CE Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban Oct 5th [R]

[DracoM]

CE Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban Oct 5th [R]

A liturgical devotion on the Seven Joys of Mary from the Lady Chapel of the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban

Ensemble Pro Victoria

Order of Service:

Organ: Miserere (Kyrton)

Carol: Alma redemptoris mater (anon. English, early fifteenth century)
First Joy (The Annunciation) Luke 1 vv.26-28
Motet: Ave Maria (Parsons)

Second Joy (Visit to Elizabeth): Luke 1 vv.39-42
Psalm 42 (Quemadmodum desiderat cervus) (Taverner)

Third Joy (The Birth of Christ): Luke 2 vv.4-7
Illustrissima omnium and Igitur O Jesu (Fragments of a lost votive antiphon by John Sheppard)

Fourth Joy (Angelic vision of the shepherds): Luke 2 vv.8-9
Gloria: Missa Feria III (Ludford)

Fifth Joy (The Presentation of Christ): Luke 2 vv.25, 27-28
Antiphon Glorificamus and Nunc dimittis (Plainchant, Tone IV, from the Sarum rite)

Sixth Joy (The Resurrection): Luke 24 vv.1-3
Carol: Salve sancta parens (anon. English, early fifteenth century)

Seventh Joy (Assumption and Coronation of Mary): Ephesians 1:9-10

Litany (Tallis)
Motet: Alleluia, veni electa mea (Taverner)
Salve Regina (Byrd)

Organ: O quam glorifica (Redford)
Toby Ward (Conductor)
Magnus Williamson (Organist)
Kristiina Watt (Lutenist)

Recorded 4 September

[DracoM]

Fine prog, BUT the Abbey has a very fine choir in-house, it is NOT half term, so...why were they not given a standard Evensong?
Puzzling?

[Subtuum]

Fine prog, BUT the Abbey has a very fine choir in-house, it is NOT half term, so...why were they not given a standard Evensong?
Puzzling?

True. Service looks quite OTT (just my opinion).

[Vox Humana]

Service looks quite OTT (just my opinion).

No more so than Advent/Christmas carol services, methinks. Odd programme though. It looks as though at least one of the Sheppard verses (which are surely from two different antiphons, one Marian, the other to Jesus), and maybe the Taverner, are to be done in their lute song arrangements (which doesn't improve them any, but clearly the Elizabethans didn't mind). I'll award extra brownie points if the Tallis litany includes the invocation to deliver us from the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities.

[jonfan]

Looks a fascinating service order.

[DracoM]

Looks a fascinating service order.

Service? It's a lot closer to being a concert IMO.

[ardcarp]

Looks a fascinating service order.

Agreed. And it's not meant to be CE. The title (7 Joys of Mary) immediately reminded me of that very old George Guest/St John's carol LP with a different treble on each verse.

[Pulcinella]

Service? It's a lot closer to being a concert IMO.

Lighten up, Draco!
The Advent Procession here (and probably elsewhere, as has been hinted at) based on the 7 Great O Antiphons has a similar structure.

[DracoM]

Look, I am NOT contesting the Service Order at all. I am just puzzled as to why the VG choir resident at the abbey is NOT singing it.

[jonfan]

Look, I am NOT contesting the Service Order at all. I am just puzzled as to why the VG choir resident at the abbey is NOT singing it.

The date of the recording is 4 September so maybe the resident choir was not back from their summer break?

[Roger Judd]

Even if the Abbey choir had been in residence on September 4th, I doubt very much that they would have wanted to present this repertoire. I would suggest that this is music for a specialist group such as assembled by Toby Ward and Magnus Williamson. It should be a fascinating hour.
RJ

[DracoM]

The date of the recording is 4 September so maybe the resident choir was not back from their summer break?

So - on your suggestion - it was always the plan? Hmm...?......OK.

[W.Kearns]

Note the description - 'A liturgical devotion on the Seven Joys of Mary from the Lady Chapel of the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban.' The devotion took place - and was recorded - on 4 September 2022, the Sunday closest to the feast of the Nativity of the Our Lady (8 September). I look forward to hearing it.

[Subtuum]

Note the description - 'A liturgical devotion on the Seven Joys of Mary from the Lady Chapel of the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban.' The devotion took place - and was recorded - on 4 September 2022, the Sunday closest to the feast of the Nativity of the Our Lady (8 September). I look forward to hearing it.

I’d have preferred to have dropped in on somewhere like Westminster Cathedral (if I’m honest). This just looks like a concert - there is a clip of the Parsons on their Instagram page, and the choir is centre stage in front of the priest censing the altar, which doesn’t quite sit right for me.

[Sarumtenor]

So - on your suggestion - it was always the plan? Hmm...?......OK.

A different group performing in a Cathedral isn't mutually exclusive to the home choir also doing broadcasts (which ofc St Albans do)...

Looks like a very interesting service - I am looking forward to it!