From the Benedictional of St. Aethelwold
Mount Calvary Church
A Roman Catholic Parish
The Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of S. Peter
Eutaw Street and Madison Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland
Rev. Albert Scharbach, Pastor
Dr. Allen Buskirk, Choirmaster
Palm Sunday
April 14, 2019
8 A.M Said Mass
10:00 A. M. Sung Mass
Breakfast in the undercroft following the 10:00 A.M. Mass
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From the Sarum Ritual
“I exorcise thee, O creature of flowers and leaves, in the name of God the Father almighty, and in the name of Jesus Christ His Son our Lord, and in the power of the Holy Ghost. Henceforth all power of the adversary, all the host of the devil, all the strength of the enemy, all assaults of demons, be uprooted and transplanted from this creature of flowers and leaves, that thou pursue not by subtlety the footsteps of those who hasten to the grace of God. Through Him who shall come to judge the quick and dead, and the world by fire. R. Amen.”
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Common
Mass of the Quiet Hour, George Oldroyd (1887–1951)
To enhance the drama of Holy Week, the organ returns today after a long hiatus during Lent, accompanying the hymns and the mass ordinary, a setting by English composer George Oldroyd (1887-1956) entitled “Mass of the Quiet Hour.” Composed in 1928 and dedicated to the Archbishop of Canterbury, this mass setting is his best-remembered work and is one of the more popular Anglican communion services. It features lush, Romantic harmonies rarely heard at Mount Calvary as well as some more ancient elements. Listen for the entrance of the choir at the opening of the Sanctus; the first two phrases seem to swirl and swoop like incense. The harmony of these phrases (parallel first inversion triads) invokes a centuries-old English tradition of improvised three-part harmony known as “faburden.”_
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Anthems
Erbarme dich, J. S. Bach
Erbarme dich, mein Gott, um meiner Zähren willen! Schaue hier, Herz und Auge weint vor dir bitterlich.Erbarme dich, mein Gott.
Have mercy, my God, for the sake of my tears! See here, before you heart and eyes weep bitterly. Have mercy, my God.
Here is Julia Hamari.
The aria Erbarme dich comes from Bach’s majestic St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244); it reflects the solitary heartache Peter feels upon recognition that he has betrayed Christ three times as prophesied. The melody aches with the remorse of betrayal. The music is set in 12/8 time, suggesting the Baroque dance rhythm of the siciliano. The voice is accompanied by the violin in what violinist Yehudi Menuhin called “the most beautiful piece of music ever written for the violin.” This aria is one of the most moving songs in what Bach considered his best work.
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Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611)
Pueri Hebraeorum vestimenta prosternebant in via et clamabant dicentes: Hosanna Filio David, benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
The Hebrew children spread their garments in the road, and cried out, saying: Hosanna to the Son of David: blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.
Here is La Columbina.
Pueri Hebraeorum by Tomas Luis de Victoria, a setting of the antiphon that accompanies the distribution of palms, captures the energy and excitement of the throng of people welcoming Christ in his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The voices enter one at a time—a common strategy in Renaissance polyphony, used here to convey the size of the crowd. Listen for the wonderful musical gesture at “vestimenta prosternebant in via” in which the crowds lay their garments on the road as a royal welcome; the music slows and drops in pitch, depicting their bowing down to lay down their garments and perhaps bow to Christ as King. The climax of the piece is the shout of Hosanna that comes from the whole choir in a homophonic texture (all at the same time).
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Hymns
#62 All glory, laud and honor (ST. THEODOLPH) was written by St. Theodulph of Orleans in 820 while he was imprisoned in Angers, France, for conspiring against the King, with whom he had fallen out of favor. It was translated by John Mason Neale. The text is a retelling of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The medieval church re-enacted this story on Palm Sunday. The priests and inhabitants of a city would process from the fields to the gate of the city, following a living representation of Jesus seated on a donkey. When they reached the city gates, a choir of children would sing this hymn, Gloria, laus et honor, and the refrain was taken up by the crowd. At this point the gates were opened and the crowd made its way through the streets to the cathedral. Today we praise the “Redeemer, King” because we know just what kind of King He was and is – an everlasting King who reigns not just in Jerusalem, but over the entire earth. What else can we do but praise Him with glory, laud, and honor.
#71 Ah, Holy Jesus (HERZLIEBSTER JESU) is a German hymn for Passiontide, written in 1630 by Johann Heermann.
#64 Ride on, ride on in majesty! (WINCHESTER NEW) was written by the Anglican clergyman and Oxford Professor of Poetry Henry Hart Milman (1791–1868). The text unites meekness and majesty, sacrifice and conquest, suffering and glory – all central to the gospel for Palm Sunday. Each stanza begins with “Ride on, Ride on in majesty.” Majesty is the text’s theme as the writer helps us to experience the combination of victory and tragedy that characterizes the Triumphal Entry. Jesus is hailed with “Hosanna” as he rides forth to be crucified. That death spells victory: it is His triumph “o’er captive death and conquered sin.” The angelic powers look down in awe at the coming sacrifice and God the Father awaits His Son’s victory with expectation. Finally, Jesus rides forth to take his “power … and reign!” On the Cross He has defeated death and when He comes in glory to reign He will destroy it forever.