Some Pre-Christmas Articles From The Interwebs

Hat tip for all of the following, including the above photo about "the warning signs of Traditional Catholicism," [1] to Regina Magazine. That sentiment is buttressed by this encouraging article: Young people increasingly attracted to Gregorian chant. All they really need is exposure to chant, which is what we in RPC try to give them.

Next, check out this multi-lingual flash mob at the Cologne, Germany railroad station from WDR Rundfunkchor. (Sorry, I couldn't embed it.) I would so love to do something like this.

Sadly, here's the flip side of that video, a somber reminder that actions we take for granted can result in real, genuine persecution elsewhere in the world: Priests and seminarians arrested for singing Christmas carols in India. The last sentence is chilling: "Overall, more than 650 attacks on minority Christians have been reported in the Hindu-majority nation so far in 2017." How many weren't? Bear in mind we have sung for all three Indian priests stationed here in the Diocese of Reno: Fr. Jose ("Joes") Isaac of Holy Cross, Fr. Philip George of Immaculate Conception, and Fr. Thomas Babu of St. Michael's (Stead).

[1] In case you can't make out the writing, I'll start counterclockwise at the bottom right:

• Know the warning signs of Traditional Catholicism.
• "Your son has been practicing Gregorian chant again in our living room!"
• "I'm not angry. I just want to know where you got those copies of Fatima Crusader."
• 1 in 5 teenagers will experiment with Traditional Catholicism.
• "How long have you been attending the Latin Mass?"
• Scapulars are a gateway to Miraculous Medals.
• "I found this mantilla in your room. How could you?"

It's The Most Unhealthy Time Of The Year

(Source: publichealthmemes.tumblr.com)

The good news: Kathy's eye surgery got postponed.
The bad news: She had to power through yet another illness to lead us this past Sunday.
The worse news: Many of us also have been stricken with various illnesses; the choir loft was somewhat sparse. We can only hope and pray our illnesses cease or at least become minimized.

Still worthy of your prayers are Barbara Fanaris for her continuing back problems and Eleanor Walls for her complications from knee replacement surgery. Eleanor can use visitors at her nursing facility; contact Kathy for details for where she is.

I Said Watch The Director!

Kathy is obviously not the only one having trouble getting us to lift our heads out of the book every so often. On the other hand, it looks like we may have found her replacement for after she retires. (HT: Phyllis Young.)

Dec. 24: Christmas Eve

(Adoration of the Child, Giovani Bellini, from Wikimedia Commons.)

For the first time in recent memory, we will sing for 5 PM Christmas Eve Mass instead of on Christmas Day. 4:15 at the Cathedral. Pre-Mass carols excluded.

Introit: Hodie scietis

Kyrie (S, A, T, B), Gloria (S, A, T, B): Missa O Magnum Mysterium (Victoria)

Credo III (mp3)

Offertory: Tollite portas, principes; Tollite Hostias

Sanctus: Mass VIII

Agnus Dei: Missa O Quam Gloriosum (Victoria)

Communio: Revelabitur, Silent Night

Recessional: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night

Doctor Her Eyes

Please keep Kathy in your prayers as she will be undergoing a procedure to remove a lump from her right eye; she had a similar operation in September on her left eye. She still plans to be at our Gaudete Sunday Mass. As she put it, "Santa will be bringing me a black eye for Christmas." We need to make that into a carol of some sort.

She will need a lot of help from us afterward as she will not be able to bend over or lift anything. We'll need to carry all her usual stuff to and from the choir loft. More importantly, if you forgot any music, she will be unable to provide you with another copy.

Still touring today, Jackson Browne has had lots of FM airplay over the years with songs like "Running On Empty," "Boulevard," and a cover of "Stay," as well as the Top 10 hits "Somebody's Baby" from Fast Times At Ridgemont High, "Lawyers In Love," and the song to which the title of this post alludes, "Doctor My Eyes," which reached #8 all the way back in 1972. To date, Browne has sold over 18 million albums in the United States. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and campaigns for a number of environmental causes.

Dec. 17: Third Sunday of Advent

(Image from Orbis Catholicus Travel Blog.)

4:15 PM at the Cathedral.

