It's that time of year again! This special post for Advent/Christmas 2018 will be updated as additional information becomes available (as of this writing, final Christmas planning is pending a meeting/update from Father; the Advent plan can be found here). Please check back regularly for updates.
Looking forward to some great music and an enjoyable holiday season!
The Music:
Special pieces for Advent/Christmas are below. Please take a look ahead of time so we can focus on working out the details in rehearsal. Click on the song titles for materials.
I'm still open to ideas for preludes, meditations, etc., but we should lock down this piece of the program by the end of November.
I'm still open to ideas for preludes, meditations, etc., but we should lock down this piece of the program by the end of November.
Veni, Emmanuel - Instrumental piece featuring Bev and Maggie. Prelude for 12/01.
Prepare! Prepare! - New Advent Gathering song. This is a fun, upbeat, gospel piece with an ostinao refrain and cantored verses. Let me know if you'd like to give the verses a try :-)
In the Bleak Midwinter - Instrumental piece featuring Bev and Maggie. Prelude for 12/15 (tentative).
Each Winter as the Year Grows Older - This is Jonathan's 2013 arrangement of the piece, which was written for voice, piano, guitar, flute and saxophone. Prelude for 12/22 (tentative).
Angels We Have Heard on High - This is our standard arrangement with subdued vocals, palmed guitar/bass and violin accompaniment. Please try to learn the harmony on the refrain and chorus. Christmas prelude.
Greensleeves (arr. Liz Story) - Instrumental piece featuring Bev on keyboard. Christmas prelude.
Sing We Now of Christmas (arr. James Clemens) - This is a four-part a capella arrangement with moving harmony lines. It's definitely a bit more ambitious than our usual fare, so please take some time at home to begin learning your parts. At minimum, we'll need one person on each part; two or three people would be ideal, although that might be a bit tricky for tenor/bass. Christmas prelude.
Adeste Fideles - Instrumental piece featuring Bev and Maggie. Christmas prelude.
Cherry Tree Carol (Marty Haugen) - We last did this piece four years ago. It's mostly melody-only, but includes optional harmony and two c-instruments parts. Alternating between male/female voices on the verses would be ideal. This is written for 'folk' (guitar) accompaniment. Christmas prelude.
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (arr. Garth Brooks) - This arrangement swings the melody line and gives the piece a country feel. We did a simplified version last year with piano-only accompaniment and Jonathan on vocals. I'd like to do this again as a Christmas Communion Meditation, but expand it to include additional instrumentalists (perhaps guitar, bass, violin and percussion -- more along the lines of the official recording).
Silent Night/Night of Silence - This is our usual arrangement with two different groups singing both pieces at the same time, but offset by one verse. In other words, we begin with a few voices singing verse one of Night of Silence; the rest of the choir comes in on verse two, but singing verse one of Silent Night. The piece ends with everyone on the final verse of Silent Night. Christmas Communion song.
Finale for Christmas (Philip Kern) - A fast-paced medley of Christmas songs centered around We Wish You a Merry Christmas. New piece suggested by Bev (she'll provide music). This will be used as our Christmas Eve postlude.
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Instrumental piece featuring Bev and Maggie. Prelude for 12/29.
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The rest of the program will probably include the music below. Note that these are all standard arrangements, so please learn the harmonies if possible. There won't be a Psalm, and for many of these pieces, we'll only be singing a verse or two as part of the Children's Program.
- O Come, All Ye Faithful
- He Came Down
- O Little Town of Bethlehem
- Away in a Manger
- Sing of Mary, Pure and Lowly
- We Three Kings
- The First Nowell
- Hark the Herald, Angels Sing
- Joy to the World
Mass parts will likely be from Mass of Joy & Peace, but keep in mind that we'll be following the structure for the Eucharistic Prayer for Masses with Children. There will be no Gloria (although the refrain will be sung during the Eucharistic Prayer) or Eucharistic Acclamation.
Schedule & Rehearsal Plan
The tentative rehearsal plan for the season is below. Note that we'll rehearse after Saturday Masses throughout December, with two dress rehearsals the weekend before Christmas.- Saturday, 11/24 - 6:45-8:00 PM (Sanctuary)
Advent music (if needed)- Mass of Joy & Peace (review)
- Sing We Now of Christmas
- Saturday, 12/01 - 6:45-8:00 PM (Sanctuary)
Mass of Joy & Peace - Penitential RitePrepare! Prepare! (if needed)God Rest Ye Merry GentlemenThe Cherry Tree Carol- Sing We Now of Christmas
- Saturday, 12/08 - 6:45-8:00 PM (Sanctuary)
Angels We Have Heard on High- Cherry Tree Carol
- Sing We Now of Christmas
- Saturday, 12/15 - 6:45-9:00 PM (Sanctuary)
- 6:45 PM - Christmas/Quarterly Dinner (tentative)
- 7:30 PM - All Preludes
- Saturday, 12/22 - 6:45-8:45 PM (Parish Hall) [Dress Rehearsal #1]
- 6:45 PM - Choir space/equipment setup
- 7:00 PM - Preludes and Children's Program
- Sunday, 12/23 - 2:00-4:00 PM (Parish Hall) [Dress Rehearsal #2]
- 1:15 PM - Choir space/equipment setup (if needed)
- 2:00 PM - Regular Mass music; Preludes as needed
- Monday, 12/24 - Christmas Eve Mass (Parish Hall)
- 2:30 PM - Report time for singers and instrumentalists; setup/prep as needed
- 2:50 PM - Group photo
- 3:00 PM - Review music as needed
- 3:40 PM - Preludes
- 4:00 PM - Mass
Logistics
As has been the case in past years, please bring your own equipment if at all possible. We'll have a couple of rehearsals to get settled in the Hall, and just want to make sure everything's covered.
- Music Stands - The Church currently has five stands, but we'll be sharing these with the folks in the Sanctuary. If everyone could bring their own, that'll ensure we have enough to go around.
- Books & Music - If possible, please bring your own books and copies of other loose sheet music (again, we'll be sharing resources with the folks in the Church). I may also pick up 1/2-inch black binders for the group, which would look nicer and hopefully reduce the need for songbooks (update: 11/29: binders ordered -- eight for now, but can always get more later if needed).
- Sound Equipment - We're typically given three or four wired/wireless mics for singers. However, if you're playing an instrument requiring amplification, please bring your own amps, mixers, mics, etc. (we no longer have a board with inputs for tying into the system). Joe normally helps us get everything wired and set up during dress rehearsals.
That's all I have for now. Stay tuned for more info!