, 10 AM
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

Funeral for 16-year-old Matthew, who died after complications following an asthma attack. :(

Procession to casket: Requiem aeternam
Procession to altar: Amazing grace
Psalm 23: Gelineau
Alleluia: Mode VI
Offertory: Ave Maria (Schubert)
Sanctus/Memorial/Amen: Community
Agnus Dei XVIII
Communion: Lux aeterna / Panis Angelicus (Franck)
Commendation: I believe that my Redeemer lives (St. Louis)
Recessional: Nearer my God to thee

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (Mary Edition)

2011-10-02T15:14:00.006-04:00

Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

Devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary (Rosary and Benediction)
All Tuesdays in October, 2011

7 PM, October 4, 11, 18, and 25. Come spend some time with Mary!

Immaculate Mary / "Lourdes Hymn"
O Salutaris Hostia / A. Werner
(Rosary is recited in the presence of our Eucharistic Lord, followed by the Litany of Loreto)
Tantum Ergo / C. Rossini
Salve Regina / Mode V
Hail, holy Queen enthroned above / "Salve Regina Caelitum"

First Friday / Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary
Rosary 5:30, and Mass 6 PM - October 7, 2011

Immaculate Mary / "Lourdes Hymn"
O Salutaris Hostia / A. Werner
(Rosary is recited)
Salve Regina / Mode V
Gloria VIII
The Almighty has done great things for me / Tone 8G
Alleluia / R. Twynham
Ave Maria / J. Arcadelt
Sanctus, Memorial A, Agnus / Sacramentary chants, 2010
Amen / adapted from Sanctus VIII
Magnificat / Tone 8G and Ciro Grassi
Tantum Ergo / C. Rossini
Hail, Holy Queen enthroned above / "Salve Regina Caelitum"

Peace,
BMP

PS: This Wednesday I'm playing a funeral for a 16-year-old kid who died of complications that started with an asthma attack. He just made his confirmation last year. WAY TOO YOUNG!!! These are the funerals I play with a heavy heart. Thankfully, I sit facing the pipe case in the back of the church, not having to face anyone. First funeral I've done for a teen in 22 years.

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (First of the Month Edition)

2011-09-30T14:13:00.003-04:00

Twenty-Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time - October 2, 2011
Sacred Heart, West Warwick, RI

Entrance hymn: Christ is made the sure foundation (Westminster Abbey)
Psalm 80: The vineyard of the Lord (Alstott; Respond and Acclaim)
Alleluia: Twynham (verse to Tone 6F)
Offertory hymn: O Jesus, I have promised (Day of Rest)
Sacramentary 2010 chants (Sanctus, Memorial, Agnus)
Amen: adapted from Sanctus VIII
Communion anthem: O sacrum convivium (Remondi)
Meditation hymn: Let thy blood in mercy poured (Luise)
Recessional hymn: Hosanna to the living Lord (Hosanna)
- (Hymnal has Hosanna in A-flat. However, I'll be using F at 7:30, G at the rest.)

Peace,
BMP

DON'T DO THIS AT CHURCH!

2011-09-23T12:56:00.005-04:00

I'm talking about the music, and ESPECIALLY in the presence of the Pope!

Opening of Berlin Papal Mass from Rocco Palmo on Vimeo.

Did someone from Berlin attend the infamous Los Ahn-ghe-leeze Religious Mis-edu-ma-cation Congress and bring back to Berlin what they learned in LA?

What the voices in the Holy Father's head must have been saying while and after listening to this garbage! Talk about "heilege scheiße!" And that look on his face just as this clip ends? Priceless. Can we say he's a bit "angepisst"?

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (Saturday Creature Double Feature Edition)

2011-09-22T12:44:00.004-04:00

Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

I'm sure many Southern New Englanders remember the Creature Double Feature that used to air on Saturday afternoons on Boston's WLVI-TV (Channel 56). Well, this Saturday's double feature consists of a funeral (10 AM) and an anticipated Sunday Mass (5 PM).

Funeral Mass - Saturday, September 24, 2011 - 10 AM

MASS:
Requiem aeternam (Mode VI)
My shepherd is the Lord (J. Gelineau)
Alleluia (R. Twynham) (verse: tone 6F)
Mass XVIII (Sanctus/Agnus)
Mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine (from Jubilate Deo)
Amen (adapted from Sanctus VIII)
Lux aeterna (Mode VIII)
I believe that my Redeemer lives (H. St. Louis)
In Paradisum (Mode VII)

HYMNS, etc.
Crown him with many crowns (Diademata)
Ave Maria (Victoria/reduced for baritone and organ)
Jesus, Son of Mary (Adoro Te Devote)

Twenty-Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time - September 24/25, 2011
Sat. 5 PM / Sun. 7:30, 9, and 11:15 AM

MASS:
Remember your mercies, O Lord (R. Rice)
Alleluia (R. Twynham) (verse: tone 6F)
Sacramentary 2010 (Sanctus/Memorial/Agnus)
Amen (adapted from Sanctus VIII)

HYMNS, etc.
To the Name of our salvation (Oriel)
At the Name of Jesus (King's Weston)
Christus Factus Est (Cologne setting from Pius X Hymnal)
O for a thousand tongues to sing (Arlington)
Jesus, Name all names above (St. Theoctistus)

Peace,
BMP

SOMETHING TO KNOW ABOUT CERTAIN "HYMNS"

2011-09-19T22:59:00.002-04:00

These were collected over the last few years - mainly from a couple of priests whose names I will not mention, but they are a couple of better priests that I've worked with over the years.

