May 30, 2010

Michelangelo Buonarroti, God the Father with Lady Wisdom creating Adam (detail), Cappella Sistina, Vatican, 1510

When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep . . . then I was beside him, like a master worker [NRSV, Proverbs 8:27,30a].

Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
Trinity Sunday

Click to go immediately to:

1) The Music Programme Homepage

2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist and Evensong

3) The Concert Calendar



Gloria tibi Trinitas began as the antiphon for the opening psalm of 1st vespers (Roman Catholic) of Trinity Sunday. It then became the inspiration of polyphonic motets and perhaps most significantly was the basis for John Taverner, Missa Gloria tibi Trinitas. Taverner's treatment of the phrase "In nomine," in the Benedictus of the Mass became in turn the source of a plethora of instrumental variations. Click to read about all of this and listen online to a wide selection of music.

Sandro Botticelli, Holy Trinity (Pala delle Convertite), Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1491-93



The Cherubic Hymn, sung after the Gospel, has been an integral part of Orthodox liturgy since the time of the Emperor Justinian I. Click to read about the Cherubic Hymn and listen to a number of different compositions.

Censing during the Cherubic Hymn



Hilary Punnett, the assistant organist, will perform her McGill master's degree recital on Tuesday, June 8, at 8:00 pm, on the 1915-16 Casavant organ of the Church of St-Jean-Baptiste, at Rachel and Henri-Julien (Mt Royal Metro). She will perform Louis Vierne, Symphony No. 1, Op. 14; Charles V. Stanford, Fantasia and Toccata in d-, Op. 57; Herbert Howells, Psalm-Prelude 1, Op. 32, no.1 (from Ps. 34, v. 6); and Kenneth Leighton, Passacaglia (from Prelude, Scherzo and Passacaglia), Op. 41.

Click to hear Ben van Oosten perform the Louis Vierne, Symphonie No. 1.



Click to go to Piet van der Steen performing Olivier Messiaen, Méditations sur le mystère de Sainte Trinité / Meditations on the Mystery of the Holy Trinity, on the Adema organ of St. Bavo Cathedral Basilica, Haarlem.

Olivier Messiaen. Foto Archives Editions Durand



Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach,Cantata 165, a p
erformance by
& Collegium Vocale Gent (Chorus Master: Philippe Herreweghe) / Leonhardt-Consort; Gustav Leonhardt conducting.


Louis Tiffany, Nicodemus Came to Him by Night, First Presbyterian Church, Lockport, NY

May 23, 2010

Masolino da Panicale, St. Peter preaching, Cappella Brancacci, Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence, 1426-27

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. [NRSV, Acts 2:12].


Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
Pentecost Sunday

Click to go immediately to:

1) The Music Programme Homepage

2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist and Evensong

3) The Concert Calendar



The Mass setting for Pentecost Sunday will be Louis Vierne, Messe solennelle, with the Gloria in excelsis Deo being sung in place of the prelude. Click to hear the entire Mass sung by the Choir of Westminster Cathedral.

Louis Vierne




Hilary Punnett, the assistant organist, will perform her McGill master's degree recital on Tuesday, June 8, at 8:00 pm, on the 1915-16 Casavant organ of the Church of St-Jean-Baptiste, at Rachel and Henri-Julien (Mt Royal Metro). Among other works she will perform the entire Louis Vierne, Symphonie No. 1. She will perform the Final from Symphonie No. 1 as the postlude at Choral Eucharist this coming Sunday, Pentecost.

Click to hear Ben van Oosten perform the Final.

Click to hear Ben van Oosten perform the entire Symphonie No. 1.



Both motets, the preces and responses, and the canticles for Pentecost evensong are by Orlando Gibbons.
Much of Orlando Gibbons' music is available for online listening free through the Classical Music Library and the Naxos Music Library. Check with your librarian.

Orlando Gibbons: Tudor Church Music by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge; Philip Ledger conducting; includes the Short Service canticles [CML] (info).

Gibbons: Anthems / complete Organ Works by the Choir of St. John's College, Cambridge; Christopher Robinson conducting; Philip Scriven and Robert Wooley, organ; includes So God loved the world [NML] (info).



Click to go to Olivier Messiaen performing his Messe de la Pentecôte / Pentecost Mass on the Cavaillé-Coll organ of the Church of the Sainte-Trinité, Paris.


Click to go to Dame Gillian Weir performing
Olivier Messiaen,
Messe de la Pentecôte / Pentecost Mass
on the 1929 Frobenius organ of Århus Cathedral.




Click to go to a two-hour programme of Pentecost organ and choral music from Pipedreams, Minnesota Public Radio, featuring the music of J.S. Bach, Praetorius, Krebs, Ahrens, Buxtehude, Nystedt, Speller, Demessieux, Childs, and Duruflé.

1950 Holtkamp organ in Setnor Auditorium, Crouse College, Syracuse University


Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach,Cantata 172, a p

erformance by Alto: René Jacobs; Tenor: Kurt Equiluz; Bass: Max van Egmond; Knabenchor Hannover (Chorus Master: Heinz Hennig) &Collegium Vocale Gent (Chorus Master:Philippe Herreweghe) / Leonhardt-Consort;Gustav Leonhardt conducting.


Anthony Van Dyck, Descent of the Holy Spirit, State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, c. 1620

May 16, 2010

Hendrick van Balen, Holy Trinity, Sint-Jacobskerk, Antwerp, 1620s

God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places [NRSV, Ephesians 1:20].

Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
Ascension Sunday

Click to go immediately to:

1) The Music Programme Homepage

2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist and Evensong

3) The Concert Calendar



The organ prelude for choral Eucharist this coming Sunday, Ascension Sunday, is

Johann Sebastian Bach,

Heut triumphieret Gottes Sohn / Today God's Son triumphs, BWV 630. Click to go to five different performances.

Tintoretto, The Ascension, Scuola di San Rocco, Venice, 1578-81


The organ voluntaries for evensong this coming sunday, Ascension Sunday, are by Olivier Messiaen. Click to go to Olivier Messiaen performing Olivier Messiaen, L'Ascension on the Cavaillé-Coll organ of the Church of the Sainte-Trinité, Paris; and Olivier Messiaen, l'Ascension pour orchestre / The Ascension for Orchestra, performed by the New York Philharmonic, Leopold Stokowski conducting.

Olivier Messiaen


Click to go to Gerald Finzi, God is gone up, performed by the Choir of St. John's College, Cambridge; by the Pacific Chorale; and by the Halifax Choral Society.

Gerald Finzi





Patrick Gowers, Viri Galilaei, was commissioned for the ordination of Richard Harries as Bishop of Oxford in St. Paul's Cathedral.


Click to go to Viri Galilaei, performed by the Choir of St. George's Chapel , Windsor Castle, on the eve of the Ascension 2005.




Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach,Cantata 128, a performance by Alto: René Jacobs; Tenor: Kurt Equiluz; Bass: Max van Egmond; Knabenchor Hannover (Chorus Master: Heinz Hennig) &Collegium Vocale Gent (Chorus Master: Philippe Herreweghe) / Leonhardt-Consort; Gustav Leonhardt conducting.


William Blake, The Ascension, Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery, San Marino, California1803-05

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