Received this email from a good friend of ours this morning. Thought I would share it in case any of you are interested in going and/or participating.
"Dear friends/colleagues/contacts:
I am writing to all of you as acquaintances (more or less thorough) I made over the years in connection with the Roman liturgy and Gregorian chant, and to ask for your assistance in whatever capacity you may be able to manage. Please forgive any impertinence in contacting you “out of the blue.” May I ask you please to take 2 minutes to review the following and consider giving it as wide a circulation as possible.
My family and I are scheduled to lead (however inadequately) the music program for the traditional Holy Week and Triduum ceremonies at Ss Peter and Paul in York, PA, in the coming week. Regrettably, and only recently, my key collaborator and assistant, our dear friend Fr. Joseph Collins, who has been the backbone of our program (as a singer, rather than celebrant) for more than 10 years, was taken extremely ill – perhaps to the point of death, which is predicted (though against all our hopes and prayers) imminently – with an aggressive cancer, and, despite his previous plans, will be unable to participate in the ceremonies (he is convalescing in Glenmont, NY, where he has served a small chapel for 20 years).
Notwithstanding my sadness, in practical terms this has left me without a key collaborator for the liturgical music next week. I write to all of you, therefore, to solicit any possible assistance, either by way of your participation (which I acknowledge may be unlikely at this late date and/or because of commitments you all likely have), or by way of your passing this message on to anyone in the greater DC-MD-PA-VA-NJ area who may be able and wish to participate musically in the traditional Holy Week ceremonies.
Based upon the program we have consistently followed (this is our 11th-13th year depending on how one reckons the dates), our plans are:
- Tenebrae each night (Wed, Th, Fri), where we sing the traditional psalmody, all the responsories of Matins (some Gregorian, some polyphonic), and the Matins lessons in various beautiful Mozarabic and Roman tones
- The Gregorian propers and Ordinary for each Mass or liturgical service – Holy Thursday (with polyphonic Sanctus and Agnus Dei), Good Friday (Mass of the Pre-sanctified with all tracts, reproaches, the Crux Fidelis, and other chants from the liturgy), and Holy Saturday, with prophecies and tracts (including Palestrina’s Sicut Cervus), the Mass propers, and Vespers (which is integrated into the liturgy on this day). (For Vespers we sing beautiful three-part settings by Byrd of the reprise of the Alleluia and the Vespere Autem.)
- Various polyphonic hymns by the standard composers are sprinkled throughout the liturgy as well.
- Recto tono Vespers follows the liturgies on Thursday and Friday, with the stripping of the altar on Thursday as well.
- The Allegri Miserere is sung on the last night of Tenebrae in place of the recto.
- On Easter with sing the Byrd 3-voice Mass along with his Christus Resurgens and an Italian setting of Maria Magdalene, plus the Gregorian propers.
Though I have sung with a larger crew in prior years, last year – based on logistic constraints – it was just father, the family, and myself. Now with father out of the picture, I am carrying the load alone – which I am prepared to do, naturally, but would prefer not.
I apologize in advance for the obvious and admitted last-minute nature of the email. I recognize any additional participation may be impossible at this point given the timing. Unfortunately, it has only become clear over the last week that Fr. will be out of the picture. Any circulation you are prepared to give this email to anyone in the area, outside of my very narrow range of contacts, would be deeply appreciated.
And could I meanwhile beseech your prayers for Fr.’s recovery – miraculous, if need be, or, failing that, a happy death.
God bless you and thank you in advance.
John Sharpe
(john.sharpe@charter.net)"
Topic: Old Holy Week Masses and Tenebrae in York, PA (Pre-Bugnini) (Read 903 times)