1. Here I Am, Lord. (Too late, they've already left!)
2. Be Not Afraid. (You should be... very afraid!)
3. Let us build the City of God (NO! God builds his City.)
4. Let There Be Peace on Earth (There never will be!)
5. I am the Bread of life (No, you're not! However, Jesus is!)
6. Wherever you go, I shall go (So, if I'm going to hell, are you still gonna go?)
7. Sing a new Church into being (I've got a better idea. How about we sing of the ONE TRUE Church?!)
8. What is this place? (It's called a Church, the House of God. And in it, we celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, where Jesus Christ has given himself up for us. Any more stupid questions?)

OK, so the last crack was mine. :)
Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

2011-09-16T11:17:00.002-04:00

Twenty-Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time - September 18, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

MASS:
The Lord is near to those who call on him - Richard Rice
Alleluia - Robert Twynham (verse: tone 6F)
Amen - adapted from "Sanctus VIII"
Remainder of sung ordinary - Sacramentary 2010

HYMNS, etc.
Holy Father, great Creator - "Regent Square"
There's a wideness in God's mercy - "Beecher"
Magnificat - Tone 8G and Ciro Grassi
Let all mortal flesh keep silence - "Picardy"
Crown him with many crowns - "Diademata"

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (9-1-1 edition)

2011-09-09T11:33:00.002-04:00

Twenty-Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time - September 11, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

MASS ORDINARY
Amen: adapted from Sanctus from Mass VIII
All others: Sacramentary 2010

MASS PROPER
Psalm 103: Richard Rice
Alleluia: Robert Twynham (verse: tone 6F)

HYMNS
Entrance hymn: We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing / "Kremser"
Offertory hymn: My country, 'tis of thee / "America"
Communion anthem: In thee is gladness / "In Der Ist Freude"
Meditation hymn: I sought the Lord and afterward I knew / "Lacquiparle"
Recessional hymn: O beautiful for spacious skies / "Materna"

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (Back to Normal Edition)

2011-09-02T12:55:00.003-04:00

Twenty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time - September 4, 2011
Ordinary Form - Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

Music for the Ordinary of the Mass: Sacramentary 2011

Bishop Tobin has given his flock permission to use the SUNG settings of the new translation of the Gloria, Sanctus, and Memorial Acclamation beginning 9/1/11. Nothing has changed in the Kyrie and Agnus Dei. All other sung parts must remain under the current translation until 11/26/11, as well as any RECITED texts.

Exception: Amen (adapted from Sanctus VIII)

Entrance: Christ is made the sure foundation / "Westminster Abbey"
Psalm 95: If today you hear his voice / Alstott (Respond and Acclaim)
Alleluia: Twynham (verse of the day, tone 6F)
Offertory: Faith of our fathers / "St. Catherine"
Communion: Ubi Caritas / Mode VI
Meditation: Salve Regina / Mode V
Recessional: God of our fathers / "National Hymn"

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (First Friday Edition)

2011-08-31T22:51:00.002-04:00

First Friday - Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart
Extraordinary Form - 6 PM - September 2, 2011
Sacred Heart Church - West Warwick, RI

Propers: from The Complete Proper of the Mass by Koch and Greene
Ordinary: Mass VIII

Extras:
O Sacred Heart, O Love Divine
Cor Dulcis, Cor Amabile (harm. from the New St. Basil Hymnal)
Cor Jesu Trinitate (tune: "Gott Soll Gepriesen")
To Jesus' Heart, All-Burning

Peace,
BMP

FUNERAL MUSIC

2011-08-27T08:33:00.002-04:00

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 - 11 AM
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

Would have been my dad's (+1981) 78th birthday.

To casket: Requiem aeternam
To altar: Lift High the Cross
Psalm 63: Weber
Alleluia: Mode VI
Offertory: Ave Maria (Victoria)
Mass XVIII / Mortem Tuam
Amen: adapted from Sanctus VIII
Communion: Lux aeterna, followed by Jesus, Son of Mary
Commendation: I believe (H. St. Louis)
Recessional: In Paradisum (Mode VII)

Subject to change in case the request line is tapped into.
Peace,
BMP

ALL THIS FOR A BATTERY!

2011-08-26T19:15:00.003-04:00

A couple of nights ago, I took my daughter Brittany to her high school for freshman orientation. You can tell that Ann and I are becoming old farts when our fourth and final child is now entering high school. Anyhoo, that accomplished...

We go back to the van - dead battery, and I know I didn't leave anything on! Long story short, my brother Glen gave me a jump, followed me home in case the van dies on the way home. Successful ride home, but the battery would not hold a charge for all the tea in China. Shut van off - couldn't restart.

Today was the first chance I had to get my battery, so I hit the happy bus trail - ah yes, good old public transit and its sporadic schedules. First time I've taken a bus anywhere in about four years. Before I could buy a battery, I needed to have money. So, it's off to the church to get my paycheck. I hopped a 10:40 bus from the main drag near me, got to downtown Providence by about 11:20.

The next bus I needed to West Warwick from Providence wasn't due in till 12:30, so I went to grab a cheeseburger at the roach coach across the street. I no sooner get there and some guy's looking to buy jewelry off me. The only jewelry I wear is my watch and my wedding ring. The guy says "Hey buddy, got some jewelry ya wanna sell?" "No thanks, I'm good," I reply. "How about that wedding ring? Wanna sell that?" "Nope. Not for sale." "Are you sure? I got all the money you want!" he exclaims, and proceeds to open his wallet and display his wad of bills (could be all ones for all I know). I finally said, "Look man, I'm happily married! This ring isn't going ANYWHERE!" He apologized and backed off.

