Notes About The Music

8th Sunday after Pentecost 2024

Processional hymn: O God, Our Help in Ages Past, 923
Recessional hymn: O God of Loveliness, 881
Kyriale: Mass XI, 740; Credo IV, 780 

Hymn at the offertory: Salve Mater, Carmelite Chant, arr. Paul Thomas May
Communion antiphon: Gustate et videte, Heinrich Isaac (c.1450–1517)

Salve Mater is a Carmelite hymn composed in the 11th century and exemplifies Mary’s role as Mother of all Christians. The hymn is structured with verses that lead to a refrain. The text of the refrain is: Hail, Mother of mercy, Mother of God and Mother of pardon, Mother of hope and Mother of grace, Mother, full of holy gladness. O Mary!

The communion antiphon is a setting by Heinrich Isaac. The text of the antiphon is from Psalm 33:9: O taste, and see, how gracious the Lord is: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. This short composition the Soprano and Tenor voices have ornamented versions of the Gregorian melody. 

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. 

7th Sunday after Pentecost 2024

Processional hymn: Blessed Lamb on Calvary’s Mountain, 864
Recessional hymn: Soul of My Savior, 938
Kyriale: Mass XI, 740; Credo IV, 780

Hymn after Offertory: Anima Christi, Chant
Motet at communion: Caro mea, Andrea Gabrieli (c. 1532–1585) 

Caro Mea by Andrea Gabrieli (c. 1532–1585) is a setting of John 6:56–57 composed for the feast of Corpus Christi: “My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” Gabrieli’s motet is an excellent example of a Renaissance motet containing short a motive that is repeated by all voices in their respective ranges, imitative lines throughout and reaching the climax about two thirds through the work and ending with a final major chord, though the work was in minor throughout. 

Andrea Gabrieli (c. 1532–1585) was an Italian composer and organist of the late Renaissance. The uncle of the somewhat more famous Giovanni Gabrieli and contemporary of Orlandus Lassus. From 1566 until his death he held the post as organist at St. Mark’s in Venice, which was one of the most prominent music positions in Italy. His works include over a hundred motets and madrigals, as well as a smaller number of instrumental works.

External Solemnity of Ss. Peter & Paul 2024

Hymn prior to Mass: Veni Creator Spiritus, 956
Recessional hymn: Holy God, We Praise Thy Name, 881
Kyriale: Mass III, 705; Credo IV, 780

Motet after Offertory: Tu Es Petrus, Rev. Michael Haller (1840–1915)
Communion Antiphon: Tu Es Petrus, Heinrich Isaac 

Both choral works for this Sunday use the text Tu Es Petrus, which is the communion antiphon for the Feast of Ss. Peter & Paul. Rev. Michael Haller sets the text in a simple four part hymn style. While the setting by Heinrich Isaac takes its inspiration from the original Gregorian melody. Isaac begins with the incipit from the chant and each voice enters individually; the bass voice has keeps the melody throughout. Isaac illustrates building—“…I will build my church.”—by having each voice stack on top of one another and form the only static chord in the middle of this short motet.

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. 

5th Sunday after Pentecost 2024

Processional hymn: My God, Accept My Heart This Day, 942
Recessional hymn: Lord, Enthroned in Heav’nly Splendor, 939
Kyriale: Mass IX, 740; Credo IV, 780 

Motet after Offertory: Jesu Rex, Admirabilis, G.P. Palestrina (c. 1525–1594)
Communion Antiphon: Unam petii, Rev. Giovanni Francesco Anerio 

The communion antiphon is taken from Psalm 26:4 which says, “One thing I ask of the Lord; this I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.” Rev. Giovanni Francesco Anerio sets this verse and adds the continuation of the verse, “to behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and to visit his temple.” Rev. Anerio arranges the four voices to sing in pairs or trios for the first half of the motet and all voices move together during the second half of the motet. Neither the rhythms nor the harmonies become too complex in this composition, which may be a choice inspired by the Psalm’s text.

Rev. Giovanni Francesco Anerio (c.1569–1630) was a priest associated with the Oratory of St. Philip Neri and composer of the Roman school in the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras. Father Anerio’s compositional output was prolific and includes one of the first ever sacred oratorios, the Teatro armonico spirituale, wherein he made settings of the parable of the Prodigal Son and the Conversion of Saul.