On this Sixth Sunday of Easter, the music planned for the choral Masses highlights and draws upon the scriptural images of the Gospel – the promise of the Holy Spirit and the assurance that the Father will love those who love Christ and keep his commandments.
Preparation of the Gifts 10am Mass, Benedicite gentes - G. P. da Palestrina (c. 1525-1594)
This motet is taken from Palestrina’s “Offertorio totius anni,” from 1593, and is a setting of the Offertory text for Easter VI. The text is a continuation of the same psalm from Easter V - Psalm 65 - and speaks of God’s mercy and steadfast love. “O nations, bless the Lord our God, let the voice of his praises resound; he has restored my soul to life and he has not suffered my feet to stumble; blessed be the Lord who has neither rejected my prayer nor turned his mercy away from me, alleluia.”
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Preparation of the Gifts 11:30am Mass, If Ye Love Me - Thomas Tallis (1505-1585)
Quoting from today’s Gospel passage from John, this very popular setting is perhaps the most famous of all short motets by Thomas Tallis. This gem of English Tudor four-part unaccompanied writing begins homophonically, but evolves into an imitative canon. The text of today’s Gospel is a continuation of Jesus’ farewell discourse from last Sunday where he tells his disciples of “another Paraclete” or advocate - a spirit of truth whom the world cannot accept.
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Communion Motet 10am Mass, Ubi Caritas - Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986)
Despite being one of the greatest French composers of organ and choral music of the 20th century, Maurice Duruflé left behind a strikingly small output of music, mostly due to his rigorous perfectionism in the compositional process. He was Louis Vierne’s assistant organist at the Cathedral of Nôtre Dame in Paris until being appointed titular organist of St. Étienne-du-Mont, a position he held until his death. This motet is taken from his set Quatre motets sur des thèmes grégoriens, Op. 10, which was published in 1960 and dedicated to Auguste le Guennant, a Gregorian chant scholar. As the title implies, all are based, either through motive or phrase, on Gregorian chants. Ubi Caritas utilizes the chant in its entirety, alternating between subgroups of the choir in a homophonic texture. The text is taken from one of the proper antiphons for the Washing of Feet rite from Holy Thursday.
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Communion Motet 11:30am Mass, Ubi Caritas - Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978)
Ola Gjeilo (pronounced yay-lo) is a contemporary Norwegian composer. He has written primarily choral music, mostly on sacred texts, including ‘Sunrise Mass’ based on the Mass ordinary texts, as well as a popular setting of the traditional Christmas Eve text, O Magnum Mysterium. This “Ubi Caritas” motet seems to be inspired by the much-loved Duruflé setting composed a half century earlier, including chant-like phrases, homophonic part writing, and dense harmonic structures.
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