Introit: Gaudete in Domino (T/B)

Kyrie (no Gloria), Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass XVII

Credo III (mp3)

Offertory: Benedixisti (S/A); Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming (S, A, T, B)

Communio: Dicite, Veni O Sapientia

Recessional: Veni, Veni Emmanuel/O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Better Late Than Never

Three years and 15 days ago, tenor Rob Bateman aroused the ire of the alto section with this Facebook post:

Well, today on FB he finally made an amends to Phyllis Young and the other altos with this:

Rob got it from the Association of Teachers of Singing (AOTOS). As a tenor myself, I'm laughing too much to be offended.

Life's Been Good To Him So Far...

...but it should be getting better soon for Joe Walsh.

No, not that Joe Walsh: this one! (He's on the right. Photo from St. Rose of Lima's Facebook page.)

Joseph Walsh will be ordained a priest on Friday, January 19 at 6:30 PM at St. Rose of Lima. He will then say his First Mass at 9:00 the following morning, also at St. Rose. Regina Pacis Cantorum has the distinct honor of singing for his First Mass. We sang for the Second Mass of Fr. Timothy O'Brien, FSSP in June 2015. Hope to see you there to support a new priest.

Dec. 3: First Sunday of Advent

4:15 PM at the Cathedral.

Introit: Ad te levavi

Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass XVII

Credo III

Offertory: Ad te Domine, Hark! A Herald Voice Is Calling

Communio: Dominus dabit, Creator Alme Siderum

Recessional: Savior of the Nations Come

Nov. 19: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

4:15 PM at the Cathedral. With Kathy walking us through "Euge serve fidelis" in the Communio, all I could think of was jazz saxophonist Euge Groove FROM!...Hagerstown, Maryland.

Introit: Dicit Dominus (S/A)

Kyrie, Gloria (mp3), Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass VIII

Credo III (mp3)

Offertory: De profundis (T/B), O Sanctissima

Communion: Domine, quinque talenta; Domine, non sum dignus/Miserere mei (Victoria)

Recessional: Praise To The Living God

Missa O Magnum Mysterium: Sound files

All hail the Choirparts YouTube channel for providing this most excellent resource, namely the Missa O Magnum Mysterium with individual parts emphasized. I'm going to include the Sanctus and Benedictus as well; we may or may not sing them during the Christmas season, so stay tuned.

Missa O Magnum Mysterium (Victoria):

• Kyrie (S, A, T, B)
• Gloria (S, A, T, B)
• Sanctus (S, A, T, B)
• Benedictus (S, A, T, B)
• Agnus Dei (S1, S2, A, T, B)

Make sure you bring your MOMM to this rehearsal (11/7) and all further rehearsals through the Christmas season. You don't have to bring your Mom to rehearsal...unless she can sing.

Here We Go Again

(Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows was "JanuBURIED" in this media photo from January 2017.)

It remains to be seen whether Winter 2017-18 will be anything in northern Nevada like Winter 2016-17, especially given the warm and dry October we just had. In any event, a strong winter storm is forecast for this weekend with snow possibly coming down to valley level. If necessary, use your best judgment about coming or not on Sunday the 5th to 5 PM Mass, but IF YOU ARE NOT COMING, LET KATHY KNOW BY PHONE OR EMAIL; she does NOT like surprises. Maybe this will be much ado about nothing, but we will see.

Sun. Nov. 5: 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Photo credit: Bogoslav Kuzmanoski, Logan Weiler III)

4:15 PM at the Cathedral. Personal issues have kept me from posting on here as often as I would like.

Before I run down the roster for this Mass, a quick reminder to listen to the Gowers Libera me sound file Kathy sent around, even if you think you know it, before Friday, Nov. 3. I cannot post it here because of copyright issues.

Introit: Ne derelinquas me

Kyrie, Gloria (mp3), Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass VIII

Credo III (mp3)

Offertory: Benedic anima mea, All Hail The Power Of Jesus' Name

Communion: Notas mihi fecisti vias vitas, Jesu dulcis memoria (Victoria: S, A, T, B)

Recessional: God We Praise You

We heps yu singz better hoomin muzik. Kthxbai.

Need help with your non-chant musical notation? Look no further than our fine furry friends, happy to help you out when they're not otherwise all over the interwebs:

Musical Notation, As Described By Cats

(Source: Trumpet Angst on Tumblr. Hat Tip: former RPCer Sarah Beasley.)

