A comment on the previous post warms me against playing my Lute in Church, well I am going to do it!
The very next time we sing Vespers on a feast of the Blessed Virgin, providing there are five coped cantors in choro and we have 16 cembalini on either side of the Church and a band of sackbutts and cornetts in the gallery. What is good enough for Monteverdi in San Marco, is good enough for us in St Mary Magdalen. Anyone know where you hire a jobbing Patriarch?
And I want this to precede Vespers - glorious
Any sponsors?
6 comments:
I literaly bumped into a gentleman in Gloucester Cathedral close during the Three Choirs Festival last Summer after a preformance of the Monteverdi Vespers who said "the only dimension missing was hearing it in the liturgical setting for which it was written." I said " Ah.....but where would you find that in England today?" He had a glink in his eye and said, "Not in the Catholic Church, but I belong to an Anglican Church three steps right of the Pope, and well...."
On reflection I'm not sure he is quite right that you wouldn't find it anywhere in a Catholic Church in England and Wales. The music used in the Holy Week liturgies at the Birmingham Oratory was quite splendid..Good Friday evening...O Crux Ave, Palestrina; Salvator Mundi, Tallis; Ave Maria, Cornyshe; Stabat Mater, Pergolesi; Civitas Santi Tui, Byrd; In Manus Tuas, Sheppard, along with motets by J. S. Bach and all beautifully sung.
Father,
It is a crime against God and man that this ecstatic ethereal music is not available in all our churches.
Our people are starving for want of proper liturgy.
Abundant blessings to you! Gratias tibi.
Padre Cusick
mcitl.blogspot.com
Ben should be able to supply the jobbing Patriarch.
Fr Ray, I can't believe you are going to play the guitar in church. How Nouvus Ordo of you! Do you know KumByAye or Peter rode his boat ashore, Alleluia!?
I remember "performing" the Vespers of 1610 when still a chorister. The shuffling around dusty galleries in the dark was a highlight! Pergolesi's Vespers are pretty spectacular, too.
Serious suggestion - why not contact the University of Sussex Music Faculty and ask if they have any keen amateurs in ancient music and make your suggestion. There might be just a group who would welcome the chance to play for you. Worth asking.
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