Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Schola: June Calendar

At OLPH (practice on Mondays at 7:30)
Saturday Mass (8:15AM) (Warm - up starts at 7:40)
June 5, 19

Kyrie XVII
Gospel Accl.
Sanctus XVIII
Mysterium Fidei and Amen
Agnus Dei XVIII
Salve Mater (June 5)
Panem de Caelo (June 19)
Salve Regina

At Resurrection Church (practice on Tuesdays at 7:30 PM)
Satruday Mass (9AM) (Warm-up starts at 8:30)
June 12

Kyrie XVII
Gospel Accl.
Sanctus XVIII
Mysterium Fidei and Amen
Agnus Dei XVIII
Panem de Caelo
Salve Regina


At St. Martin's (Little Sisters of the Poor)
June 20, Sunday, 10:30 (warm-up at 10AM)


Entrance: All People that on Earth Do Dwell (313)

Kyrie (857)
Gloria (858)

Responsorial Psalm:
My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God

Offertory : Proper (schola)

Sanctus (859)

Mysterium Fidei (priest)

(all)
Mortem tuam annuntiamus Domine,
et tuam resurrectionem confitemur, donec venias
(We proclaim Thy death, O Lord, and we confess Thy resurrection, until Thou comest.)

Doxology: Amen

Agnus Dei (862)

Communion Proper (schola)

Communion Thanksgiving Hymn: Jesus, the Very Thought of You (731)

Recessional: Salve Regina (708)


Children's Schola (practice on Mondays at 1:30 at OLPH)
First Friday Mass, June 4
OLPH 8:15 AM (warm up starts at 7:45 AM)

Ave Maria(prelude)
Kyrie XVI
Gospel Accl.
Ametur
Sanctus XVIII
Mysterium Fidei and Amen
Agnus Dei XVIII
Gustate et Videte

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Ninefold Kyrie

I am writing this in the blog to post in the forum (because somehow there's danger of losing my writing if I directly write in the forum) where currently there is a discussion going on about ninefold Kyrie.

Since we thankfully still have an 'option' to have ninefold Kyrie in Novus Ordo (GIRM,52), children's schola sings ninefold Kyrie. I have a couple of older boys starts the first Kyrie eleison and sing the alternating parts by themselves, and the rest of the schola sings with the congregation. Also in the leaflet I hand out to the congregation for the Latin text and translation, I type in bold the part that congregation sings with a short explanation under it, something like (9 fold Kyrie, sung in alternation with cantors, please join in bolds) - hopefully they will know it without this explanation when they get used to it. I also told them about the tradtional structure of Kyrie, 3 times to the Father 3 times to the Son and 3 times to the Holy Spirit, and also the nine choirs of angels around the altar. A lady I know who likes contemporary music and happens to be in the Mass when the children sing, asked me later why they sing Kyrie differently. I told her briefly about the tradition, and she was amazed saying " there's so much in the Liturgy..." This was a chance to share our Catholic faith through traditions in our Liturgy, even if it was a just a small part. (I think it's a good idea to have a corner for "Note about Music" in the church bulletin where you can provide interesting facts about music, explanation of a neum per week and so on.)

Musically each Kyrie eleison of Gregorian chant has its own unque ternary form that fits the texts beautifully. While trying to make it easy for the congregation and aiming for the immediate result of their singing, 6 fold is destroying this beautiful form of Kyrie. When our Holy Father talks about the beauty in art and music, he emphasizes the importance of the form. When we sing 6 fold Kyrie, we are giving up this beauty for the sake of convenience. In order to experience the divine beauty and love, there must be some sort of sacrifice and effort on our part also. If we keep seeking for our convenience and easy way to worhsip God, what are we going to have left in our worship?
If you wish to dare to be a bit 'extra ordinary' and inpire the congregation to sing and experience the beauty even with the simple Ordinary parts, there are ways to do so (although it might take a long time and hard work). One of my children's schola, which is now getting used to ninefold Kyrie, asked, "why adults sing only 6 fold Kyrie?" Hmmm, don't have a good answer. (Maybe it's too hard for adults or are they too busy? I don't know.)

Monday, May 10, 2010

Traditional Mass in PA

What a beautiful Mass we had yesterday. I'm very grateful that our schola members were able to sing for the Mass and receive so many graces at the beautiful Mass. To our surpise, it was a high Mass with deacons, seminarians and many altar boys. The priest who sang so beautifully was a self taught celebrant of Traditional Mass (I guess that not many seminarians learn Traditional Mass in the seminary?), and I was told that he started from scratch. Even if the church itself was not set up for the Traditional Mass, they were able to modify it to celebrate the Mass. It gives me hope that someday we could invite him over, as he mentioned, and have this kind of Traditional Mass in this area. I see and hear more and more people wanting to experience the Traditional Mass. This is something to pray about as we work on learning and studying Gregorian chant and make them more beautiful in our singing. I was also introduced to a few Korean priests and seminarians after the Mass. I was very glad to meet them.

What a beautiful Mother's day I had yesterday(and afterwards, thankful for the generous dishes of Chinese carryout to feed the whole family and scrumptious cheese dessert my 10 year old girl made)!