Oh, the title is written is my best LOLspeak, the invented language of LOLcats, er, "kittehs." Believe it or not, there is an effort to translate the entire Bible into LOLspeak. I'll only post as much as I think will not cause lightning to strike me:

Genesis 1: Boreded Ceiling Cat makinkgz Urf n stuffs

1 Oh hai. In teh beginnin Ceiling Cat [1] maded teh skiez An da Urfs, but he did not eated dem.

2 Da Urfs no had shapez An haded dark face, An Ceiling Cat rode invisible bike over teh waterz.

*Paul heads to confession

If you need help with "LOL," you might as well pack up your computer and return it now, er, nao, k?

[1] Usually a white cat, as opposed to "Basement Cat," usually a black cat.

Friday, Nov. 3: Extraordinary Form Mass of All Souls

5:30 PM (or as soon as you can arrive from work) at the Cathedral.

Miserere (Rossini)

Introit: Requiem aeternam (mp3)

Kyrie (mp3)

Gradual: Requiem aeternam (mp3)

Tract: Absolve, Domine (mp3)

Sequence: Dies irae

Offertory: Domine Jesu Christe (mp3), Miserere Illi Deus

Sanctus (mp3)

Agnus Dei (mp3)

Communio: Lux aeterna (mp3), Libera me (Gowers)

In Paradisum

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR MUSIC QUIETLY ON THE ORGAN AND EXIT IN SILENCE AFTER THE PROCESSION HAS LEFT THE CHURCH.

Oct. 22: 29th Sunday In Ordinary Time

Introit: Ego clamavi

Kyrie, Gloria (mp3), Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass VIII

Credo III (mp3)

Offertory: Meditabor, What Shall I Render To The Lord

Communion: Domine Dominus noster, Regnum Mundi (Gallus a.k.a. Handl)

Recessional: Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven

Oct. 8: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

(seeing how the readings are all about vineyards this Sunday...)

4:15 PM at the Cathedral. Remember:

1. The church doors will not open before 4 PM; and
2. Give Kathy room to arrange the chairs in the manner she sees fit.

Introit: In voluntate tua (T/B)

Kyrie, Gloria (mp3), Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass VIII

Credo III (mp3)

Offertory: Vir erat (S/A), Jerusalem My Happy Home

Communion: In salutare tuo, Ave Verum (Perosi)

Recessional: Christ Is Made The Sure Foundation

Welcome Back

Get those robes cleaned and ironed...it's time. From Kathy, with emphasis added:

Hope your summer was pleasant!

First of all, there is sad news.  Some of you are not aware that our superb alto, Bev, suffered the death of her husband, Tony, early in the summer.  Our sincere sorrow goes to Bev.  Those of you who have experienced this type of loss understand all that is involved.  May Tony rest in peace!

But on a joyous note, Eric and Theresa celebrated the baptism of their beautiful son, Noah, a couple of weeks ago.

Some of you have still not returned your music from last choir season.  Please turn in the music as soon as possible.  If you need another turn-in sheet, please let me know and I will forward one to you.

Choir rehearsals will resume Tuesday, September 26, in [our usual location].  7 PM, as in the past.

We are always in need of new people.  Please let me know if you are bringing or referring someone new so that I can prepare music.

I am willing to do the pre-rehearsal chant classes if anyone wants to do that.  I need to know soon, however, so that I can prepare for that as well.

I look forward to seeing you on the 26th!

Some notes on "Welcome Back, Kotter," a favorite show of my childhood:

The show lasted from 1975 to 1979. According to IMDB, it was originally going to be named just "Kotter," but that didn't give songwriter John Sebastian enough to go on for the theme song. Since part of the premise was that Gabriel Kotter was coming back to the high school where he had once been a "sweathog," Sebastian decided to focus on the words "welcome back." That became the name of the theme song, and the producers liked it so much that they changed the title to the one we all know and love. The song reached #1 on the Billboard charts.

By the final season, both Gabriel Kaplan and John Travolta had all but left the show, just making a few token appearances each. Travolta, of course, became a movie star via Saturday Night Fever and Grease, and continues to make movies to this day. Kaplan became a professional poker player. Marcia Strassman, who played Julie Kotter, passed away in 2014. Robert Hegyes (Juan Epstein) and Ron Palillo (Arnold Horshack) died within weeks of each other in 2012. Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (Freddie "Boom-Boom" Washington) made promos for the re-airing of WBK on MeTV.