Got my chizz-burger (was quite good, I must say; I should have gotten the name on the roach coach, but it was well worth the deuce), and finally hopped the 12:30 bus to West Warwick. Got a return timetable off the driver. It was 1:00 when I got off the bus at the CVS right next door to the church. I looked at the return trip timetable - the next bus going back wasn't due to hit the CVS area till 2:05. Collected my paycheck, called my wife from the rectory, then went to the church since I had all this time to kill. Went up and practiced for about a half hour, chatted with the sacristan for about five minutes before I left. Back to the bus stop at about 1:50 in case the bus runs early (it ran ten minutes late instead).

Finally - by 5:00-ish (big stress on the "ish"), with some help from my wife and my son, we got the battery on and the van fired right up. Hopefully it stays that way!

Lesson for all you bus stop peddlers:

MY WEDDING RING IS NOT FOR SALE!

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (Cross Edition)

2011-08-25T13:37:00.004-04:00

Twenty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time - August 29, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

This particular Sunday I remember ever so perfectly - from about six years ago. Two of the hymns that I'm doing this Sunday, I did on August 28, 2005 at the Geistkirche. They were "Take up your cross" and "Lift high the cross" (I also had "Keep in mind" and "There's a wideness" that weekend). After the anticipated Mass, the visiting priest squeaked "I felt like I was in Lent!" The priest in question is a well-known guitar-strummin' priest from the national shrine just minutes from where I live, and his brand of music sounds so... sixties! Local readers probably know EXACTLY of whom I speak. :)

Fast forward to August 29, 2011 at Sacred Heart, where good music and good liturgy is actually appreciated!

HYMNS:
E: Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates - "Truro"
O: Take up your cross, the Savior said - "O Jesu, Mi Dulcissime"
M: When I survey the wondrous cross - "Rockingham"
R: Lift high the cross - "Crucifer"

MASS:
Psalm 63: My soul is thirsting for you - Weber
Alleluia: Mode VI (Verse: Tone 6F)
Eucharist: People's/Danish

Communion anthem: In the cross of Christ I glory - "Charlestown", arr. BMP

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

2011-08-19T10:47:00.002-04:00

Twenty-First Sunday of Ordinary Time - August 21, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

Just two more weeks before we start singing newly-translated ordinaries!

HYMNS:
E: Christ is made the sure foundation / "Westminster Abbey"
O: O Christ, the great foundation / "Aurelia"
M: O Jesus, joy of loving hearts / "Wareham"
R: Christ's Church shall glory in his pow'r / "Ein' Feste Berg"

MASS:
Psalm: Lord, your love is eternal... / Gelineau
Alleluia: Mode VI (verse: tone 6F)
Sanctus and Agnus: People's / Vermulst
Memorial C and Amen: Danish

Communion anthem: Panis Angelicus / Franck

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (Holy Day of Non-Obligation Edition)

2011-08-13T20:02:00.002-04:00

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - August 15, 2011
Sacred Heart Church - West Warwick, RI

By some goofy rule, if certain Holy Days of Obligation fall on a Saturday or a Monday, the "obligation" is dropped. Still a holy day, mind you. Come to Mass anyways. You'll be glad you did. We have two Masses this Monday, and there will be music for both - 9 AM and 7 PM.

Entrance: Hail, holy Queen enthroned above / "Salve Regina Caelitum"
Psalm: The Queen stands at your right hand / BMP
- Note: the link is to the Psalm's own page at Christus Vincit Music, which not only includes the music (which you can download for free), but the YouTube version of iSNARK! TV 8, so you can learn how we interpret the Psalm AND be entertained.
Alleluia: Mode VI (verse sung to tone 6F)
Offertory: Ave Maria (Victoria or Arcadelt)
People's/Danish Mass combo (with Memorial C)
Communion: Daily, daily, sing to Mary / "Omni Die Dic Mariae"
Meditation: Salve Regina / Chant
Recessional: Immaculate Mary / "Lourdes Hymn"

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (Church Feast Edition)

2011-08-11T20:09:00.006-04:00

Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time - August 14, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

5:00 Saturday Mass is our "parish feast" -- that is, SS. Pietro Martire and Domenico Abate. These two saints hailed from a town in Italy where many of our parishioners and/or their ancestors also hailed from. This should answer any questions regarding our use of "For All the Saints", and the use of two pieces in Italian. The brass trio will be joining us for this Mass.

Entrance: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - "Lobe den Herren"
Gloria (if sung): Pope Paul VI - Connor
Psalm: O God, let all the nations praise you - Alstott (Respond and Acclaim)
Alleluia: Mode VI (Verse sung to tone 6F)
Offertory: For all the saints - "Sine Nomine"
Picchi/Danish Mass combo (Saturday)
People's/Danish Mass combo (Sunday)
Communion: (1) Credo in Te (in Italian - tune: "Bethany", that is, "Nearer my God to Thee")
- (2) T'adoriam ostia divina (Italian)
Meditation: Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All - "Sweet Sacrament"
Recessional: Holy God, we praise thy Name - "Grosser Gott"

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

2011-08-04T12:38:00.002-04:00

Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time - August 7, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

LOBE DEN HERREN: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
BMP: Lord, let us see your kindness
Mode VI Alleluia (Verse: tone 6F)
ARTAVIA: I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
People's/Danish (w/Memorial C)
SCHÖNSTER HERR JESU: Fairest Lord Jesus
KING'S WESTON: At the name of Jesus
HANOVER: O worship the King

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (Double Trouble)

2011-07-29T10:26:00.003-04:00

Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time - July 31, 2011

RENDEZ A DIEU: Father, we thank thee who hast planted
Gelineau Psalm 145: The hand of the Lord feeds us...
Mode VI: Alleluia (verse sung to Tone 6F)
ST. COLUMBA: The King of love my shepherd is
People's/Danish combo (w/Memorial C)
Mode V: Adoro Te Devote
WERDE MUNTER: Come with us, O blessed Jesus
NUN DANKET: Now thank we all our God

