Washing of Feet

oopsorganist · Post by **oopsorganist** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 4:18 pm

We are planning to sing

"The servant song" (Will you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you)

and if necessary

"This is my will my one command" during the washing of feet on Holy Thursday. I am meeting opposition from some members of the music group who like

"My soul is sad....will you not watch one hour with me" which is a nice if rather sentimental song We are planning to sing the Taize Ubi Caritas for the Offertory Procession.

I think this does not fit here in this part of the service. We had the same argument last year! Any ideas out there? I said I would ask online.

Merseysider · Post by **Merseysider** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 5:10 pm

oopsorganist wrote:"My soul is sad....will you not watch one hour with me"

Couldn't you keep 'em all happy and have this as the final piece of music â€“ a prelude into the "Watching". Fade out at the end. Perfect place for something sentimental and good words too... We're using TaizÃ©'s "Stay with me..." at this point.

mcb · Post by **mcb** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 6:23 pm

oopsorganist wrote:I think this does not fit here in this part of the service.

I quite agree, oops: your choices are much better. The Missal gives texts for antiphons here which are all on the themes of love and following our Lord's example, which is what your choices explore. The time for a song recalling our Lord's words in the garden might be later, during the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at the end of the Mass. (There's no requirement to sing at that stage, but I think it can be an aid to reflection.)

Ubi Caritas is just right for the Preparation of the Gifts. The hymn of this name is what's suggested in the Missal.

Keep up the good work! I hope you can find a way to persuade your music group of the wisdom of your choices. Maybe the Missal is a better authority than opinions garnered on line? You'll find it supports you, anyway.

M.

oopsorganist · Post by **oopsorganist** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 7:32 pm

Thanks Mersysider and MCB

I'll stick to the published choices. It's been displayed in the porch for three weeks and people have had time to request or comment and now it is just too late. We are hoping to sing 7 Psalms on Saturday. And that is enough of a challenge for this Tridium. The new cantor has five days to learn the Exultet so it really is quite exciting for us all. Joyfully, this morning we processed to "We have a King who rides on a donkey" to the tune of "What shall we do with a drunken sailor" with lots of our primary school littlies waving palms and walking before the priest and servers. I was well happy to see this happen. Our music is not polished but oh boy, it is lively!

We always (!?!?) sing "Pange Lingua Sacramentum" if that is the spelling, during procession to the side altar and "Tantum Ergo", that was another debate, as our convert cried, "but I don't understand Latin!" to which we explained that we did not either......but could provide a translation in the hymn book. Lesson of today, always choose music well before the event and write it in stone. Then deny any responsibility for the choices made and run like mad.

Scrummy · Post by **Scrummy** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:32 am

Always gone for Walker 'Faith, Hope and Love'

congregation really liked it. also has 'Ubi Caritas' verses for Offertory but that would be overkill.

One of the best Ubi Caritas settings I have ever used is by Chris McCurry

gwyn · Post by **gwyn** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:02 am

Bob Hurd's setting of Ubi Caritas is delicious and not too challenging.

docmattc · Post by **docmattc** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:22 am

Gwyn wrote:Bob Hurd's setting of Ubi Caritas is delicious and not too challenging.

I agree Gwyn. However I'm sticking with the Taize this year (for offertory)as the congregation know it and I don't want to over do the new stuff. (plus I loose a significant proportion of the choir when the decide to go away for easter!

) Its certainly on the 'to do' list though.

We're doing "A new commandment" for the washing of feet, its not a wonderful piece and is arguably getting past its sell by date, but some of the congregation love it. When we have a couple of new ones in the running order, and quite a lot of new music for the vigil (only 1 in the hymn book!) I don't want the congregation going away feeling they weren't able to join in. - especially the usual Saturday night crowd who have a very limited repertoire any way.

mcb · Post by **mcb** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:42 am

We're having 'A New Commandment' as the Gospel acclamation - nice simple SATB arrangement published in a collection from the RSCM, with the assembly singing the tune. DuruflÃ©'s Ubi Caritas at the preparation of the gifts, and Bob Hurd's as the processional song at Communion.

We might be overdoing 'Ubi Caritas', since we're also singing Hurd's Missa Ubi Caritas. But the plainchant melody only comes up in the Eucharistic acclamations (and in the DuruflÃ©), so it doesn't seem like too much of a good thing.

M.

johnmac · Post by **johnmac** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:46 am

We've been using different songs over the last couple of years including Dan Schutte's 'I your Lord and master, now become your servant', Dom GM 'The Lord Jesus' and (can't remember who wrote it) 'Jesus our teacher and our Lord', however this year for a change we're having the Children's Choir sing 'Jesus you love us' which should be interesting . . . . .!!!

musicus · Post by **musicus** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:13 pm

Scrummy wrote:One of the best Ubi Caritas settings I have ever used is by Chris McCurry

I agree; it's beautiful (and much more harmonically straightforward than much of Fr Chris's music). You can find it in Music for the Mass 2 - a greatly underused and undervalued collection.

musicus · Post by **musicus** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:15 pm

mcb wrote:DuruflÃ©'s Ubi Caritas at the preparation of the gifts

asb · Post by **asb** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:41 am

A point to consider regarding music at the Foot-Washing, is "How long does the foot-washing take in a given locality?"

I have found that "A new commandment" plus "Will you let me be your servant?" works out exactly right at my place......

Merseysider · Post by **Merseysider** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:35 am

Daft as it may sound, all depends on the number of feet. My mum's parish is having problems finding 12 volunteers so they're looking at six â€“ seems better than nine or 10 â€“ if you see what I mean.

gwyn · Post by **gwyn** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 11:01 am

For simplicity and humility, Kelly Willard's "Make Me a Servant".

Do a Google search, there's loads of chord charts for it available to download or to print.

I'd intended to have it this year but it slipped my mind - (it's getting a bit like that these days).

organist · Post by **organist** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 3:02 am

Just had to comment that having my feet washed and then washing a stranger's feet at summer school this year during the liturgy was most moving and humbling. Musicians who play and sing in the liturgy miss out on this experience.
We used to use Taize Mandatum then switched to Servant song which was much better in my view. We would sing it right through then I played quietly while a verse from the Missal was read sing a verse of the song then another Missal verse. The point being that the same music for the WHOLE action works and the people could participate by singing, listening and watching.
Taize Stay with me at the start of the vigil also works well and can go on as long as needed.

Society of Saint Gregory

Washing of Feet

Washing of Feet

Re: Washing of Feet

Re: Washing of Feet

washing of feet

Washing of Feet

Washing of Feet

Re: Washing of Feet

Washing of feet