The Younger Haydn

Many other blogs and news sites have covered the funeral Mass of Archduke Otto von Habsburg which took place in Vienna on Saturday 16 July.  The blogs in particular tend to point to particular points of interest regarding the liturgy itself, and I shall briefly do the same.  The first thing that struck me was the aptness of the entrance procession - slow, solemn and stately.  One thing which is often the source of angst when attending Mass is the sloppy manner in which the entrance procession is carried out.  Servers should study this video carefully.  

The only other thing which I would point out relates to the setting of the Requiem - that of Michael Haydn, the younger sibling of the celebrated Franz Joseph Haydn (though it is clear that musical talent ran in the family).  This setting has seldom been recorded, so it is a joy to have it preserved on film.  

See further extracts of the Mass here. 

Spanish Master at Spanish Place for Patron Saint of Spain

For the feast of St James (celebrated on Sunday 24 July) at the wonderful church of St James, Spanish Place, Victoria's Missa Laetatus Sum was sung.  The choir of St James has been singing Victoria's Mass settings throughout the year in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the great composer's death.

It just so happened that the main celebrant, at the invitation of the clergy of St James, was Archbishop Mennini, Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain.  Here are a couple of photos of His Excellence travelling to Buckingham Palace on 2 March this year to present his papers to Her Majesty: 

Photo: Diocese of Westminster

Photo: Diocese of Westminster

And from the Mass (extraordinarily held at 11am instead of 10.30 am):

As for the Order of Service, it was typical of the liturgies at Spanish Place:

ENTRANCE OF THE NUNCIO - Ecce Sacerdos (Elgar)
HYMN - O what their joy and their glory must be
PENITENTIAL RITE - Confiteor
KYRIE & GLORIA - Missa Laetatus Sum (T. L. de Victoria)

Short extract from Gloria:

COLLECT (for the Feast of St James) but for the sake of comparison, the collect for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary time:

God our Father and protector,
without you nothing is holy,
nothing has value. 
Guide us to everlasting life
by helping us to use wisely
the blessings you have given to the world (1973). 

O God, protector of those who hope in you,
without whom nothing has firm foundation, nothing is holy,
bestow in abundance your mercy upon us
and grant that, with you as our ruler and guide,
we may use the good things that pass
in such a way as to hold fast even now
to those that ever endure (from 2012). 

READINGS (Gradual Constitues eos principes - translation provided)
ALLELUIA (Ego vos elegi - translation provided)
CREDO III (Latin)
OFFERTORY (In omnem terram, G. P. da Palestrina - translation provided)
SANCTUS & BENEDICTUS - Missa Laetatus Sum (T. L. de Victoria)
PATER NOSTER (Latin)
AGNUS DEI (Mass VIII - De Angelis & Missa Laetatus Sum by T. L. de Victoria during Communion)
PONTIFICAL BLESSING (the Nuncio celebrated Mass)
FINAL HYMN - Jerusalem the golden
ORGAN POSTLUDE (Gigout)

Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam - Jesuit's Staunch Defence of New Credo Translation

A pleasant suprise is to be found in this article in Crisis Magazine. 

ICEL/Vox Clara Bishop Explains New Translation

Below are a series of videos from a concise and well expressed lecture on the new translation of the Roman Missal given by the Most Reverend Arthur J. Serratelli, Bishop of Patterson, New Jersey.  

Introduction

Art of Translation Part 1

Art of Translation Part 2

More to follow. 

Update to New Mass Settings

Over at Pray Tell, Chris Ángel has helpfully compiled a list of new Mass settings which are available freely (or with certain licences) to be downloaded.  Most seem to be American but some appear to be from Australia or the UK.

Recall also that:  

• the National [American] Association of Pastoral Musicians has complied a list of new Mass settings issued by the major Catholic music publishing houses in the US; 
• Mass settings for other jurisdictions can be perused by clicking onto this page of my blog.  

Remember always that:  

• The Missal chants should always be learnt alongside (and ideally prior to) any other Mass settings; 
• It is up to local bishops to 'approve of' or 'recommend' Mass settings for their region; 
• I do not vouch for the quality or suitability of any of the listed Mass settings, but merely bring them to my readers' attention.  

