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damontYeah, I haven't been updating much. Honestly, there's not been much to report directly related to me... other than that for the past week or so I've had both a tummy bug *and* some pain and stiffness in my hip and tail area. All week, at the same time. I don't know if the two are related. Also of late, I have been writing Memos To The Universe on behalf of various friends, saying "QUIT IT ALREADY DAMMIT!!!!!" (One friend dying of cancer; another still in the ICU after emergency surgery a week ago, though showing improvement; one friend whose apartment building burned down Easter morning; that's just the top of the list.)
Happy Belated Birthday to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dagopher (who henceforth shares a birthday with my new nephew Justin), liamstliam, mariedeblois, tynieallen, and demonlurking (in order of birthday occurrence). And to northernwalker and ladycaviar, welcome to this little slice of the world. *hugs*
The Mercenary Bass has been rather active since the last update... which is not at all surprising since it's been Holy Week a/k/a Choir Hell Week. Last Sunday was Palm Sunday *and* the Bishop was making a visit -- most likely this bishop's last official visit to Sharon Chapel as he's expected to retire soon. Palm Sunday's main anthem was a spiritual, the Shaw/Parker arrangement of "Ride On King Jesus". The youth choir had an anthem of their own ("Sing Hosanna") to begin the service; they joined us for a Communion anthem, "Come Let Us Eat" -- a hymn of African origin, accompanied by several of us on various percussion instruments.
Maundy Thursday we sang "Saw Ye My Savior", an arrangement of an American folk hymn tune. After that service I stopped at a nearby Catholic church for a bit of contemplation before the Eucharist -- something the Episcopalians don't seem to do, but I decided it was a good thing for me on that particular night. Good Friday had four anthems: we began the service with a quintet singing Byrd's "Ave Verum Corpus". There was a solo ("Take My Mother Home") after the Passion, and another spiritual after the Solemn Collects -- "Oh, That Bleedin' Lamb" arranged by Undine Smith Moore (1904-89), who taught at Virginia State most of her career. Then at the end the quintet sang de Victoria's "Vere Languores Nostros" from the back of the church. Saturday night at Easter Vigil the only anthem was a solo of "If God Is For Us" from Handel's Messiah; this morning the main anthem was another spiritual, "Mary, Mary", and at communion we did Handel's "Thine Is The Glory".
Between last night and this morning we've sung twelve hymns, in addition to the anthems and service music (we sang the "Te Deum" instead of the "Gloria" last night). And yet, of the five hymns I most strongly associate with Easter, we've only sung *two*. Now I'll admit that my main religious-music background is a polyglot of 70s-80s Catholic and the 1955 Presby hymnal, so perhaps I shouldn't expect to hear all of them at an Episcopalian service... and I *should* expect to hear Vaughn Williams' "Hail Thee Festival Day" which was our processional this morning. Still, all five are in the 1982 ECUSA hymnal. We have sung "The Strife Is O'er" and "Jesus Christ Is Ris'n Today" -- but we didn't sing "Christ Lag In Todesbanden", "The Day Of Resurrection" or "O Filii Et Filiae". Some of these may show up on later Sundays... but I may not be there to sing them, given my upcoming schedule. Oh well.
At the end of this morning's service some of us saw the rector pump her fist very subtly. I think she's just as happy to have Holy Week over with as the choir is. It's very rewarding, but also exhausting. I will close this entry with The Choir's Confession -- compiled from various online sources, and annotated in the style of my most commonly referenced Bible. (One version of this is up on the choir room buletin board at Sharon Chapel.)
Almighty and most merciful Conductora,
We have erred and strayed from Thy beat like lost sheep.b
We have followed too much the intonations and tempi of our own hearts.
We have offended against Thy dynamic markings.
We have left unsung those notes which we ought to have sung,
And we have sung those notes which we ought not to have sung;
And there is no support in us.
But Thou, O Conductor,
Have mercy upon us, miserable singers.
Succour the chorally challenged;
Spare Thou them that have no pencils;
Restore Thou them that need sectionals;c
Pardon our mistakes, and have faith that hereafter we will follow Thy directionsde
And sing together in perfect harmony.f
AMEN.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
aSome authorities have Director; still others Choirmaster
bSome authorities add after this line, We have waited for our fellow choristers to sing the first note.
cSome authorites reverse the order of this line with the previous line.
dSome authorities add here according to Thine instructions imparted to us at Choir practice.
eSome authorities add the following two lines after this line: We will lift up our faces from the pages of our scores, / And henceforth will fix our eyes upon Thy countenance,
fOne authority adds a longer conclusion: And grant, O most merciful Conductor, for the congregation's sake, / That we may hereafter make a goodly, rhythmic and satisfying sound, / To the glory of God's holy name.
