Music Notes for December 6

Advent two is personified by the voice of John the Baptist calling for repentance and readiness, themes in nearly all of Sunday’s hymns, especially in the hymns, “On Jordan’s bank” and “Prepare the way, O Zion.” When we sing Advent hymns their meaning is shaped by our subjective personal journeys toward Christmas. John the Baptist’s original message enjoining readiness was to the Jewish people. Only later was the promised gift of the Messiah to Israel made explicit as a gift of salvation for all intelligent creation. As my mother wisely responded to my question from her nine-year-old son- “Mom, are their people on other planets?” She said, “Son, I don’t know but if there are, Jesus went there to save them too.”

The preludes composed by Charles Tournemire (1898-1939) represent a rich French music repertoire of organ works specifically composed to accompany the liturgical actions of the Mass. His settings of the Introit & Offertoire for a Sunday in Advent are from his deeply spiritual collection of organ works entitled L’Orgue Mystique. They are compositions based on plainsong chant played where voices are not used to sing the chant but the organ music musically interprets the text and mood of the liturgical moment. Composed between 1927 and 1932, the music is haunting and of transcendent beauty written by a pious, unassuming genius. L’Orgue Mystique is one of the greatest single liturgical achievements in music history, and yet its utterances were little heard in the maelstrom of its time (between the world wars.)

This coming Sunday afternoon, December 6, 2015 come see Mt. Lebanon High School’s very own Percussion Ensemble at 4:00. The concert will be called “Holiday Bells, Mallets and Drums” and will feature the very finest in percussion music and musicians. Please come and support our young people, led by Rick Minotte and Jeremy Deluca. You will not want to miss this thrilling concert! A $10.00 donation is asked at the door.

The following week’s Friends of Music Guild Concert is especially for your Holiday enjoyment. On 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.

Douglas Starr, Director of Music and Arts