When RPCers Get Married

RPC tenor Ricky Delacruz and former [1] RPC soprano Leslie Kuc are tying the knot this coming weekend! They're having a small, private service, but as I suggested to Ricky, the TMZ drones will provide coverage for the rest of us. They've selected Thailand as their honeymoon destination.

Congratulations and all God's blessings to you both! Ubi caritas and all that.

[1] By "former" I mean "welcome back anytime."

Thu. June 4: Corpus Christi

5:30 PM Solemn High Mass at Holy Spirit Mission, Washoe Valley.

This is the traditional date of Corpus Christi; Catholics in many countries regard it as the third most solemn day behind Easter and Christmas. It is the First Mass for Fr. Timothy O'Brien, FSSP, who is being ordained on May 30.

Introit: Cibavit eos

Kyrie: Missa IV Toni

Gloria: Mass IV (mp3)

Gradual: Oculi omnium

Alleluia: Caro mea vere

Sequence: Lauda Sion

Credo IV (mp3; as Kathy said, there are more Credos than III)

Sanctus, Benedictus: Missa Brevis (Marxer/Rossini)

Agnus Dei: Missa IV Toni

Communio: Quotiescumque (mp3)

Processional: Pange Lingua (note: final 2 verses of Pange Lingua will be sung at the first and second altars and when returning to the chapel before Benediction)

Processional from first to second altar: Adoro Te Devote

Processional from second altar to chapel: Ave Verum Corpus

Closing: Holy God, We Praise Thy Name (S, A, T, B)

Tempo! Or, Get Your Head Out Of The Music

Kathy is always reminding us to remember to keep the tempo going with our chants and not slow down after each full bar. For our polyphonic pieces, Sandy found this helpful tempo guide:

Victor Borge defined accelerando as, "Hurry up, the conductor skipped a page."

Another RPC'er In The News: Answered Prayers For Rain

(Image from KTVN)

We've still got a long way to go to offset the effects of our nearly four-year drought, but the rains of the past week certainly won't hurt; thank you, Jesus! Who better to discuss the short- and long-term impacts of our Seattle-esque week than National Weather Service meteorologist and RPC bass Mark Deutschendorf?

KTVN story: Where We Stand Now In Our Drought After Recent Rains

(Trivia: The late John Denver's real name was Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. He was no relation to Mark, as far as we know.)

Crescendo-ing To A Big Finish

Remember how uncrowded our schedule was back in January? Well, it's gotten packed to finish out our season, and I will reflect these changes in the calendar.

We're in the midst of an unusual stretch for us, singing at five Masses in the span of less than five weeks. Three of these Masses are on successive Sundays, and the last two are on consecutive nights: Thursday, June 4 for the traditional celebration of Corpus Christi [1] at Holy Spirit Mission; and Friday, June 5 for the First Friday Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart at the Cathedral (don't forget to print out your music for this Mass if you are able).

All this is requiring extra rehearsals for those of us who are participating, but, as Kathy told me, you then have the whole summer to rest up.

[1] No, Catholics, you still have to go to Mass on Sunday, June 1st also.

ETA: Actually, the Sacred Heart Mass is for those members who can, or were asked to, participate, but it is not/not an official RPC activity. Thanks to Kristin and Kathy for pointing that out. You see, I never miss a thing...except when I do.

May 24: Pentecost

At the Cathedral, 4 PM.

Introit: Spiritus Domini

Kyrie: Missa IV Toni (Victoria)

Gloria: Mass VIII

Sequence: Veni Sancte Spiritus

Credo III

Offertory: Confirma hoc

Come Down, O Love Divine

Sanctus: Mass VIII

Agnus Dei: Missa IV Toni (Victoria; we're singing the 5-part "miserere nobis," then pausing, then singing the chant portion (not shown here), then the 5-part "dona nobis pacem." This version is done in a lower key.)

Communio: Factus est repente

Factus est repente (Aichinger; midi file)

Recessional: Come Holy Ghost

The Return Of The Keyboard

Kathy's "trusty dusty" [1] PT-80 Casio keyboard is back and as good as new, thanks to a thorough cleaning from an electronics repair shop. She said it was hard to find someone who would do it, but apparently the technician who agreed to do it got rid of lots of "crud" inside that was making the keys stick, among other problems.

So now we have three keyboards, including both this Casio SA-39 and this Casio SA-76 that I found last summer and somehow thought were the same size as the PT-80. Kathy had been using the SA-76 which has many nice features and a great sound. But it's far heavier than the PT-80, so much so it made Kathy's music stand slowly shorten during rehearsal or Mass.

Nowadays, smartphone keyboard and pitch pipe apps are making these keyboards unnecessary, but Kathy neither has nor wants a smartphone.

[1] Or, as several eBay sellers describe the PT-80, "vintage."

May 17: Ascension Thursday Sunday

At St. Peter Canisius, 8 AM.

Introit: Viri Galilei

Kyrie: Missa IV Toni (Victoria)

Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass I

Offertory: Men of Galilee

Communio: Panis Angelicus (Lambilotte) (S, A, T, B)

Recesional: Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven (midi file)

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles...

The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) in the Los Angeles area has created a parish in which the Masses are all in the Extraordinary Form. They don't have a permanent home yet, but the Masses are being said in two locations. Kudos to Archbishop Gomez for allowing this to happen.

HT: Corpus Christi Watershed

May 10: 6th Sunday of Easter

4 PM at the Cathedral. This is also the 41st anniversary of Fr. Paul Fazio's ordination. It will be our honor to sing for him.

Introit: Vocem jucunditatis

Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass VIII

Credo III

Offertory: Benedicite gentes
O Sanctissima

Communio: Ego vos elegi
Alma Redemptoris Mater (Palestrina; by Fr. Paul's request) (S, A, T, B; this version has the tenors intoning the first measure, but both the tenors and basses are doing so for us)

Recessional: Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven (midi file)

Red Mass Post Mortem

(Photo by Gwen Linde)

It was a singular honor for us to sing at the Red Mass, and we did well for ourselves in front of a packed Cathedral full of distinguished clergy and Nevada's leaders from all three branches of government, not just the judiciary. We got many kudos from the attendees, especially at the post-Mass reception.

Did you see the program (PDF) for the Mass? It was very well produced, and it included music for the ordinaries that we sang.

Thanks for putting up with the heat, the bell accompanying us throughout the Introit, and having to park in Verdi (well, I did at least). We thank cantor Brandon Connell (our fill-in director earlier this year) and organist Jim Poulton for their contributions.