While we were rehearsing, I heard someone jokingly mention we should do an entire Mass in "duck," quacking our way through various hymns, ordinary and anthems. As I reeled at the thought of this terrible idea, I pondered how young people who are attempting the impossible task of singing this very difficult music with so few people and so many parts must sometimes reach within the depths of their courage to do what we do here at the Youth Choir. Though singing a whole Mass in duck is an absolute "not gonna happen", the occasional craziness we engage in on YouTube and the occasional steam-blowing-off techniques in rehearsal keep us sane as the music gets really really hard.
This year, among our challenge pieces are some small but potent polyphonic anthems. In rehearsal, we put the finishing touches on this lovely piece by Palestrina, "Jesu, Rex Admirabilis"
Text to Jesu, Rex Admirabilis!
Jesu, Rex admirabilis!
Et Triumphator nobilis.
Dulcedo, ineffabilis.
Totus desiderabilis.
For those of you who have been with us since last year, please do note how far our young men have come since their early beginnings in those "man" voices. Here, we have a good example of what they are capable of.
At Mass, James sang the psalm and did a wonderful job. Here is a recording of Psalm 146, recorded live at Mass:
The Communion Anthem, Mozart's great Ave Verum, was especially lovely. Because we had so few young men, we put everyone on the top two parts, a strategy that works very well for small choirs attempting to get a Masterwork of this caliber into our repertoire.
Text for Mozart's Ave Verum
-available through Mills Music, Inc. New York #64058
Ave, Ave verum corpus
natum de Maria virgine:
vere passum immolatum
in cruce pro homine:
Cujus latus perforatum
unda fluxit et sanguine:
Esto nobis praegustatum
in mortis examine,
in mortis examine.
Translation for Ave Verum
Jesu, Word of God Incarnate,
Of the Virgin Mary born;
On the Cross Thy sacred Body
For us men with nails was torn.
Cleanse us by the Blood
and Water Streaming
from Thy pierced side.
Feed us with Thy Body broken,
Now and in death's agony,
Now, now, now, now and in death's agony.
I also recorded Fr. Dall's Sermon, which I had the benefit of hearing three times this weekend, as I helped with the Junior Youth Choir at 8:00 AM Sunday, and sang with the adults at 10:30 AM Sunday.
And for our good friends of the blog who like to sing along with great hymns...I add "We Gather Together":
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