First Friday Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart - August 5, 2011 (6 PM)

(Ordinary Form this time)
O Sacred Heart, O Love divine
Ostrowski Psalm 103: The Lord's kindness is everlasting...
Mode VI: Alleluia (verse sung to Tone 6F)
Cor dulce, cor amabile
People's/Danish combo (w/Memorial C)
SCHÖNSTER HERR JESU: Fairest Lord Jesus
To Jesus' Heart all-burning

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

2011-07-22T13:39:00.003-04:00

Sunday XVII - July 24, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

LAUDA ANIMA: Praise, my soul, the King of heaven
Gelineau Psalm 119: Lord, I love your commands
Alleluia: Mode VI (verse to tone 6F)
RENDEZ A DIEU: Father, we thank thee who hast planted
Vermulst: People's Mass (Sanctus/Agnus)
Danish: Memorial C/Amen
Desrocquettes: Be thou my vision
ARTAVIA: I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
LAUDES DOMINI: When morning gilds the skies

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (Nice Day Edition)

2011-07-15T10:19:00.004-04:00

Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time - July 17, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

Saturday's guest organist: my predecessor and good friend David Sylvester.
Reason for that: I, the proud papa, will be giving my daughter Jessica away in marriage that afternoon.

However, I will be in for the three Masses on Sunday (and a funeral Saturday morning)!

ORIEL: To the name of our salvation
O. Alstott: Lord you are good and forgiving
Mode VI: Alleluia (verse sung to tone 6F)
LLANFYLLIN: O Jesus, I have promised (This tune is "Llangoffan", but in a major key.)
J. Vermulst: People's Mass (Sanctus/Agnus)
Danish: When we eat this bread / Amen
G.B. Polleri: Ecce Panis Angelorum
ORIENTIS PATRIBUS: Conquering kings their titles take
DARWALL'S 148th: Ye holy angels bright

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (Hotter than Hell Edition)

2011-07-08T10:56:00.003-04:00

...because it's hotter than hell up here!

Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time - July 10, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

ST. DENIO: Immortal, invisible, God only wise
R. Rice: The seed that falls on good ground...
Mode VI Alleluia (verse sung to Tone 6F)
LIEBSTER JESU: Word of God, come down on earth
J. Vermulst: People's Mass (Sanctus/Agnus)
Danish: When We Eat this Bread (adapt.), and Amen
C. Franck: Panis Angelicus (Key of F at 7:30 for me; Key of G at all other Masses)
SWEET SACRAMENT: Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All
LAUDATE DOMINUM: Sing praise to the Lord

Peace,
BMP

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!

2011-07-04T11:21:00.002-04:00

from yours truly, born on Canada Day! :)

Some great Peloquin work written during our nation's bicentennial year!
Enjoy!
Peace,
BMP

FAITH OF OUR RELATIVES (revisited)

2011-06-30T17:31:00.004-04:00

In light of that hideous text titled A Living Faith that has been replacing Faith of Our Fathers in every frickin' hymnal that GIA has published since 1997 (to date: RitualSong, Catholic Community Hymnal, Gather Comprehensive Second Edition, and the forthcoming Worship Fourth Edition and God only knows what next), and the thread on my Facebook wall which has gone off to this very topic...

This parody text is one composed by the late Jay Ricketts back in 1998, back when a few of us on the Yahoo! group Contemporary Catholic Music were taking part in a game called "Trash the Hymn". Some of these were quite good. I'm considering putting the whole collection on a .pdf and linking it.

Anyhoo, without further ado, Faith of Our Relatives, by Jay Ricketts (+2008)
Enjoy!
Peace,
BMP

1. Faith of our uncles, aunties too, / each Christmas and Easter they come find a pew
She lost her rosary under the bed / He's got his bible out in the shed
(leveling the legs on his workbench)

Faith of our relatives, lukewarm faith / We might just improve this song to death

2. Faith of our cousins and cousinettes / They haven't seen a Sunday mass yet
Weddings and funerals, a baptism or two / But Sundays they golf, or stay home and get stewed

Faith of our relatives, lightweight faith / We might just improve this song to death

3. Faith of our in-laws, why, only last June / They headed for Sunday mass, at noon
Their first mass in years, but then on a hunch / Drove past the church so they wouldn't miss brunch

Faith of our relatives, marginal faith / We just improved this song to death

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (Three-Day Weekend Special)

2011-06-30T14:03:00.002-04:00

...though one of the three days is already posted! :)

Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
July 3, 2011 - Sacred Heart Church, W. Warwick, RI

God of our fathers / "National Hymn"
Gloria (Pope Paul VI) / Connor
I will praise your name for ever / BMP
Alleluia / Mode VI
Faith of our fathers / "St. Catherine"
Sanctus and Agnus (People's) / Vermulst
Memorial C and Amen / Danish
Spirit seeking light and beauty / "Dohmnach Trionoide
Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless / "St. Agnes"
America the Beautiful / "Materna"
- (biting a bullet)

Peace,
BMP

NEW TRANSLATION HEAD START

2011-06-29T12:02:00.005-04:00

As many probably know long before I will have posted this (due to my lazy blogging as of late), your (arch)bishop has the authority to allow their flocks, or "we the sheep", to start using sung settings of the new translation of Mass as early as September 1, 2011 - almost three months before the rest of the new translation is to take place.

In a letter from the worship office of the Archdiocese of Boston, Sean Cardinal O'Malley has granted such permission for the new sung parts (Gloria, Sanctus, Memorial; the Kyrie, Amen, and Agnus are unchanged). Other parts still have to wait until November 27, 2011.