I caught a few episodes when they aired on MeTV, and I still found them quite funny. I recently came across Kaplan's comedy album which was largely the basis for the show, but I passed on buying it. I would likely have to go to confession if I were to listen to the rest of it; Kaplan's comedy was quite off color. He joined the likes of Redd Foxx and, more recently, Steve Harvey who had to clean up their acts for television.

Singers Wanted for Triumph of the Cross / Summorum Pontifcum Anniversary

If you're available to sing for an Extraordinary Form High Mass on Thursday, September 14 at 6:30 PM at Holy Spirit Mission (not/not the Cathedral), please let Kathy know. She'll inform you where and when the remaining rehearsals are, as well as the call time on the 14th. This Mass is not only for the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross, but to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Summorum Pontificum, Pope Benedict XVI's elimination of restrictions on celebrating the Extraordinary Form Mass. Fr. Paul Fazio will be the celebrant.

The new RPC season will be starting soon. You can do some preseason workouts by bench-pressing the St. Michael's Hymnal a few times...if possible.

Why Kathy Wasn't Worried About The Eclipse

(Courtesy of Stevie Be Music.)

Square Note: A Review

It took me a while, but I just downloaded the Square Note chant app for my Android smartphone which I mentioned here; the icon appears above. I think it is more than worth the $2.99 I spent; in fact, this is the first app this tech cheapskate has spent any money on.

It has all the propers for the liturgical year, both NO and EF. It has all the ordinaries and many of the other chants we use throughout the year (Stabat Mater, Adoro Te Devote, Salve Regina, etc.). Although I do not believe Kathy would want you to do this on any regular basis, it can be a source of last resort when you forget to bring some or all of your music.

The only downside, and it isn't much of one, is that the app plays back midi-sounding files for the pieces instead of the voices on Corpus Christi Watershed et al. It plays them along with the notes flashing if you press the screen at the beginning or in any other section. I recommend against how it runs through, say, the Gloria Patri, however; that staccato is exactly what Kathy doesn't want.

Perhaps best of all, each app download benefits its creators, the Oblates of St. Joseph in the United States. It's available for both Android and iPhone.

Kathy at the Colloquium

Kathy will soon be returning from her Tradition Unlike Any Other, namely attending the Sacred Music Colloquium held this year in St. Paul, MN. Here are a few shots of her, courtesy of New Liturgical Movement:

I'm guessing the fisheye lens was necessary because the photographer was at the edge of the choir loft.

A better shot of Kathy.

Here, I believe she's the one in the sunglasses.

Totus Est

Thus endeth the 2016-17 Regina Pacis Cantorum season.

I'd say the biggest thing we had to contend with this year would be the weather. We prayed for years for an end to our drought, and boy, did we get it, starting with flooding in Reno, Sparks, and Carson City in January, and following with epic snowfall in the Sierras. The flooding even impacted our rehearsals as a flash flood broke out in our parking lot, and a February rehearsal was cancelled when rain instead of snow again hit the mountains.

We suffered a couple losses as benefactor LTG Martin Brandtner, USMC and former soprano Helen Carrico went to receive what we pray are their eternal rewards. Also, we will be dealing with some uncertainty next season as we learned the Franciscans will leave the Cathedral in April June 2018.

We managed to make it through the tension of a brutal election season still unified.

We had to take the Harbor Freeway to any harbor, back up 5 miles to the spoon in the road, and get out and cut off our Slausons just to get to Immaculate Conception while construction was going on at Pyramid Highway and McCarran Boulevard. (I miss Johnny Carson.)

We sang at St. Mary in the Mountains church in Virginia City for the first time, accompanied by a barely-in-tune organ and dozens of motorcycles.

And since we could not get out of the season without one more weather note, we left our robes home for today's heated Corpus Christi Mass while a wildfire raged just to the west of Kathy's house. Looks like her development will be safe, although her home did lose power.

Thanks to all of you who sang for making the season memorable, especially those who had never sung with us before. Thank you to Jennifer and Nancy for accompanying us on organ. Thank you to all the parishes and pastors who had us sing for them. Thank you to our patrons and benefactors, known and anonymous. And thanks most of all to the indefatigable Kathy, who almost singlehandedly keeps RPC going.

Enjoy the summer, and as I like to say, find something else to do on Tuesday nights for the next few months. See you in the fall! If you need some summer reading and listening, look here.

