Mendelssohn and Morales

The Fourth Sunday in Lent
March 31, 2019
Today is the Fourth Sunday in Lent, Laetare Sunday. The name comes from the traditional Latin introit to the Mass, "Laetare Jerusalem" (Rejoice, O Jerusalem). It marks the hopeful halfway point on our Lenten journey to Easter Day, and it is set apart from the other Sundays in Lent through the use of rose vestments. Learn more about Laetere Sunday in this post from 2018: Laetere Sunday

There's even a traditional dessert for this Sunday - simnel cake. Last Laetere Sunday, I included a link to the recipe. A faithful reader of Praying Twice baked the cake and sent me a couple of slices!
At today's 10:30 Eucharist, we are pleased to welcome the Morningside Choir from Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, under the direction of Dr. Ryan Person. The choir is singing prelude music, as well as the offertory and communion anthems.  

 The offertory anthem, Zum Abendsegen, is a motet composed by Felix Mendelssohn in 1883. The work was written for use in the Church of England and was originally published in both English and German. The text is drawn from the congregational response to the Ten Commandments in The Book of Common Prayer:

Lord, have mercy upon us,
and fill us with thy spirit;
O Lord, have mercy
and inscribe thy commandment in our hearts.

O Lord, hear us! 

Listen to a recording: Zum Abendsegen

During communion, the choir will sing "Parce mihe Domine" by Spanish Renaissance composer, Cristobal de Morales (c.1500-1553). Morales composed primarily sacred music, much of which is quite challenging and was likely written for the expert papal choir in Rome.
Taking a page from the Hilliard Ensemble's acclaimed 1994 recording, Officium, the choir is pairing this Renaissance motet with an improvisational soprano saxophone solo. The effect is ethereal. Listen to the Hilliard Ensemble's recording here: Parce mihe Domine

Translation
Spare me, O Lord, for my days are nothing.
What is a man that thou shouldst magnify him?
Or why dost thou set thy heart upon him?
Thou visitest him early in the morning,
and thou provest him suddenly.
How long wilt thou not spare me,
nor suffer me to swallow down my spittle?
I have sinned.

What shall I do to thee, O keeper of men?
why hast thou set me opposite to thee,
and I am become burdensome to myself?
Why dost thou not remove my sin,
and why dost thou not take away mine iniquity?
Behold now, I shall sleep in the dust:
and if thou seek me in the morning, I shall not be.

Enjoy this extraordinary offering of sacred choral music on Laetere Sunday! And if anybody's baking a simnel cake, I'd love a slice. 

Music for the Fourth Sunday in Lent
March 31, 2019

Hymns
686       Come, thou fount of every blessing (Nettleton)
429       I’ll praise my make while I’ve breath (Old 113th)
143      The glory of these forty days (stanza 5) (Erhalt uns, Herr)
690       Guide me, O thou great Jehovah (Cwm Rhondda)

Service Music
Kyrie eleison, S-96   Franz Peter Schubert, arr. Richard Proulx
Psalm 32:1-8   Plainsong,Tone III
Prayers of the People, Form I, S-106
Sanctus, S-130   Schubert/Proulx
Agnus Dei, S-164   Schubert/Proulx

Anthems (sung by the Morningside Choir)
Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren, BWV 231   -Johann Sebastian Bach
Precious Lord, Take My Hand   -Thomas Dorsey, arr. Sevier
Zum Abendsegen   -Felix Mendelssohn
Parce mihi Domine   -Cristobal de Morales

Organ Music
Dialogue (from Kyrie, Messe pour les Convents)   -Francois Couperin

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