While Septuagesima, Sexagesima & Quiquagesima Sundays have slipped from Common Worship and the Revised Common Lectionary, they are still relevant at St Michael’s to give us the Plainsong Propers (Introit, Gradual etc.) for us all to sing on the 3 Sundays before Lent.

Reminder, please to bring last year’s Palm Crosses to Church so that they can be turned into ash for Ash Wednesday – there is a basket for them at the back of the Nave.

Sunday 11th February Quinqugesima 11am Sung Mass. Hymns: 338: 296(i): 381. Setting: Mass in F, Sumsion. Motet: O Lord, increase our faith, Loosemore. Celebrant today is Fr Nigel Guthrie and Organist is Peter King.

Sunday 28th January Septuagesima. Sung Mass at 10.45am celebrated by Ven David Gunn-Johnson. Hymns 377 : 433 : 339.  Stanford, Mass in C&F. Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem. Matt Clark will be Organist today.

Here’s my layman’s analysis of the splendid, thrilling, multi-verse Anthem “Ye Choirs of new Jerusalem”. Composed by C V Stanford in 1910, the words are by St Ful­bert of Chartres (952-1028) Chor­us no­vae Je­ru­sa­lem; trans­lated into Eng­lish by Ro­bert Campbell in 1850, modified by Hymns Ancient & Modern and made famous through H J Gauntlett’s hymn tune ‘St Fulbert’. Stanford’s anthem uses entirely original material, alternating between two contrasting thematic ideas, one in G major in a lilting triple time (‘Ye choirs of New Jerusalem’), the other in the minor in quadruple time (‘Devouring depths of hell their prey’).

Ye choirs of new Jerusalem, Your sweetest notes employ,
The Paschal victory to hymn In strains of holy joy.  ( 3/4  Sopranos set out the main theme in G major, repeated later harmonised)

For Judah’s Lion bursts His chains, Crushing the serpent’s head;
And cries aloud through death’s domains To wake th’imprison’d dead.  ( 3/4  SATB modulate from D minor, A, E, back to G)

Ye choirs of new Jerusalem, Your sweetest notes employ,
The Paschal victory to hymn In strains of holy joy.  ( 3/4  SATB G major main theme harmonised)

Devouring depths of hell Their prey at His command restore;
His ransom’d hosts pursue their way Where Jesus goes before.  ( 4/4  SATB Fugue, second subject, G minor to E flat)

Triumphant in His glory now, To Him all power is given;
To Him in one communion bow All saints in earth and heaven.  ( 4/4  SATB modulate from E flat back to D minor)

While we, His soldiers, praise our King, His mercy we implore,
Within His palace bright to bring And keep us evermore.  ( 3/4  Bass tune, mixed trios, G, C, back to D major)

Ye choirs of new Jerusalem, Your sweetest notes employ,
The Paschal victory to hymn In strains of holy joy.  ( 3/4  SATB G major theme sung a third time)

All glory to the Father be, All glory to the Son,
All glory, Holy Ghost, to Thee, While endless ages run.  ( 4/4 TB/SA alternate, SATB, second subject transformed to G major)

Alleluia! Amen.  (Fanfare)

Sunday 4th February  6pm Choral Evensong and Benediction. Responses: Smith. Ps: 65. Hymn: 243. Canticles: Sumsion in G. Anthem: Abendlied, Rheinberger. O salutaris: 269 Tantum Ergo: Fauré in G flat. Fr Nigel Guthrie will conduct the Choir and offer Benediction. Choir & congregation of 2 dozen – thanks to all who support our monthly Choral Evensong.

Sexagesima 11am Sung Mass. Hymns: 349: 353: 466. Setting: Mass in F, Sir William Harris. Motet: Our Conversation is in Heaven, Walter Gilbert. Celebrant today is Fr Nigel Mason and Organist is Gabrielle Lewis.