BTW, Kathy and I are filling in for the ailing Bob Buschine (who can still use your prayers) as cantors at the Cathedral's 5 PM Sunday Masses, at least until we start singing again.

Hot, Hot, Hot

With a forecast high temperature of 94 in Reno tomorrow, disrobing is authorized. Kathy has said we do not need to wear our robes for our final Mass, but we will still want to dress nicely; no jeans or T-shirts, please. Bring plenty of water. We can all therefore start cleaning our robes; unless you somehow were born with no sweat glands whatsoever, your robe is going to need it.

Make sure to hydrate over the next several days as well, as temperatures push toward 100 degrees. It could be worse; we could be in Las Vegas, where 120 is not out of the question next week. In case you forgot, Monday, June 12's high was 60 in Reno, and several inches of snow fell in the Sierras.

Just another June in Reno-Tahoe. (Photo: the wise guys at CHP Truckee. "Now if we could just get our base tan going," they said.)

Or Would He Play For The Sacramento Fracto Demum?

(Photo: nba.com)

A brief and humorous tangent into sports:

In a result that delighted many in our area, the Golden State Warriors just captured their second NBA title in three years over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who won the other one last year. As a result, many sports pundits are talking about whether the Cavaliers might retool themselves like the Warriors did last year, luring all-star Kevin Durant from the Oklahoma City Thunder. (The satirical Eye Of The Tiber has a funny related story here.)

While Cleveland's LeBron "King" James gets most of the limelight in Cleveland, his point guard has been essential to the team's success, namely, Kyrie Irving (above). That's right, "Kyrie." But he pronounces it "Ki-ree," not "Kee-ree-eh." It's not likely he would become expendable, but with a name like "Kyrie," how could we refuse him in our bass section?

Meanwhile in Baltimore...

(my and Sandy's hometown, in case you didn't know)

The National Shrine of St. Alphonsus Liguori, a.k.a. "Baltimore's Powerhouse of Prayer," is within walking distance of the Basilica of the Assumption, the oldest cathedral in the U.S. It has been the only church in the Baltimore area that offers Mass in the Extraordinary Form, an unfortunate situation considering Baltimore's rich Catholic history. Well, the Rorate Caeli blog reports that St. Alphonsus will continue to offer EF Masses thanks to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) taking it over.

Kathy tells me the FSSP is very much in demand, but unfortunately will not be coming to Reno anytime soon. We can always pray that will change; with absolutely no disrespect to those there now, could you imagine the FSSP in charge of Holy Spirit Mission, if not the Cathedral? Recall that we sang for Fr. Timothy O'Brien two years ago, just after he was ordained an FSSP priest.

Jun. 18: Corpus Christi

And then there was one. 4:15 PM at the Cathedral. We've done this Mass pretty much every year, but let us not become complacent.

Introit: Cibavit eos (T/B: mp3)

Kyrie, Gloria (mp3), Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass VIII

Sequence: Lauda Sion

Credo III (mp3)

Offertory: Portas coeli (S/A, mp3); Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All

Communio: Qui manducat, Sicut Cervus (Palestrina)

Closing: What Shall I Render To The Lord

What's The Password?

Unlike the speakeasy in Horse Feathers, there is no password that will get us into the Cathedral before 4 PM (for 5 PM Mass) anymore. Several of us had to wait outside until the custodian let us in.

This apparently will be the new normal, as a few particular sinners are ruining things for the rest of us sinners. Deacon Richard Ramm announced in the May 21 bulletin:

Thefts continue in the Cathedral. We are even losing items that are bolted to the wall. Until further notice, the church will be closed except for an hour before Masses.

THE CHURCH WILL OPEN:

Weekdays: ONE hour before each Daily Mass & on Thursdays for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. (11:00 AM-1:00 PM MTWF, THU 11:00 AM-6:45 PM)

Saturday: One hour before the morning Mass & from 2:00 PM until the end of the 5:00 PM Mass. (6:30-8:15 AM & 2:00-6:00 PM)

Sunday: ONE hour before the 7:30 AM Mass until after the 11:30 AM Mass & from 5:00 PM Mass until the end of the Spanish Mass. (6:30 AM-1:00 PM & 4:00-8:00 PM) [Emphasis mine; I also made some slight edits for readability]

As I discovered, not only do the cathedral doors have latches on the inside, they also have deadbolt locks that can only be operated with a key. So do not be late for call time (officially 4:15), but don't be too early either.

