Sunday, April 9, 2017

Music Selections for Holy Week at Church of the Advent

Today is Palm Sunday, which marks the beginning of Holy Week leading up to Easter Sunday next week. At the Church of the Advent of Christ the King, Schola Adventus, under the leadership of Director Paul Ellison, has prepared an extensive repertoire of music for both the solemn and celebratory aspects of the occasion. Here is a summary of the musical offerings that will be encountered between this morning and the celebration of Easter Sunday:

Sunday, April 9, 11 a.m.: The Palm Sunday service will include the plainsong incantation of the Passion text from the Gospel According to Matthew; choral selections will be by Thomas Weelkes, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, and Orlande de Lassus.

Wednesday, April 12, 6:30 p.m.: There will be a Choral Tenebrae service held for Holy Wednesday, which will include motets by Manuel Cardoso and Tomás Luis de Victoria.

Thursday, April 13, 6:30 p.m.: There will be a High Mass and Procession for the Stripping of the Alter on Maundy Thursday; there will also be a performance of William Byrd’s setting of the “Ave Verum Corpus,” as well as motets by both Byrd and Maurice Duruflé.

Friday, April 14, 6:30 p.m.: The Good Friday service will include the plainsong incantation of the Passion text from the Gospel According to John. The Mass of the Presanctified will also be celebrated. Once again, there will be motets by Victoria and Lassus, as well as music by Carlo Gesualdo and John IV of Portugal.

Saturday, April 15, 10:30 p.m.: The night of Holy Saturday will be celebrated with the Great Vigil, leading up to the First Mass of Easter; music will be by Palestrina, Heinrich Isaac, Felice Anerio, and Jean Langlais.

Sunday, April 16, 11 a.m.: Music for the High Mass of Easter Sunday will include the selections by Isaac, Anerio, and Langlais performed for the First Mass of Easter; there will also be another Victoria motet and Charles Wood’s arrangement of the Dutch hymn “This joyful Eastertide.”

The Church of the Advent of Christ the King is located at 261 Fell Street, between Franklin Street and Gough Street. The entry is diagonally across the street from the SFJAZZ Center. This is an inclusive parish of the Episcopal Church in the Anglo-Catholic tradition. Those wishing further information may call 415-431-0454. Those driving will be able to use the parking lot adjacent to the church whose entrance is on Hickory Street. A hosted reception will follow the First Mass of Easter.

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