Lent 4 - March 15 2015

• Organ Voluntary in A -  Christopher Gibbons (1615-1676)
  
• Opening Hymn 524 - O Christ, the great foundation
• Service Music: Mass for 3 voices – William Byrd (1539/40-1623)
• Psalm 107: 1-3, 17-22 (Tone VI) - Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
• Lenten Gospel Acclamation: God so loved the world that he gave his only Son: everyone who believes in him has eternal life.
• Offertory 551 My faith looks up to thee (Olivet)
• Hymn during Communion 72 Bread of Heaven (Jesu, meine Zuversicht)
• Communion Motet: Who is at my window who – Welford Russell
• Hymn 398 Let us with a gladsome mind (Monkland)
• Organ: Pavan (The Earle of Salisbury) – William Byrd

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• View/download music list including anthem and psalm texts - see here » 

Music Notes

This Sunday (March 15) three of our lead singers (alto, tenor, bass) will sing a special setting of the communion service – William Byrd’s “Mass for 3 Voices”. Byrd (1543-1623) has been called “the greatest English composer, an arbiter of the sublime and master of his craft”. We sincerely hope that this beautiful music will enhance your worship during this Lenten season.

William Byrd (1543-1623) is known to have been a tenaciously loyal Roman Catholic in a country which was more or less militantly Protestant. It took some courage, therefore, for a composer to set Latin texts at all at that time. Actually to publish three Latin masses (one in 3 parts, one in 4 parts, and one in 5 parts) took a great deal more courage, yet Byrd did publish them between 1593 and 1595, just a year or two after they were written. The Masses were originally written with the pragmatic purpose of giving small amateur choirs settings of important texts which they could reasonably hope to master. The Mass for 3 Voices which we hear this morning is for alto, tenor and bass and will be sung by our choir leads.

Welford Russell (1900-1975) was a Canadian composer who is particularly remembered for his output of choral works. Born in Neepawa, Manitoba, Russell made a living as a surgeon and was notably a medical missionary in India from 1925-1941. He pursued musical activities in his spare time. He studied the organ in Ireland and pursued studies in music composition with Godfrey Ridout and singing with Weldon Kilburn at the Toronto (now Royal) Conservatory of Music. He published a Stabat mater and eight individual choral pieces, of which his part-song Who Is at My Window Who? has been widely performed.

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