​Music Notes for Dec. 13

This coming Sunday is Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent. Taken from Philippians 4:4,5: "Gaudete in Domino semper" ("Rejoice in the Lord always"), it is an uplifting Sunday in Advent calling for the soon to be realized joyful arrival of Christ. This theme is captured in the opening hymn, Veni Emmanuael, and joy permeates our worship music. I continue with organ settings of the Mass by Charles Tournemire’s transcendent work, L’Orgue Mystique. The Communion setting from the Third Sunday of Advent features the chant, Dicite… ecce Deus- “Say to them… God will save us” (mirroring today’s use of Canticle 9). The Toccata is not a typical Sortir flourish. Again, based on chant, the Toccata is a “touch piece” of gentle cascading lines of modal chant in warm organ registrations of strings and flutes.

Sunday evening's Friends of Music Guild Concert is especially for your Holiday enjoyment. Tonight, December 13th at 7PM, Voces Solis (The "Winter-Summer-Singers!") will present a Contemporary Advent Lessons and Carols. Tickets are $10.00 and will be sold before each concert and at the door to benefit both Friends of Music and Voces Solis.

Music for Christmas Eve will once again be outstanding. So many fine parish musicians have worked with me to make the best possible musical offering unto God for our Christmas liturgies. Christmas music is memorable music. We sing carols and hear our favorite music for choirs, organ and instruments. St. Paul’s is blessed to have an

outstanding and large group of musicians that make our worship music vivid and memorable. I am deeply grateful for the talents of our wonderful musicians: Bryan Sable, our Music Assistant; the Chancel Choir, Handbell Choir, Praise Band and Canterbury Choir; our soloists, instrumentalists, and Chamber Orchestra. We hope that our musical offering reaches the heart of God and that all our hearts combine to make this Christmas as memorable as Christmas’ past.

At our new 2:00 Christmas Eve liturgy, Ethan LaPlaca, Associate Organist of St. Andrew's, Episcopal Church, will accompany carols and perform the voluntaries. At the 4:00 Pageant the Praise Band and Canterbury Choir provide the worship music. For both the 7:15 and 10:00 liturgies you may wish to arrive early. Both services will have extended prelude music for strings, handbells, soloists, and choir. Of course, at 10:00 we feature the Chamber Orchestra, Chancel Choir and soloists and conclude with a Carol sing.

We look forward to seeing each Advent Sunday and again on Christmas Eve.