Happy Belated Birthday to
dagopher (who henceforth shares a birthday with my new nephew Justin), liamstliam, mariedeblois, tynieallen, and demonlurking (in order of birthday occurrence). And to northernwalker and ladycaviar, welcome to this little slice of the world. *hugs*The Mercenary Bass has been rather active since the last update... which is not at all surprising since it's been Holy Week a/k/a Choir Hell Week. Last Sunday was Palm Sunday *and* the Bishop was making a visit -- most likely this bishop's last official visit to Sharon Chapel as he's expected to retire soon. Palm Sunday's main anthem was a spiritual, the Shaw/Parker arrangement of "Ride On King Jesus". The youth choir had an anthem of their own ("Sing Hosanna") to begin the service; they joined us for a Communion anthem, "Come Let Us Eat" -- a hymn of African origin, accompanied by several of us on various percussion instruments.
Maundy Thursday we sang "Saw Ye My Savior", an arrangement of an American folk hymn tune. After that service I stopped at a nearby Catholic church for a bit of contemplation before the Eucharist -- something the Episcopalians don't seem to do, but I decided it was a good thing for me on that particular night. Good Friday had four anthems: we began the service with a quintet singing Byrd's "Ave Verum Corpus". There was a solo ("Take My Mother Home") after the Passion, and another spiritual after the Solemn Collects -- "Oh, That Bleedin' Lamb" arranged by Undine Smith Moore (1904-89), who taught at Virginia State most of her career. Then at the end the quintet sang de Victoria's "Vere Languores Nostros" from the back of the church. Saturday night at Easter Vigil the only anthem was a solo of "If God Is For Us" from Handel's Messiah; this morning the main anthem was another spiritual, "Mary, Mary", and at communion we did Handel's "Thine Is The Glory".
Between last night and this morning we've sung twelve hymns, in addition to the anthems and service music (we sang the "Te Deum" instead of the "Gloria" last night). And yet, of the five hymns I most strongly associate with Easter, we've only sung *two*. Now I'll admit that my main religious-music background is a polyglot of 70s-80s Catholic and the 1955 Presby hymnal, so perhaps I shouldn't expect to hear all of them at an Episcopalian service... and I *should* expect to hear Vaughn Williams' "Hail Thee Festival Day" which was our processional this morning. Still, all five are in the 1982 ECUSA hymnal. We have sung "The Strife Is O'er" and "Jesus Christ Is Ris'n Today" -- but we didn't sing "Christ Lag In Todesbanden", "The Day Of Resurrection" or "O Filii Et Filiae". Some of these may show up on later Sundays... but I may not be there to sing them, given my upcoming schedule. Oh well.
At the end of this morning's service some of us saw the rector pump her fist very subtly. I think she's just as happy to have Holy Week over with as the choir is. It's very rewarding, but also exhausting. I will close this entry with The Choir's Confession -- compiled from various online sources, and annotated in the style of my most commonly referenced Bible. (One version of this is up on the choir room buletin board at Sharon Chapel.)
Almighty and most merciful Conductora,
We have erred and strayed from Thy beat like lost sheep.b
We have followed too much the intonations and tempi of our own hearts.
We have offended against Thy dynamic markings.
We have left unsung those notes which we ought to have sung,
And we have sung those notes which we ought not to have sung;
And there is no support in us.
But Thou, O Conductor,
Have mercy upon us, miserable singers.
Succour the chorally challenged;
Spare Thou them that have no pencils;
Restore Thou them that need sectionals;c
Pardon our mistakes, and have faith that hereafter we will follow Thy directionsde
And sing together in perfect harmony.f
AMEN.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
aSome authorities have Director; still others Choirmaster
bSome authorities add after this line, We have waited for our fellow choristers to sing the first note.
cSome authorites reverse the order of this line with the previous line.
dSome authorities add here according to Thine instructions imparted to us at Choir practice.
eSome authorities add the following two lines after this line: We will lift up our faces from the pages of our scores, / And henceforth will fix our eyes upon Thy countenance,
fOne authority adds a longer conclusion: And grant, O most merciful Conductor, for the congregation's sake, / That we may hereafter make a goodly, rhythmic and satisfying sound, / To the glory of God's holy name.
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no subject
Date: 2007-04-10 02:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-10 02:19 pm (UTC)I remember one Easter Sunday, when my Dad was in the hospital, I was so tired that I fell asleep on the floor of his hospital room, in my easter dress...I was around 14years old then...I woke up when the nurse assigned to my Dad(really nice guy...)put a hospital blanket over me where I lay...
...like I said...memories...(and in my Presbyterian Church growing up, it was Choir Director...)...I think I can still sing alot of the hymns you mention(Jesus Christ is ris'n today for certain...)...wow.
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Date: 2007-04-10 02:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-19 03:49 pm (UTC)Valentina
Caer Adamant (Seneschal)
Please request more personal info if you need it.
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Date: 2007-04-20 05:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-20 01:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-20 02:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-21 02:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-21 03:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-21 11:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-21 01:59 pm (UTC)