A Service for Advent with Carols / Chapel of St John’s College, Cambridge / 28.xi.21

[DracoM]

Chapel of St John’s College, Cambridge / 28.xi.21


Order of Service:


Introit: Adam lay ybounden (Ledger)
Processional Hymn: O come, O come, Emmanuel (Veni Emmanuel) (descant: Hill)
Bidding Prayer
Carol: Tomorrow shall be my dancing day (Gardner)

I The Message of Advent
Sentence and Collect
Antiphons: O Sapientia and O Adonaï
First lesson: Isaiah 11 vv. 1-5
Carol: Creator of the stars of night (arr. Scott)
Second lesson: 1 Thessalonians 5 vv. 1-11
Carol: Telling (Grime)

II The Word of God
Sentence and Collect
Antiphons: O Radix Jesse and O Clavis David
Third lesson: Micah 4 vv. 1-4
Carol: Nowel – Owt of your slepe aryse and wake (Anon, 15th century)
Fourth lesson: Luke 4 vv. 14-21
An Introduction to: Hark, the glad sound! (Bingham)
Hymn: Hark, the glad sound! (Bristol)

III The Prophetic Call
Sentence and Collect
Antiphons: O Oriens and O Rex Gentium
Carol: Pan fo’r stormydd garwa’n curo (Williams)
Fifth lesson: Malachi 3 vv. 1-7
Carol: Lo! the desert depths are stirr’d (Frances-Hoad)
Sixth lesson: Matthew 3 vv. 1-11
Hymn: On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry (Winchester New) (descant: Robinson)

IV The God-Bearer
Sentence and Collect
Antiphon: O Emmanuel
Carol: There is no rose (Joubert)
Seventh lesson: Luke 1 vv. 39-49
Carol: A spotless rose (Howells)
Magnificat: Service in E (Murrill)
Eighth lesson: John 3 vv. 1-8

Sentence and The Christmas Collect

Carol: Make we joy (Robinson)
Hymn: Lo! He comes with clouds descending (Helmsley) (descant: Robinson)
The College Prayer and The Blessing

Organ Voluntary: Chorale Prelude ‘Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland’ BWV 661 (Bach)

George Herbert (Herbert Howells Organ Scholar)
Anne Denholm (Harp)
Ignacio Mañá Mesas (Saxophone)
Andrew Nethsingha (Director of Music)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000xlz5

[DracoM]

Reminder: today at 3 p.m.

[Nick Armstrong]

Reminder: today at 3 p.m.

Printed service booklet here:

https://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/sites/default/files/inline-files/Advent%20Carol%20Service%202021.pdf

[Keraulophone]

There may be some changes of personnel.

[Subtuum]

There may be some changes of personnel.

Aye, covid. I think the organ scholar is conducting and Joseph Wicks (former organ scholar) is playing.

[DracoM]

Q: last J boys alone on top line Advent service???

[Serial_Apologist]

I caught the end of this, forgetting Jazz Record Requests was to be postponed by half an hour. Stunning!

[cat]

Q: last J boys alone on top line Advent service???

Perhaps that was last year. From AN's Twitter:

"...just 10 out of 16 [choristers] well enough to sing. Thanks to soprano Molly Noon for being on standby & for singing phrases in 3 carols to take pressure off choristers."

[ardcarp]

Loved the service, and well done that organ scholar and Molly Noon. I did feel the trebles, though sounding excellent, were just a wee bit quieter than usual.

It seems quite a few Advent services from elsewhere were on line. New College Oxford on Youtube for instance.

[defensin]

To my ears, that was one of the most beautiful broadcasts from St John’s in recent memory. What solo singing, especially in the Howells! Tremendous resilience and professionalism from the boys - what a testament to how well Andrew Nethsingha trains his choir. And the whole thing directed by an organ scholar who can’t be older than 21, at a couple of days’ notice - extraordinary stuff.

[Nick Armstrong]

Perhaps that was last year. From AN's Twitter:

"...just 10 out of 16 [choristers] well enough to sing. Thanks to soprano Molly Noon for being on standby & for singing phrases in 3 carols to take pressure off choristers."

Wow. Great sounding service by any standards, doubly-impressive given the adversity

[backrow_gremlin]

Simply amazing to hear what incumbent Andrew Nethsingha (FRCO) did in the service with the boys - such effortless choral direction and a sure-fire endorsement of what an unmixed front and back row can do (long may their tradition continue)! Just popping down the road for their Advent service: gosh, I’m growing fat on good music this day!!

[Nick Armstrong]

Aye, covid. I think the organ scholar is conducting and Joseph Wicks (former organ scholar) is playing.

A nice exchange on Twitter:

[jonfan]

Wow, and we thought we had problems at our Advent service with a snow storm!

[DracoM]

Exactly..............crikey!!