One thing I did learn in this letter (RSCT to Karl from the RPInet boards) (emphasis mine):
Please remember that the official Mass setting for the Archdiocese of Boston is the ICEL chant setting. This setting of the Mass will be included in all English editions of the Roman Missal, and every publisher is required to include this setting as the first option that will appear in their missalettes and participation aids. While your parish may choose to continue using this setting throughout the upcoming Liturgical year, parishes who wish to use other musical settings of the Mass may introduce them after the Advent-Christmas season, beginning in January of 2012.

So - the Archdiocese wants us to learn the official chants first. And to boot, there will be no more worrying about Massive Cremation or the Boston Celtics Mass becoming the default settings in an OCP missalette or a GIA hymnal (although they can be placed in the back with the other "additional settings"). The official chants come first, per order, the Bishops! I cannot rejoice enough for this change!

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (Double Trouble Revisited)

2011-06-22T10:54:00.003-04:00

Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ - June 26, 2011
Sat. Vigil 5 PM; Sun. 7:30, 9, and 11:15 AM (First Communion at 11:15)
Mass in the Ordinary Form

Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates / "Truro"
Gloria (Pope Paul VI) / Connor
Praise the Lord Jerusalem/Alleluia (Respond and Acclaim) / Alstott
Alleluia! sing to Jesus / "Hyfrydol"
Sanctus/Agnus (People's) / Vermulst
Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All / Donnelly

7:30 and 9:00:
O Salutaris Hostia / Duguet
Holy God, we praise Thy Name / "Grosser Gott"

5:00 (Benediction) and 11:15 (Procession):
same as 7:30 and 9, but with Tantum Ergo / "St. Thomas" sandwiched in between.

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Patronal Feast)
Friday, July 1, 2011 - 6 PM / Mass in the Extraordinary Form

Ordinary: Mass VIII / Propers: The Complete Proper of the Mass (Koch and Greene)

Processional: O Sacred Heart, O Love divine
After Offertory Proper: Cor Dulce, Cor Amabile
During Communion: Adoro Te Devote / Mode V
Recessional: To Jesus' Heart All-Burning

Procession follows - hymns same as the 11:15 Procession on Corpus Christi

Peace,
BMP

SONGS THAT ARE STUCK IN MY HEAD

2011-06-17T12:18:00.004-04:00

I had a few of those this week. Three of them while at my daughter Brittany's softball games.

Monday 6/13/11 - O God, Almighty Father (tune: Gott Vater, sei Gepriesen)
Tuesday 6/14/11 - It's Cold Outside (by The Choir. For those who have never heard of The Choir, they are a Cleveland-based band from the mid to late 1960's. Three of the band's members - Wally Bryson, Dave Smalley, and Jim Bonfanti - all joined Eric Carmen in 1970 to form my all-time favorite band Raspberries.)
Wednesday 6/15/11 - To Jesus' Heart All Burning
Thursday 6/16/11 - Credo III
Friday 6/17/11 - (AGAIN!) To Jesus' Heart All Burning

Peace,
BMP

FANS OF THE iSNARK! (New Page)

2011-06-13T16:59:00.001-04:00

Cross-posting with the iSNARK! Media feed page

To all viewers, listeners, readers, etc.

For the past few years, a flock of eighty-some strong came over and joined us at Fans of the iSNARK! at Facebook. Many of you hung around, even during my hiatus of just over a year. For that, I say, THANK YOU!

Since Facebook updated the group site, there is no longer a way to invite people to join the group. Just simply add people from your friends list and they're in. But what if you have friends that don't want to be in our little group? Add them, and they're in. But those friends might get just a bit PO'd. Some to the point of not just leaving your group, but by leaving your friends list. And I for one am not good at holding hostages!

For that reason, I created a new group site on Facebook, titled (for now) The NEW Fans of the iSNARK! Page. This is going to be the new iSNARK! page for Facebook. With this group site, it is YOUR call whether or not you would like to "Like" the page. That gets you in - at your will, not mine. OF COURSE: I'd LOVE for you to go to the page and "Like" it (hitting the "Like" button. But at least it will be your will.

So please, if you joined us at one point on the old "Fans of the iSNARK!" page (formerly "Fans of Christus Vincit ANYWHERE!", btw), or would like to join, simply go to the new site and hit the "Like" button. Thank you much for your support!

Peace,
BMP

PS:

CLICK HERE then "Like"
(pretty please!)

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (Triple Trouble!)

2011-06-07T13:45:00.004-04:00

Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

Wedding Mass - 3 PM - Saturday, June 11, 2011

First wedding Mass for me in about four years! And the couple was very easy to deal with. The two requests they had I was able to fulfill. I ran through choices on everything else and almost everything I used was the first thing I played for them in each category. So, here goes!

Prince of Denmark's March / Clarke
Canon in D / Pachelbel (the only bullet I'm really biting - the Taco Bell Cannon, or Sominex Canon)
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord / BMP
Alleluia / "O Filii" and Tone 2D, arr. BMP
Ave Maria / Schubert
Messa 'Cristo Riscuciti' / Picchi
Come, my way, my truth, my life / "The Call"
Joyful, joyful, we adore thee / "Hymn to Joy"
Trumpet Tune / Purcell

Pentecost Vigil and Sunday - June 11/12, 2011
Sat. 5 PM; Sun. 7:30, 9, and 11:15

Come, Holy Ghost/ Lambillotte
Gloria (Pope Paul VI) / Connor
Lord, send out your Spirit / "Respond and Acclaim", Alstott
Veni, Sancte Spiritus / Pentecost Sequence, in Latin (Sunday only)
Alleluia / "O Filii" and Tone 2D, arr. BMP
Fire of God, undying flame / Nun komm, der heiden heiland
Sanctus/Agnus (Cristo Riscuciti) / Picchi
Spirit seeking light and beauty / "Dohmnach Trionoide"
Regina Caeli / Mode VI
Now thank we all our God / "Nun Danket"

