At last night’s Advent Procession at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, certainly one of the most haunting selections was the anthem “Who is this?” by John Ferguson, which featured the “a cappella” choir with Anna Womack on viola. It begins with the viola playing “O sacred head now wounded.” The piece then alternates between the viola and the… Read More Who is this?
There are two times of the year when I scour the ads in the newspaper — and that’s just before Christmas and Easter. I’m talking specifically about the church ads, when various churches around town advertise their services. Today was the day, and I looked at and read each one carefully. Yes, for years I… Read More The church ads
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-81-7G4XHE?rel=0] Peter Klatzow’s Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis sung by the Commotio Choir, Oxford, directed by Matthew Berry It’s the weekend before Thanksgiving and I’m going to be working on Peter Klatzow’s “Magnificat,” which will be performed at the 38th Advent Procession on December 2nd. Carl Crosier is in Seattle to celebrate Peter Hallock’s 88th… Read More Peter Klatzow’s “Magnificat”
For those of you who are not FaceBook users, I would like to share a couple of pictures taken by Jean Lilley at last night’s Advent Procession. (FaceBook users can view the pictures on LCH’s FaceBook page). When people came up to me after the service and asked me how I felt about it, to tell… Read More Post-Advent Procession
When Miguel Felipe was designing the postcard for tonight’s Advent Procession 2011, he asked me what organ music I was playing. “No prelude, no postlude” I said. “This is a choral service.” And this morning, Advent I, was another of those rare services in which I did not play a organ prelude. That is because… Read More Leighton’s Second Service ‘Magnificat’
Today was the last Sunday in the church year, Christ the King Sunday, which means that we will be starting up another church year next Sunday. Today was a truly mixed bag — the organ music I played was by John Stanley (1712-1786) and Thomas Arne (1710-1788). The choir sang spirituals “My Lord what a… Read More Countercultural Advent
Last night at choir rehearsal we began rehearsing Peter Hallock’s processional for Advent, “From lands that see the sun arise,” a piece which the choir will sing to open the 37th Advent Procession on November 27th. Over these many years we have always opened Advent Procession with a piece by Peter Hallock and have alternated… Read More Hallock’s music for Advent