Holy Week must haves

[Nick Baty]

...if we were to have a thread asking what innovations were made this Holy Week...

Perhaps we should start one!

[mcb]

Creative innovation ... ensure that there is at least one new piece of music during this period, preferably using one technical musical and/or textual innovation that has not been tried before in one's celebrations.

Looking at our Holy Week programme, I can see that the innovations, qua things we actually did for the first time during Holy Week, were mainly choral items (Mueller, Hosanna to the Son of David; Dubra, O Crux Ave, Morales, Vidi Aquam). The only new item which involved the assembly was the Responsorial Psalm for Holy Thursday evening, where we did the setting by Dom Gregory Murray for the first time.

The imbalance is deliberate - for one thing it makes sense for the people's repertoire to evolve more slowly than the choir's, and for another, I think Holy Week probably just isn't the time to launch new things. (Except, of course, for things that are only appropriate for Holy Week, such as the appropriate Psalm responses.)

I'd like to think we do our bit as far as Thomas's creative innovation is concerned! But Ordinary Time seems to work much better for it than other seasons.

[Nick Baty]

I believe in planning backwards – start at the great feasts and see what can be introduced earlier in the year. For example, if you fancy a new Ubi Caritas for Maundy Thursday, there are plenty of opportunities to introduce it earlier in the year. There's a lot to be said for planning a year in advance!

[Southern Comfort]

I think Holy Week probably just isn't the time to launch new things. (Except, of course, for things that are only appropriate for Holy Week, such as the appropriate Psalm responses.)

I'd like to think we do our bit as far as Thomas's creative innovation is concerned! But Ordinary Time seems to work much better for it than other seasons.

In principle I agree with this. But I also think that congregations are used to lots of things being different during Holy Week. They subconsciously expect the once-a-year stuff and new things too. And if we have trusted them by giving them a steady diet of new things during the year, they rise to the challenge. But they do need to know that we trust them.

I think the ongoing relationship that we have with our people is half the battle. When I say a steady diet, I mean just enough and not too much. And I think that when they know that we are genuinely serious about their participation, and are not just tossing sops to them (and mcb, I know you were not saying that, but that's what some people tend to do), they do respond to being engaged and involved and — trusted.

My two penn'orth.

[mcb]

I think the ongoing relationship that we have with our people is half the battle.

Agreed, and it's something I work hard at. But there's a time and a place to lead them in new material, and somehow for me Holy Week isn't it. It's no coincidence that the one time of the year (Christmas midnight apart) when I don't take the assembly through new music before the beginning of the celebration is the Triduum.

they rise to the challenge

For me, it's the wrong time to issue challenges. We've had long periods of Ordinary Time to do it Nick's way, that is, to introduce new things long before it's essential that they be known well and sung with conviction.

[pdsfd]

Well, in 2009, this is what our parish had:

Palm Sunday

Opening: All Glory, Laud and Honour
Processional: Ride on ride on in majesty
Communion: My song is love unknown
Recessional: Hail Redeemer, King Divine (I think)

Mass of the Lord's Supper:

Opening: Day is done
Gloria: George Salazar
Washing of Feet: A New Commandment
Communion: This is My Body
Procession: Pange Lingua/Tantum Ergo

Celebration of the Lord's Passion:

Prayers of Intercession: Jesus, remember me
Veneration of the Cross: When I survey, Lord Jesus think on me
Communion: God of mercy and compassion, How great thou art

Easter Vigil:

Exsultet: Christ, be our light (Easter version)
After 1st reading (Genesis 1): Send forth your spirit, oh Lord (don't know the name of the tune we used, but I like it)
After 2nd reading (Exodus 14-15): I will sing to the Lord, glorious his triumph
After 3rd reading (Isaiah 55): There is a river, that never shall run dry (hymn)
Gloria: George Salazar
Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! Give thanks to the risen Lord
Sprinkling of water: Water of life
Communion: Now the green blade riseth
Recessional: Thine be the Glory

Easter Sunday:

Processional: Jesus Christ is risen today
Gloria: George Salazar
Sprinkling of water: Water of life
Recessional: Battle is o'er

I think the musical choices made by our PP, organist and music group that year were probably the best I can remember at our parish. Day is done works well on Maundy Thursday as a beautiful and very solemn hymn, reminding the congregation of the love the Lord has for us, even though not specifically related to the Lord's Supper or Passion. I particularly like God of mercy and compassion for Good Friday, though it doesn't seem to be sung much nowadays. I don't know the settings of the psalms we had at the Vigil, but we've had them for years and they suit that part of the Mass very well. I like Stephen Dean's hymn for the sprinkling of water (Water of life) very much and the same goes for Bernadette Farrell's Christ be our light, this version written specifically for the Easter Vigil. Thine be the Glory is to my mind by far the best choice for the final hymn of the Vigil, but that year, for once, we ended Mass on Easter Sunday not with this hymn, but with Battle is o'er to the tune 'Surrexit'. It worked rather well - as well as the superbly rhyming 3rd lines, I find the tune slightly mysterious (in a good way).

[gwyn]

I particularly like God of mercy and compassion for Good Friday, though it doesn't seem to be sung much nowadays.

Indeed, pdsfd, this can be the case in many parishes where good, solid hymns stuffed with good, solid catholic truths are sometimes sidelined in favour of perhaps more runny alternatives. Wait about though, I think it'll sort.

