1st Sunday of Advent 2025
Processional hymn: The Almighty King of All Men Born, 802
Recessional hymn: Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus, 801
Credo III, 776; Kyriale XVII, 762
Offertory antiphon: Ad Te Levavi, Reverend Franz Xaver Witt (1834–1888)
Communion antiphon: Dominus Dabit, Heinrich Isaac
The offertory this Sunday will be sung as a choral setting by Reverend Franz Xaver Witt with a verse taken from the Offertoriale which–as mentioned last week–provides an elongation of the offertory antiphon by composing music for the verses which follow from the prescribed text.
Similarly, the communion antiphon will be sung chorally set to music by Heinrich Isaac. This setting differs from Isaac’s normative style as he sets all the voices to sing collectively for the whole antiphon with no rhythmic variations or independent melodies.
Heinrich Isaac (c.1450–1517) was a Renaissance composer from the South Netherlandish region. His output was rivaled only by Orlandus Lassus in number and variety of composition. Most notable of his collections is Choralis Constantinus which contains nearly 400 Gregorian chant based motets of propers for the Mass.