Most Holy Trinity - June 18/19, 2011
Sat. 5 PM; Sun. 7:30, 9, and 11:15

Come now, almighty King / "Italian Hymn"
Gloria (Pope Paul VI) / Connor
Glory and praise for ever/Alleluia / both from "Respond and Acclaim", Alstott
Holy, holy, holy / "Nicaea"
Sanctus/Agnus (People's) / Vermulst
When we eat this bread/Amen / Danish
De Trinitate / Tune: Anon.; Text: Adam of St. Victor (found in the Pius X Hymnal)
Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All / "Sweet Sacrament"
O God, almighty Father / "Gott Vater, sei Gepriesen"

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

2011-06-03T11:01:00.003-04:00

Seventh Sunday of Easter - June 5, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

Hail the day that sees him rise / "Llanfair"
Gloria (Pope Paul VI) / Connor
I believe that I shall see... / Alstott
Alleluia / BMP, arr. from "O Filii" and Tone 2D
Christ is alive / "Truro"
Sanctus/Agnus (Cristo Riscuciti) / Picchi
Christus Vincit / BMP
Regina Caeli / Mode VI
A hymn of glory let us sing / "Lasst uns erfreuen"

Peace,
BMP

THIS CONDUCTOR KNOWS WHERE IT'S AT!

2011-05-26T22:44:00.004-04:00

Italian conductor Riccardo Muti, now conducting the Chicago Symphony, also detests the "greatest hits" movement that's been infesting parish after parish after parish since the mid 1960's.

Source: ANSA / RSCT: Ars Orandi Traditional Catholicism via Facebook / Emphasis mine.

Muti sides with pope against Church 'sing-songs'
Benedict right to want traditional music, says conductor

(ANSA) - Vatican City, May 26 - Italian conductor Riccardo Muti is backing Pope Benedict XVI's drive to discourage guitar ''sing-songs'' from Catholic masses.

The traditionalist German pontiff has called for an end to the use of pop-inspired religious music that many Catholic churches have used in different parts of the world to attract the faithful.

''It is possible to modernize holy music,'' he once said at a concert at the Sistine Chapel. ''But this cannot happen outside the great traditional path of the past, of Gregorian chants and sacred polyphonic choral music.

''(The Church supports) new expressive means (in music, as in art and architecture) without denying the past, the history of the human spirit, which is also the story of its dialogue with God''.

Critics have said the use of modern music helps the Catholic faith remain relevant and vibrant for young people and that it is better to have guitars and tambourines during mass than empty churches. But those objections have been rejected by world-famous conductor Muti.

''The pope is right when he says it is necessary to bring our great musical heritage back into churches,'' said Muti, a former director of Milan's La Scala who is now in charge of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

''The history of great music was determined by what the Church did.

"When I go to church and I hear four strums of a guitar or choruses of senseless, insipid words, I think it's an insult.

''I can't work out how come once upon a time there were Mozart and Bach and now we have little sing-songs. This is a lack of respect for people's intelligence''. Although many disagree with Benedict's views on music, there is no doubt that the pope speaks about the subject with authority. An accomplished pianist, he comes from a musical family and his brother, Georg Ratzinger, was for many years choir master in Regensburg, home to one of Europe's most famous boys' choirs.

Benedict's line on modern music is part of his bid to take the Church back to its roots.

This has also led to him reviving the use of the Latin Mass, which had been abandoned after the 1962-1965 Vatican Council introduced masses in local languages. In May the Vatican issued an ''instruction'' telling bishops to allow priests to say the old-style mass in Latin - the language of Benedict's beloved Gregorian chants - following a 2007 papal decree authorizing the wider adoption of it.

Many Catholics are uncomfortable about the resurrection of the Latin Mass as they see it as a partial reversal of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, which is widely viewed as having brought the church into modern times.

The only error I found in this was in the second-to-last paragraph. The Holy Father did not revive the use of the Latin Mass. The Ordinary Form Latin Mass has been in use all along. What he did revive was more widespread use of the Traditional (Extraordinary Form) Latin Mass. Well, one other error - the last paragraph: the author didn't interview enough people, IMO.

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (Starting June with a Bang!)

2011-05-25T16:05:00.004-04:00

Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

The Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Ordinary Form of the Mass)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at 6 PM; Thursday, June 2, 2011 at 9 AM and 7 PM

Hail the day that sees him rise - "Llanfair"
Gloria (Pope Paul VI) - E. Connor
God mounts his throne (Respond and Acclaim) - O. Alstott
Alleluia - BMP (arranged from "O Filii et Filiae" and Psalm Tone 2D)
Crown Him with many crowns - "Diademata"
Sanctus/Agnus Dei (Cristo Risuciti) - L. Picchi
Christus Vincit - BMP
Regina Caeli - Mode VI
Rejoice, the Lord is King - "Darwall's 148th"

First Friday: Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart (Extraordinary Form of the Mass)
Friday June 3, 2011 at 6 PM

Propers from the Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart (Offertory and Communion are those for "Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart in Paschal Time"): from The Complete Proper of the Mass by Koch and Greene

All other hymns and Ordinary:
O Sacred Heart, O Love Divine
Kyrie ('Laus Tibi Christe') - F. Caudana
Gloria VIII
Cor Dulce, Cor Amabile
Sanctus/Agnus ('Cristo Risuciti') - L. Picchi
Christus Vincit - BMP
To Jesus' Heart all-burning

Peace,
BMP

THE END AS WE KNOW IT

2011-05-23T21:16:00.005-04:00

Not to be confused with Harold Camping's wet dream!