Thankfully, there was at least some air conditioning in the choir loft yesterday. May that also be the case at our June 18 season finale for Corpus Christi.

All Right, Hand It In

It's music turn-in time! Recall that Kathy gave you a manila envelope earlier this year; she distinctly asked you to keep it to facilitate turning your music in. If you don't have it, please get another one. Last year, she had us all put the leftover music in a box; to say the least, that didn't go very well. She wound up having to toss many sheets. Ergo, do not submit ANY loose sheets.

Please erase any pencil marks you make on each of these pieces of music unless you want Kathy to give you back the same copy next year or in a future year; in that case, put your name on the front of each piece in pencil.

Things To Turn In (Most Of Which Probably Should Have Been Turned In Sometime Over The Past Nine Months)

• Other Gospel Acclamation sheets besides SotY I
• Psalms in numerical order
• Propers (with the corresponding Communio inside)
• Holy Thursday or Easter Sunday booklets
• Hymns or motets in alphabetical order

Note: Do NOT turn in any music that will be used for Corpus Christi until then, June 18.

Things NOT To Turn In (That Is, You Keep Them)

• Adoremus
• St. Michael's Hymnal
• Parish Book of Chant
• Liber Cantualis
• St. Gregory Hymnal*
• Chormisik der Caecilianer* (the "green book")
• Chants of the Roman Missal* (English)
• Sheet music of:
• Asperges Me/Vidi Aquam
• The eight Gloria Patri tones*
• Gospel Acclamations, Sundays of the Year I
• Memorial Acclamation*
• Repleatur
• Tutorial sheets on:
• Latin pronunciation (vowels, consonants)
• Solfege
• Mechanics of the Chant/Gregorian Chant Notation
• Any personal copies of any music (throw away/recycle; please don't confuse Kathy)
• Any schedule printouts (likewise)

*If you have it; not everyone does.

From Graduale to Godspell

I was born as Vatican II ended and received little catechesis in my schooling, even though the majority of my time was spent in Catholic schools. I barely even knew what Gregorian chant was, although our parish choir did sing some polyphony. But our "folk group" played "One Tin Soldier," "Blowin' In The Wind," and their own composition "It's Fine Today." I sobbed in my pew when I heard "Day By Day" from Godspell [1] played for Communion, but I wonder whether I was having a Jesus moment or just a purely emotional reaction.

Most Masses these days have no one my age in the congregation; I don't think that's a coincidence. You won't either when you read this from Crisis: Abandoning Latin Changed Liturgical Music...for the Worse.

Note how the author refers to Tra le Sollecitudini, Pope St. Pius X's attempt to put chant and polyphony back into prominence a century ago when profane masses and other music were seeping into the Liturgy. I discussed that a bit here.

I'll spoil the money quote from the article:

Mass is not supposed to make me musically comfortable—it’s supposed to make me more holy. [2]

Amen.


[1] If you can handle seeing the 1973 film version of Godspell, you won't be able to watch it as you did pre-9/11. For one thing, in the above photo the ensemble is performing the closing part of "All For The Best" atop the North Tower of the World Trade Center, 1,350 feet above street level. It's impossible not to notice the Towers, still under construction at the time, throughout the film.

Some other quick Godspell trivia:

• I once met Victor Garber ("Jesus"), who went on to have a prominent role in Titanic. 
• Lynne Thigpen, who belted out "Bless The Lord," became better known as "Chief" on Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?, but passed away way too soon in 2003.
• Playing the piano in many of the movie numbers was a young keyboardist named Paul Shaffer, who later became David Letterman's bandleader and sidekick.

[2] Emphasis as in the original.

Meanwhile in Nebraska...

Another chant album is topping the Billboard classical charts, and this one comes from the FSSP priests of Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary near Lincoln, NE. In Saecula Saeculorum also includes several polyphonic pieces such as Palestrina's Alma Redemptoris Mater and Adoramus Te; you can hear samples at the album link.

More from SFGate here.

A Sacred Music Podcast

Not with Patrick Stewart, but with Fr. David Friel, courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed.

June 4: Pentecost

4 PM at the Cathedral. Pray we feel just a little of the air conditioning. Tongues of fire may not do us much good in the loft.

