A Service for Advent with Carols Sunday, 30th Nov 2014

[DracoM]

A Service for Advent with Carols
Chapel of St John's College, Cambridge



Order of Service:


Carol: Adam lay ybounden (Ord)
Processional Hymn: O come, O come, Emmanuel! (Veni Emmanuel) (descant: Hill)
Bidding Prayer
Carol: There is no rose (Maconchy)

I THE MESSAGE OF ADVENT
Sentence and Collect
Antiphons: O Sapientia and O Adonai
First lesson: Isaiah 11:1-5
Carol: The Truth from above (Vaughan Williams)
Second lesson: 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-11
Anthem: Vigilate (James Long)

II THE WORD OF GOD
Sentence and Collect
Antiphons: O Radix Jesse and O Clavis David
Third lesson: Micah 4: 1-4
Anthem: O Thou the central orb (Gibbons)
Fourth lesson: Luke 4: 14-21
Hymn: Come, thou long-expected Jesus (Cross of Jesus) (descant: Robinson)

III THE PROPHETIC CALL
Sentence and Collect
Antiphons: O Oriens and O Rex Gentium
Carol: Tomorrow shall be my dancing day (arr. David Willcocks)
Fifth lesson: Malachi 3: 1-7
Carol: John the Baptist (Michael Finnissy) (First performance)
Sixth lesson: Matthew 3: 1-11
Hymn: On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry (Winchester New) (descant: Robinson)

IV THE CHRIST-BEARER
Sentence and Collect
Antiphon: O Emmanuel
Motet: Ave Maria (Mendelssohn)
Seventh lesson: Luke 1 vv.39-49
Carol: A spotless rose (Ledger)
Magnificat: St John's Service (Tippett)
Eighth lesson: John 3: 1-8
Sentence and Christmas Collect
Carol: Glory to the Christ Child (Alan Bullard)
Hymn: Lo! He comes with clouds descending (Helmsley) (descant: Robinson)

College Prayer and Blessing

Organ Voluntary: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (BWV 645) (J.S. Bach)



Herbert Howells Organ Student: Edward Picton-Turbervill
Director of Music: Andrew Nethsingha

[ardcarp]

....another outing of the Tippett Mag.

[Alison]

I like the Tippett really!

Looks a shade predictable overall but will enjoy nonetheless.

[Vox Humana]

I would be interested to know when the organ student became the "Herbert Howells Organ Student" and why. I do know about Howells's connection with St John's during the war. Has the post been renamed to commemorate this connection or what?

[Tevot]

I'll be listening...

Hymn: Lo! He comes with clouds descending (Helmsley) in particular I think wonderful...

Best Wishes,

Tevot

[lovechoralmusic]

I remember the Long Vigilate from 2 years ago. SO hard! Looking forward to that again.

[ardcarp]

I would be interested to know when the organ student became the "Herbert Howells Organ Student" and why. I do know about Howells's connection with St John's during the war. Has the post been renamed to commemorate this connection or what?

I have just heard from Andrew Nethsingha:

An anonymous donor has given a generous gift to endow the Senior Organ Scholarship here, and has given the scholarship the title "Herbert Howells Organ Scolar" in recognition of the time Howells spent as Acting Organist here during the second world war and, later, as an Honorary Fellow of the College.

[Vox Humana]

Thank you very much for that, Ardcap. I thought it would be something like that.

[DracoM]

Please note that this service begins at 3.00 p.m. on Sunday.

[VodkaDilc]

I'll be listening...

Hymn: Lo! He comes with clouds descending (Helmsley) in particular I think wonderful...

I agree, though the wonderful last verse harmonies of a previous DOM seem to have been replaced by something less striking in recent years.

One point about that hymn (which, thankfully no longer concerns me): do others who have worked in schools agree that it's very difficult for present generations of children to catch on to? Lo, he-e co-omes wi-ith clou-ou-ouds de-e-sce-ending etc. As one youngster once said to me: "too many notes to fit the words".

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

A pity they don't do the Andrew Carter descant to the opening hymn (though the Hill one is very good too).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

One point about that hymn (which, thankfully no longer concerns me): do others who have worked in schools agree that it's very difficult for present generations of children to catch on to? Lo, he-e co-omes wi-ith clou-ou-ouds de-e-sce-ending etc. As one youngster once said to me: "too many notes to fit the words".

I'd never thought of it like that.

However, present generations of children are faced with much bigger singing problems.

[Petrushka]

A most enjoyable service and much enhanced here by following the order of service on the College website

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

One point about that hymn (which, thankfully no longer concerns me): do others who have worked in schools agree that it's very difficult for present generations of children to catch on to? Lo, he-e co-omes wi-ith clou-ou-ouds de-e-sce-ending etc. As one youngster once said to me: "too many notes to fit the words".

The Council of Trent lives on!

[Petrushka]

Thought there might have been a bit more comment on this service.