I saw this post by someone ID'd as "PS4Ever" (that is, "Progressive Solemnity 4 Ever") at the RPInet boards that I just couldn't resist. It kinda goes like this:

No more "God of power, God of might" in the Mass of Creation Sanctus.
No more "Glory to God in the highest! SING! Glory to God" in the Mass of Light Gloria.
No more "Hosanna, hosanna... on high..." in the Jesuits Mass.
No more "Jesus, Lamb of God," in the Mass of Creation Agnus Dei.
No more "Christ has died, Christ is risen..." disrupting the middle of the Eucharistic Prayer with an acclamation that never existed in the real Missal.

What ever will we do without this novelty!?
It will be THE END as we know it.

1000 points to PS4Ever for proper use of the word "novelty". But those items listed above are GOOD to see ended!

OH, and no "GIVE glory to God in the highest", also in the Jesuits Mass! And no "Christ has died, alleluia..." by Joe Wise, and no "Alleluia, alleluia, praise the word of truth and life" in Massive Cremation. Can anyone else think of more?

Peace,
BMP

AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY T-SHIRT!

2011-05-21T21:20:00.003-04:00

Eat your heart out, Harold Camping!
And for any of you who actually believe for one minute that that nut job is or even was a prophet, I have but one word for you: SUCKERS!

Jesus wins again. For He has said, "You do not know the day or the hour!" That goes for you, too, Harold, you prophet-wannabe.

You are now free to go about your life. God will call you when he's ready. That is all.

Peace,
BMP

CV THE BLOG ON WIKIPEDIA

2011-05-20T10:27:00.004-04:00

Can you believe this one? One of my posts on this here blog got linked on this Wikipedia article! WOW!

Gotta love the Wiki!
Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (More Double Trouble)

2011-05-19T11:11:00.002-04:00

Fifth and Sixth Sundays of Easter
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

COMMON TO BOTH SUNDAYS
Psalm and Alleluia from "Respond and Acclaim" by Owen Alstott
Sanctus and Agnus Dei from "Messa 'Cristo Risuciti'" by Luigi Picchi
Meditation hymn: Regina Caeli / Mode VI

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Entrance hymn: Jesus lives, thy terrors now / "St. Albinus"
Offertory hymn: At the Lamb's high feast we sing / "Salzburg"
During Communion: Come, my way, my truth, my life / "The Call"
Recessional hymn: This joyful Eastertide / "Vreuchten"

SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Entrance hymn: This joyful Eastertide / "Vreuchten"
Offertory hymn: The strife is o'er, the battle done
During Communion: Daily, daily, sing to Mary / "Omni Die Dic Mariae"
Recessional hymn: Christ is alive / "Truro"

Peace,
BMP

UK BISHOPS: NO MEAT ON FRIDAYS

2011-05-15T13:53:00.004-04:00

Period!

Beginning September 16, 2011, Catholics in England and Wales will have to get back in the swing of abstaining from meat on Fridays - year round - not just during Lent!

The bishops of England and Wales are re-establishing the practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays as a penance to identify with Christ on the cross.

In the resolutions published from their spring plenary assembly, which concluded Thursday, the bishops announced the re-establishment of the practice, to go into effect Sept. 16.

"Every Friday is set aside by the Church as a special day of penance, for it is the day of the death of our Lord," a statement of resolutions from the assembly reminded. "The law of the Church requires Catholics to abstain from meat on Fridays, or some other form of food, or to observe some other form of penance laid down by the Bishops’ Conference."

"The Bishops wish to re-establish the practice of Friday penance in the lives of the faithful as a clear and distinctive mark of their own Catholic identity," the statement announced.

Read more at the source: Zenit
RSCT: Former co-blogger (and still good friend) Nick B.

Peace,
BMP

PSALMS FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE

2011-05-14T19:35:00.008-04:00

Now completed: the Responsorial Psalms for the month of June, set to music by yours truly! Clicking the antiphon graphic will lead you to the description and full music for each of the Psalms.

The Ascension of Our Lord - June 2, 2011
(or for some of you, June 5, 2011)

The Seventh Sunday of Easter - June 5, 2011
(for those of us who celebrate the Ascension on the Thursday)

Pentecost and the Vigil - June 11 and 12, 2011

The Most Holy Trinity - June 19, 2011

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ - June 26, 2011

Enjoy!
Peace,
BMP

YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK, RHODE ISLAND

2011-05-12T11:24:00.001-04:00

We tried to get the license plate number of the car pictured at left, but it was too blurry. The car pictured here whizzed by us like we were standing still on I-95 this morning (and we were doing 10 over the speed limit ourselves). I drove, my wife took the picture, so fret not about safety here!

Anyhoo, you might see a dark blue blotch on the left side of the license plate here. That blotch is a "badge" bearing the State of Rhode Island. The woman driving this MERCEDES, by virture of this special license plate, is a Rhode Island state representative. Where we gassed up right near the highway (well, Route 37, close enough), was a nice shiny black BMW CONVERTIBLE with (again) a state representative's license plate!

Here we are with some of the highest taxes in the country, and we have legislators who are driving these nice European hot rods while I'm financing a used American-made minivan that is nine years old and has 130,000 miles on it! I should also mind you that in Rhode Island, a state legislator is only a PART-TIME position. Talk about holier-than-thou! Serve your state part-time, screw it up, and drive a nice hot rod. It's nice to know what our taxes are REALLY paying for, eh?

Peace,
BMP

MORE FUN AT MY NEW DIGS!

