Music Ministry News
2018.10.12
We’re so excited to once again share a diverse program of music featuring our parish musicians; this Sunday is our fourth monthly musical Sunday Salon at the Serra Center. October being a Marian month and with our focus on the rosary, violinist Matt Mazzei will perform three musical settings of Ave Maria: the familiar Schubert, and almost as familiar Bach-Gounod (French composer Charles Gounod wrote a beautiful Ave Maria melody set to the well-known Bach Prelude in C) and a beautiful yet unfamiliar setting by Argentinian composer Astor Piazzaola, who is known for his tangos! Matt will also perform a Jascha Heifetz setting for solo violin and piano (with Trent Barry) of Gershwin’s An American in Paris. Additionally parish pianist Rod Henczel will share solo piano work, and members of the Core Choir will present varied vocal music. The planned guest-artist program intended for this date has been postponed.
As a ministry, we are delighted to continue to promote prayerful music to lift our voices in praise and supplication, both within the celebration of mass and in other musical moments that promote a culture of music within the Good Shepherd Catholic Parish and into our community. November 4, our Core Choir will be performing several selections at a Sunday afternoon concert at Saint Mary’s and will also combine with the COS choir, orchestra and organ under the direction of John Sorber as we present the well-known Requiem by French composer Gabriel Fauré.
While our music ministers continually seek ways to enhance the musical presentation of our prayers during mass, we are at the same time conscious of inclusion of the assembly, and our goal is to facilitate active participation of those who gather to worship. Many of you may have noticed our efforts to lead the assembly in singing the Our Father and the response “Lord, Hear Our Prayer” during the prayers of the faithful. We select accessible, singable settings of the Glory to God, responsorial psalm, and eucharistic acclamations, all with the intention of including the assembly in singing. Other opportunities to sing as a family of God may include the entrance procession, during the preparation and presentation of the gifts, during the procession to Holy Communion, and often as we are sent forth into the world. Additional musical elements include the antiphons, at entrance, offertory and communion, and incidental music, including prelude, meditations, and interludes. Full, conscious and active participation in music may involve the assembly in three ways: singing together with cantor or choir, responding intermittently to a cantor or choir, alternating singing phrases or responding with a refrain, and actively listening to choral or instrumental music.
At 8am at Saint Mary’s this Sunday our core choir will share a hauntingly beautiful Pie Jesu by Korean composer Hyun Kook.
Please pray along as we sing: Merciful Jesus,
Grant them rest,
Everlasting rest.
Our core choir will also share a gentle, elegant, spare Ave Maria by American composer Chris Bearer, as part of our October series of Ave Maria settings. In dramatic contrast, enjoy the dramatic David Schwoebel arrangement of the Nettleton hymn tune As We Gather At Your Table which is set in varying meters: 5/4, 4/4, 3/4, 7/8! After playfully interpreting the familiar hymn tune for three verses, Schowebel’s arrangement concludes with a triumphant choral HALLELUJAH!