Introit: Spiritus Domini

Kyrie, Gloria, Agnus Dei: Missa Prima (Haller; mp3s)

Sequence: Veni Sancte Spiritus

Credo III

Offertory: Confirma hoc; Breathe On Me, Breath of God

Sanctus: Mass VIII

Communio: Factus est repente; Confirma hoc, Deus (Aichinger; click the yellow midi icon)

Recessional: Come Holy Ghost (handout)

May 28: Ascension Thursday Sunday

8 AM at St. Peter Canisius. Bring your Green Book to rehearsals. Note too we are singing a Latin Offertory, not an English one. 😎

Introit: Viri Galilei

Kyrie: Green Book, #21 (Haller)

Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass I

Offertory: Ascendit Deus, Hail The Day That Sees Him Rise (S, A, T, B) (Adoremus)

Communio: Panis Angelicus (Palestrina)

Recessional: Alleluia! Sing To Jesus

May 21: 6th Sunday of Easter

4 PM at the Cathedral. Here we go down the home stretch for this season!

Introit: Vocem jucunditatis

Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass VIII

Credo III

Offertory: Benedicite gentes, O Holy Spirit Come To Us

Communio: Non vos relinquam, If Ye Love Me (Tallis) -- S, A, T, B

Recessional: Hail The Day That Sees Him Rise (S, A, T, B)

May 7: 4th Sunday of Easter

4 PM at the Cathedral.

Introit: Misericordia Domini

Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei (no Gloria): Mass XVII

Credo III

Offertory: Deus, Deus meus; Be Joyful, Mary Heavenly Queen (SMH)

Communio: Ego sum pastor bonus, Panis Angelicus (Palestrina)

Recessional: At The Lamb's High Feast We Sing (SMH)

Today at St. Mary In The Mountains: A Photo Essay

We had the honor of singing before a comparatively small congregation at St. Mary in the Mountains Church in Virginia City, the first time RPC has sung there. One reason why it was a small congregation (although it wasn't as small as the photo implies, taken before rehearsal started):

We were accompanied by dozens of off-road motorcycles for the Virginia City Grand Prix. (Photo: KTVN.) Truth be told, the sound they made was no worse than the sirens, buses, and motorcycles we hear when singing at the Cathedral.

Kudos to Jennifer for figuring out how to make the aging and out-of-tune organ not sound like someone just scored a goal at a hockey game.

There was plastic sheeting all over the choir loft because of leaks in the roof. Remember, for a time there was no choir loft after the "mad monks" tore it out in a fit of iconoclasm in the late 1950s.

At the end of Mass, a couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary renewed their vows. Congratulations!

Other photos:

Bass Mark Deutschendorf, fresh from his 5K Downtown River Run earlier that morning, snapped this nice exterior shot of St. Mary's.

Alto Phyllis Young added this picture of the stained-glass windows adorning the stairway from the choir loft.

Thank you for having us, Fr. Anton Sommer, and we hope you'll bring us back someday! (Maybe when the motorcycle races aren't going on...)

A Chant App

(That caption may or may not be a reflection on us tenors and basses from Tuesday...)

Square Note is a new smartphone Gregorian chant app. From its description:

Square Note puts a huge library of Gregorian Chant scores—over 600 unique chants and counting—right at your fingertips. Always wanted to learn how to read square note notation? Always wondered how to find all the amazing Gregorian Chants of the Catholic Church? Square Note brings the ancient music of the Church to your mobile devices, ready for you to utilize in your schola, your choir, or your home.

Available for iPhone or Android for $2.99. HT: New Liturgical Movement.

Apr. 30: 3rd Sunday of Easter

10:45 at St. Mary in the Mountains, Virginia City. Parking may be difficult because of the Virginia City Grand Prix going on that weekend, so the earlier you arrive, the better. Carpooling is a good idea.

At least you only have to bring Adoremus. The SMH doesn't like the higher altitude.

Introit: Jubilate Deo (T/B)

Kyrie, Gloria: Missa Prima (Haller)

Offertory: Lauda anima mea (S/A), At the Lamb's High Feast

Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass XVIII

Communio: Surrexit Dominus (we will not be singing any verses); Ye Sons and Daughters Of The Lord (unison); O Lord, I Am Not Worthy

Recessional: Christ The Lord Is Risen Today