2011-05-11T19:52:00.001-04:00

On this episode, we have a traffic report, a fraternal correction, music by Johnny Proctor, music written by Picchi, Remondi, et al, a brand-spankin-new Top Ten List, and much more!

Direct listen link
Complete show notes
Subscribe at iTunes
Fans of the iSNARK! at Facebook

Enjoy!
Peace,
BMP

OF MICS AND POPPING AND SHORTING OUT...

2011-05-10T22:14:00.005-04:00

...and other resulting consequences

Rhode Island's own Eden Casteel, a lyric coloratura soprano (and a very good one - check her blog out and give a listen) and librettist, wrote a snarky little post that is actually a great teaching moment for high school musical stars who are seeking to continue doing musicals at the college level and beyond.

Luckily, we had no microphones on stage when I played my role as Jud Fry in Cumberland High's production of Oklahoma during my junior year in high school. Eden's fourth paragraph goes thus:

Did you know that if you have no idea how to sing or project your voice without a microphone, you are completely out of luck if the battery goes dead in the middle of your two-measure solo? Did you know that when you use microphones you tend to forget how to execute basic blocking, and sometimes you sing with your butt to the audience? Did you know that about half the time, microphones short out or crackle and pop loudly? You didn’t know that? I didn’t think so.

Now, Oklahoma was the only musical I ever did. Auditions for The King and I during my senior year fell on the week of my father's funeral. Oh well (well, at least that was my attitude at 17; turning 47 pretty soon, I'm sure I'd have a different 'tude now)!

However, the reason I point out Eden's paragraph regarding microphones is that the same message could AND SHOULD AND MUST point very easily toward cantors at Holy Mass. I've had people tell me, "Wow! You have a good strong voice!" more times than Bill Gates has collected dollar bills. That's because thanks to Mrs. Nectar Lennox, my high school choral director, learning to project was not an option. It was REQUIRED! And it's helped to the point where I can sing, facing a pipe case, over a generously-registered organ (I mean 8'-4'-2' foundations, a four-rank fourniture or plein jeu, and possibly a good chorus reed, plus a good deep pedal registration - I LOVE a good 32' resultant or contra bourdon!) without any amplication. I use the mic to announce hymns only - organ mic on, announce hymn, organ mic off. Simple as that!

Nowadays, unfortunately, it's all about the mic. It's all about (in the words of Happy Bunny) "let's focus on ME!" In high school, it's all about wanting to be Britney Spears, prancing around the stage with a damn headset wrapped around her head. At Mass, it's about wanting to be heard over everyone - the priest, the choir, the congregation, and maybe even loud enough for the diocese next door to hear ya!

So, I reiterate this message to cantors: For the sake of good liturgy, step away from the microphone. And for the sake of good liturgy AND good hygiene, please, KEEP YOUR DAMN ARMS DOWN!

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

2011-05-08T20:37:00.004-04:00

Fourth Sunday of Easter - May 15, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

Sat. 5 PM / Sun. 7:30, 9, and 11:15 AM

Confirmation will take place at 11:15 Mass w/Bp. Tobin. Our brass trio consisting of a trumpet, a flugelhorn, and a French horn, will be joining us at that Mass. Music will be the same at all four Masses, with the exception of anointing (11:15 only).

Christ is the King / "Gelobt sei Gott"
Gloria (Mass in Honor of Pope Paul VI) / E. Connor
The Lord is my Shepherd / O. Alstott
Alleluia (Easter III through Pentecost - v.4) / "O Filii" and Tone 2D, arr. BMP
(11:15 only: Anointing) Veni, Creator Spiritus / Mode VIII
Come, Holy Ghost / L. Lambillotte
Sanctus and Agnus Dei (Messa 'Cristo Risuciti') / L. Picchi
Ave Verum / L. Perosi
Regina Caeli (English and Latin) / Mode VI
Go, make of all disciples / "Ellacombe"

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS (Double Trouble)

2011-05-03T12:15:00.004-04:00

First Friday Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart (Ordinary Form)
6 PM - May 6, 2011

O Sacred Heart, O Love Divine
The Lord's kindness is everlasting / Ostrowski
Alleluia from O Filii with verse One does not live by bread alone... (Tone 2D)
Cor Dulcis, Cor Amabile (New St. Basil Hymnal)
Sanctus and Agnus from Messa 'Christo Risuciti' / L. Picchi
O sons and daughters / Mode II
To Jesus' heart, all burning

Third Sunday of Easter (also Ordinary Form)
5 PM (Sat. anticipated) / 7:30, 9, and 11:15 AM - May 8, 2011

(NOTE: crowning of BVM at 7:30 Mass)

Immaculate Mary / "Lourdes Hymn"
Gloria from Mass in Honor of Pope Paul VI / Connor
Psalm and Alleluia from Respond and Acclaim / Alstott
Ye watchers and ye holy ones / "Lasst uns erfreuen"
Sanctus and Agnus from Messa 'Christo Risuciti' / L. Picchi
Ave Maria / Arcadelt
Regina Caeli / Mode VI
On this day, O beautiful Mother / Lambillotte
Hail, holy Queen enthroned above / "Salve Regina Caelitum"

Peace,
BMP

HE'S BAAAAAAAAACK!

2011-05-03T07:35:00.004-04:00

Clips like Feasts for the Week and Don't Do This at Church are back. Here we talk about my new job, play a bunch of music, mainly for Holy Week and the April First Friday Mass. Charlie Crowe spreads his "Joy" and Shamus O'Reilly (yup, he's back too!) inflates "Ye Sons and Daughters".

Brace yourselves!

Direct listen link
Complete show notes
Subscribe at iTunes
Fans of the iSNARK! at Facebook

Enjoy!
Peace,
BMP