Thanks for your post. I, and I'm sure the other forum posters, look forward to your continued input.

[mcb]

Well, in 2009, this is what our parish had

Thanks, pdsfd. Have things not been so good in the last three years, then?

as well as the superbly rhyming 3rd lines

It's great to get to the end of the Easter Sunday morning Mass and sing never tiring be our choiring, and not have to mean it for a few days!

[musicus]

A warm welcome to the forum, pdsfd!

[gwyn]

It's great to get to the end of the Easter Sunday morning Mass and sing never tiring be our choiring, and not have to mean it for a few days!

Luv-it-to-death

[pdsfd]

Well, in 2009, this is what our parish had

Thanks, pdsfd. Have things not been so good in the last three years, then?

as well as the superbly rhyming 3rd lines

It's great to get to the end of the Easter Sunday morning Mass and sing never tiring be our choiring, and not have to mean it for a few days!

Thanks for the welcome everyone.

The new PP came in later that year and he has had different ideas for Holy Week/Triduum music which I respect but personally I'm not that struck. We still have Thine be the Glory at the end of the Easter Vigil (and Easter Sunday again after a one year break), but for example this year we didn't sing All Glory, Laud and Honour or My song is love unknown at any point during Holy Week. We don't have any singing on Good Friday and the Easter Vigil psalms are now said rather than sung - the only singing during the Easter Vigil is an Offertory hymn, Communion hymns and the Recessional, as well as the Gloria, Gospel Acclamation and Sanctus/Memorial Acclamation/Lamb of God. The PP now sings the Exsultet rather than the congregation singing the joyful Christ be our Light - although I hear this is the 'proper' way of doing it. Sprinkling of Water is now observed with music, rather than a hymn (albeit to the tune of Water of life). Maundy Thursday started with O Bread of Heaven which, while related to the Eucharist and therefore this Mass, doesn't give the same feeling for me of the Lord's love and sacrifice on this night compared to Day is done. We sang Of the glorious Body telling during the procession, to the same tune as Lord accept the gifts we offer. The PP then sang, unaccompanied, Tantum Ergo once kneeling at the Blessed Sacrament. We also don't sing A New Commandment anymore; I've always liked this - simple but also very deep and effective. Still, at least this year and last year we opened Easter Sunday with Jesus Christ is risen today - in 2010 we opened with Alleluia sing to Jesus which I'm not a massive fan of.

One thing I wish would be different is the frequent use of mediocre Offertory hymns such as All that I am and In bread we bring you Lord during Easter. It would be suitable enough to insert a good Easter hymn here such as Now the green blade riseth.

[docmattc]

The PP now sings the Exsultet rather than the congregation singing the joyful Christ be our Light - although I hear this is the 'proper' way of doing it...

One thing I wish would be different is the frequent use of mediocre Offertory hymns such as All that I am and In bread we bring you Lord during Easter.

I use the Farrell vigil setting of CBOL as an offertory piece at the vigil. I see it as a congregational response to the news of the resurrection, echoing both of the exsultet and the Gospel.


My must haves:
John Ainslie's "The Glory of the Cross", Pange Lingua (either Latin or venacular), Ubi caritas, Thine be the Glory, O Fillii et Filliae, McGuiness Exsultet (when it was allowed)

[nazard]

...
One thing I wish would be different is the frequent use of mediocre Offertory hymns such as All that I am and In bread we bring you Lord during Easter. It would be suitable enough to insert a good Easter hymn here such as Now the green blade riseth.

Welcome (or Croeso if you prefer). For offertory during Easter you could try "At the Lamb's high feast we sing." For the organist it's not nearly as difficult as it looks. Congregations find it easy too, ours learned it very quickly a few years back.

[VML]

I am afraid my Holy Week 'must have' has been rounding the whole thing off with a beautiful Easter Sunday Mass in a packed church, after all the Triduum solemnities, and the beauty of the Vigil.
This time last year, when I asked PP if there was anything he particularly wanted over HW&E, he told me that the 'other' music group, had already planned Easter Sunday, as it was 'their' Sunday: They cover 1st and 3rd of each month. I asked him about organ music for Easter. He said 'It's not about the organ is it?'
And suggested that as I have done it for many years they should have a go. Unfortunately I am the only organist, so that's the way it has worked since the last organist moved away.
Fine, but they are not willing to commit to a Triduum or any practice times apart from a few minutes before Mass. And now I have to go through the whole tortuous process again. And I really don't think it is good practice to have the Easter Sunday Psalm improvised at the lectern to 12 string guitar. Surely someone should be allowed to hear it before hand?

Rant over, sorry.

[organist]

My Holy Week is divided between Westminster cathedral which is always splendid and a small Anglo-Catholic church with a choir of 3 or 4 if you are lucky. However we will be singing the psalms on Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil - the rest is good solid NEH hymnody and the Murray setting which we sing every week except Christmas season when we adapt Leftly Sing to God a song of glory. I'd like to bring in some changes but am now facing an interregnum after Easter!
The C of E do thngs very badly with little consideration for their clergy or people. We do have Celebration hymnal old edition and in the past they seem to have sung all sorts of interesting things!
my must haves are When I survey, O sacred head, My song is love unknown and Thine be the glory and a grand organ voluntary on Easter Day and end of the Vigil. I used to play Howells Saraband for the morning of Easter. As it will be the priest's last Sunday I think a grand toccata is called for! We wll miss him - he was on the stage and is dramatic!