Songs & Updates for Saturday, March 28, 2015

This Saturday is Palm Sunday, the official start of Holy Week.

Mass, overall, went pretty well last week. Songs such as 'Dust and Ashes', 'Be Merciful, O Lord', 'Only This I Want' and 'Change Our Hearts' all sounded really good. The prelude was a bit messy, Father started the Penitential Act without without giving us a cue, and Communion got off to a bumpy start (and ended too abruptly), but there otherwise weren't any serious issues. Thanks to all involved -- it was great to be at nearly full-strength again!

At rehearsal, we had a bite to eat and worked through this week's Psalm, 'My God, My God', and Offertory piece 'Behold the Cross'. We also blew the dust off of 'Increase Our Faith', which we'll use as a prelude at the end of April. We'll likely hold off on doing any more work on this until after Holy Week.

At the Triduum Planning Meeting last night (3/23), we sorted out what's happening for Holy Week. Music highlights are below:

• We are covering the 2 PM Good Friday mass (the 7 PM service is Stations of the Cross) and the 9 AM Easter Sunday mass in the Parish Hall with Father Charlie.

• The program for Good Friday is almost exactly the same as the one from last year (none of the song selections have changed). The only addition is Father asked us to play something instrumental at the very end of the mass when people are starting to leave (perhaps 'Where You There'). I will, however, make some changes to the program for Easter Sunday.

• Father would like the Choirs to introduce a new song starting Easter Vigil, GC 432, ‘Resucito’ (English verses). It will be programmed as either a Communion or Preparation song for not only the Easter Vigil/Easter Sunday masses, but also for all six weeks of the Easter season.

• Our Psalm for all six weeks of the Easter season will be SS 82, 'This is the Day'.

• We will be sticking with Mass of Remembrance through the end of the Easter season. Starting on Easter Vigil, the Penitential Rite will be replaced with the Gloria and the Lenten Gospel Acclamation will be swapped for the regular Gospel Acclamation.

• We've also been given the OK to use different lyrics for the Lamb of God (Lamb, Bread, Prince, Lamb) rather than repeating 'Lamb' four or more times.

• Finally, I've been asked to coordinate with Barb H. and Barb P. to invite musicians from all three groups to be involved in all Holy Week masses. We've done this informally anyway for quite a while, but Father wants to make it official.

The Community Penance Service is being held tonight (3/24) -- I believe Barb's group is covering, so feel free to join in the singing.

Our two biggest pieces this week are 'My God, My God' and 'Behold the Cross'. The challenge will be to make sure transitions between verses and refrain are smooth and follow the ink. Instrumentalists, please be sure to look these songs over.

Maggie and Karina are out this week.

There will be practice after mass from 6:30-8:30 PM. Jim is bringing dinner. The plan is to review the music for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. If we don't have enough time to go through everything, we may need to put a Wednesday practice on the board next week. Please let me know of your availability to stay.
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UPDATE (3/24): [email from Barb] Just saw Fr. and asked him to verify what is going on with music for Palm Sunday.  There are a couple changes:

The ministers will enter in silence.  Then instead of a 'Gathering Song' in the song sheet, it will be called 'The Procession of Palms', during which the choir should sing GC #486  The King of Glory

The Closing Song should be GC# 397, Tree of Life

UPDATE (3/25): in looking at the final program for Saturday, one other notable change is we'll sing 'Were You There' before, during, and after the reading of the Passion (immediately prior to the Homily). This will be in place of the Lenten Gospel Acclamation.

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Here are the songs for Saturday:

Gathering:
GC 381 - Dust and Ashes

Procession of Palms:
GC 486 - The King of Glory
Materials (sheet music)

Penitential Rite:
Mass of Remembrance

Response (Jonathan):
GC 29 - My God, My God (Psalm 22)
Materials (audio) (sheet music)

Lenten Gospel Acclamation:
Mass of Remembrance
GC 416 - Were You There

Offertory:
SS 172 - Behold the Cross
Materials (audio) (sheet music)

Holy, Holy, Holy:
Mass of Remembrance
Materials (audio) (sheet music)

Eucharistic Acclamation:
Mass of Remembrance
Materials (audio) (sheet music)

Eucharistic Doxology:
Mass of Remembrance
Materials (audio) (sheet music)

Lamb of God:
Mass of Remembrance
Materials (audio) (sheet music)

Communion:
GC 697 - Unless a Grain of Wheat
Materials (audio) (sheet music)

Closing:
GC 394 - Change Our Hearts
GC 397 - Tree of Life
Materials (sheet music)

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