More Palestrina

This post is by way of update to an earlier post about Palestrina at St Peter's.  I have come across this video of the Bavarian Radio Choir singing the motet Tu Es Petrus, showing a different approach to singing Palestrina with a large choir:  

And then there is this gem from a professional choir hitherto unknown to me, Vox Coelestis, singing the same motet but with smaller forces, permitting greater clarity and vocal dexterity. According to their website:  

"[The singers who comprise Vox Coelestis are] drawn from the top choirs in the UK, such as the Gabrieli Consort, Royal Opera House Chorus, Joyful Company of Singers, Chorus of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and some of the top cathedral choirs in the country.  All our singers very generously give their time free of charge, which helps us to maximise the income for the charities we perform for."

The high altar is that of the stunning Anglican Abbey at St Albans, situated just north of London, having formerly been the site of the Roman town Verulamium.  Perhaps it's time that Britain repaid the favour and launched a choral invasion of Rome (forgive the facetiousness). 

More News from Australia about New Translation

In one of my previous posts I listed a typical order of Mass from St Mary's Cathedral, suggesting that its musical/liturgical programme exemplifies an ideal celebration of the modern Roman Rite.  It also provided an opportunity to show how (smoothly and effectively) the new translation is being implemented in Australia.

Well, not to be outdone is Parramatta's Cathedral of St Patrick.  The Parramatta Diocese borders the Sydney Archdiocese and was once part of it - the latter being divided up into three dioceses in the 1980s.  Encompassing much of Greater Sydney, its Catholic population is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse in Australia - English is a second language for a large number of the faithful there.  They seem to be picking up the new translation with relative ease, assisted by the same pew cards which were issued to every other parish in the country.  The responses are being said/sung with confidence and even gusto, with few mistakes noticeable. 

The building that became the cathedral - a lovely stone church - was burnt down in the 1990s.  Happily, the exterior was saved and now constitutes the Blessed Sacrament Chapel (and full immersion font), with a new, bigger addition being built in a modern style.  The altar is at the centre of the cathedral and the pews arranged in choir formation.

The previous prelate, the Most Rev Kevin Manning, acquiesced in the formation of a cathedral schola, greatly enhancing the musical repertoire sung at the cathedral.  That tradition has continued under the new bishop, the Most Rev Anthony Fisher, previously auxiliary bishop of Sydney, and senior organiser of World Youth Day in that city in 2008. 

Here is the Order of Mass for the fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (no excerpts this time):

INTROIT - Ego autem ... (translation provided)
ENTRANCE HYMN - God has spoken by his prophets
GREETING - New translation (Peace be with you/And with your spirit)
PENITENTIAL RITE - Confiteor (new translation)
KYRIE - (Mass XI - Orbis Factor)
GLORIA - Palestrina, Missa Tu Es Petrus (translation provided)
COLLECT

God our Father,

your light of truth

guides us to the way of Christ. 

May all who follow him

reject what is contrary to the gospel (1973). 

O God, who show the light of your truth

to those who go astray,

so that they may return to the right path,

give all who for the faith they profess

are accounted Christians

the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the name of Christ

and to strive after all that does it honour (from 2012).  

READINGS (Responsorial Psalm - The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest)
ALLELUIA (Proper alleluia sung by all, English verse, proper alleluia repeated)
GOSPEL - New translation
HOMILY
CREED (New translation, said)
OFFERTORY MOTET - Faure, Cantique de Jean Racine
PREFACE DIALOGUE - New translation
SANCTUS - Proulx, A Community Mass
MYSTERY OF FAITH - Acclamation A, Missal tone
COMMUNION RITE - New translation
AGNUS DEI - Palestrina, Missa Tu Es Petrus (translation provided)
ECCE AGNUS DEI - New translation
COMMUNION ANTIPHON - Passer invenit sibi domum (translation provided)
COMMUNION HYMN - For the fruits of all creation
CONCLUDING RITES - New translation, Pontifical blessing (Blessed be the name of the Lord ... )
DISMISSAL - First option
POSTLUDE (improvisation?)

Shows what you can achieve with the right attitude.