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Special Events

Liturgy of Sacred Music – April 7, 2024 – 5:00 p.m.
What Is "Divine Mercy"? | Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish

The Sacred Music Liturgy on April 7th, Divine Mercy Sunday, will explore contemporary music from lesser-known Sacred Music composers of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. 

Eastertide | St. Margaret Mary Church

The earliest piece of music for this Mass is the entrance hymn “This Joyful Eastertide” (1958) written by William Henry Harris (1883-1973). Harris spent much of his life working for the Church of England at various Cathedrals. He also served as a professor of organ and harmony at the Royal College of Music in London, and he was formative in the musical education of young Princess Elizabeth and Margaret. 

The melody of “This Joyful Eastertide” has been transformed throughout the centuries. It came originally from a popular Dutch love song “De liefde, voortgebracht door reyn geloof”, and eventually found its way into the Dutch hymnals in the late 17th century. This Dutch carol was published in the “Cowley Carol Book”, and given new Easter text which Harris arranged in a grand manner for SATB chorus and organ. The pairing of the text and music is quite well matched, particularly in the final line where the word “arisen” is repeated four times on an ascending motive.

The presentation of the gifts hymn is the most recently composed. Valentino Miserachs Grau (1943–) is a Spanish priest, who has spent most of his ordained life in music ministry. He earned degrees in Theology, Composition, and Organ and was the Dean of the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music from 1995-2023 and currently is the Professor of Composition and Polyphonic Conduction at the school.Empowered Bible Studies: Sing Praise to The Lord

“Psallite”, written in 2004, is composed for SATB chorus and organ. It is an uplifting piece of music, reflecting the joyous text of “Psallite, Psallite, Deo Nostro…” or in English “Sing praise to our God, sing all of you…”. It also features some meter changes in the refrain and varies from 3/4 time, to 2/4 time, to 4/4 time all within 16 measures. 

Father Lange's Message - April 18 - Peace Be With You! - St. James Catholic  Church

The communion hymn is “Peace Be With You”. This SATB setting is arranged by Hal Hopson (1933–). The music is taken from the Baroque composer Giacomo Perti (1661-1756), and paired with the familiar text from John 14:27. While we are hearing John 20:19-31 this Sunday, the phrase “peace be with you” is proclaimed by Jesus when he appears to the disciples.  Hopson is a composer and church musician residing in Texas. He has written, arranged, and published over 3000 works that comprise almost every musical form in church music.  This arrangement of “Peace Be With You” was published in 1997. While it is arranged by a 20th century composer, its Baroque origins remain. The organ and cello have a prominent basso continuo line, while the vocalists outline the chords with some Baroque influenced ornamentation at the end of phrases. 

The closing hymn is “The Day of Resurrection” composed by Thomas Matthews (1915-1999), with text by St. John of Damascus. Matthews spent most of his professional life in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he was the Organist/Choirmaster at Trinity Church, founded the music department at Holland Hall School and served on the faculty of the University of Tulsa. His first church position was at St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Chestnut Hill. This Easter anthem makes a statement with introduction of the organ and trumpet duo, followed by the grand entrance of the SATB chorus. It is written in ABA format (meaning the first section is repeated again at the end after a contrasting middle section). The B section is much more mellow and reflective in comparison to the bombastic A section.It Is the Day of Resurrection - Eastern Christian Publications

Jacob de Haan’s Missa Brevis (2003) will be the featured Mass setting for Divine Mercy Sunday. De Haan is a prominent Dutch composer who is known for his more technically accessible and film inspired music. While he writes primarily for winds (and this Missa Brevis was composed for an orchestra), de Haan masterfully arranged it for the organ and SATB chorus. His inspiration from film music is obvious, especially in the Gloria where his text painting is superb especially during the end of the prayer when the minor finally turns into the joyous major during the Latin text “Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe” (“For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ). Handbell World | Missa Brevis Kurek, Michael | Handbell World

The Sacred Music Quartet will be singing music from the following Composers:

William Harris:

Harris is best remembered today for his Anglican church music, though during his lifetime he was mainly known for his achievements as a choir-trainer. His most famous works are two anthems for unaccompanied double choir: Faire is the heaven (1925), a setting of Edmund Spenser’s poem “An Hymne of Heavenly Beautie”; and Bring us, O Lord God, a setting of a poem by John Donne first heard in Windsor on 29 October 1959, and which was sung at the Committal Service of Queen Elizabeth II at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on 19 September 2022.william harris composer from en.wikipedia.org

Thomas Matthews was born at Utica, NY, April 1, 1915 and, at the age of 8, sang under Norman Coke-Jephcott recently arrived from Coventry Cathedral. At 17 he assisted Coke-Jephcott at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City where he continued to be influenced by the leading church musicians of the time. Dr. Matthews composed over thirty published anthems of which “The Lord Is My Shepherd” is best known. It has sold well over one million copies. Tom’s skills as an improviser were legendary and some of the extant recordings of his improvisations are being transcribed for publication. Dr. Matthews passed away April 10, 1999.Thomas Matthews

Valentino Miserachs Grau was born in Sant Marti de Sesgueioles in Cataluna – Spain. During his lifetime he has always alternated the musical studies with the theological, philosophical and humanistic ones. In 1963 he moved to Rome to study theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University where he in 1967, after his priestly ordination, he obtained a licentiate in sacred theology and, in the musical field, he obtained a licentiate in Gregorian chant as well as sacred composition at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music. His wide ranging composing production includes oratorios, music for grand orchestra, the Concertino for organ and strings orchestra, a lot of liturgy and sacred music in Latin and in the modern languages, choral and instrumental music (organ, piano, chamber music), lieder, folk, for brass ensembles, etc.

Hal H. Hopson is one of the most prolific composers of church music of his generation. With more than 1,800 published works, for 30 publishers, Mr. Hopson’s music is heard weekly in congregations throughout our country. His compositions reflect respect for the best liturgical tradition, scripture, and theology. Mr. Hopson composes music accessible to nearly all choirs and congregations, striving always to include rather than to exclude. His published repertoire includes almost every conceivable genre: anthems for children, youth, and adult choirs and compositions for organ, piano, harpsichord, and handbells. Mr. Hopson writes especially for congregations in concertato anthems, hymn tunes, responsorial psalm settings, and liturgical services.

Jacob de Haan is a contemporary composer known for wind music. He has also published various vocal works, including a number of masses for choir, wind band and soloists. His international breakthrough came about with Oregon, still on of his most performed compositions. In the United States, De Haan has made a name for himself with his work Ammerland. Jacob de Haan completed his studies, majoring in school music and organ at the State Music Academy in the city of Leeuwarden. Subsequently, he lectured in arranging at the same academy. In 2018 he received two prestigious awards, the Buma Classical Award and the Buma Wind Music Award. In 2003 he received a music award for his entire oeuvre from the regional broadcasting company of his province of birthJacob de Haan – Von Oregon über Kraftwerk bis hin zu The Book of Urizon