It was an excellent mid-August weekend, with three dozen communicants at the Feast of the Assumption on Friday 15th, about 40 for Sunday Mass, and a congregation and choir totalling 40 for our extra Evensong at St Martin’s Church on Cathedral Yard. All the music was sung well and with enjoyment.

I particularly liked our Sunday morning motet “O Lord increase our faith” by Henry Loosemore (brother of John Loosemore, builder of the 1665 post-Restoration Exeter Organ), a youthful little piece written in 1627 when he was about 25.

St Michael’s Choir at St Martin’s Exeter

Our singing of the Gibbons Short Service Canticles at Evensong was “cheeky”, as requested by Alex. The congregation joined in the unaccompanied hymns strongly, and passing tourists were attracted in too. Thanks to Revd Sheila Swarbrick for the music-themed Readings and moving Sermon and Prayers. Evensong – over 450 years old and going strong.

Now that the new Website is launched, and this Blog within it, the old WordPress blog at http://stmichaelsmountdinham.wordpress.com/ is a bit superfluous going forward. We will try to keep the 2 in step for a few weeks, but thereafter the old blog will remain as an archive of our HLF Project activities since February 2013.

St Martin’s, Exeter – C17 Monument

We now look forward to September’s Music List, and hopefully to some new voices and faces joining us, in the choir or in the congregation, in enjoyment of the great church music which enlivens our worship. A reminder also that Tuesday and Thursday Plainsong Vespers at 6pm resume on the 2nd and 4th.

Sunday, 7 September Trinity XII, 10.45am Mass
Hymns: 390: 449: 366, Setting: Mass in F, Sumsion, Motet: Cantate Domino, Pitoni

Sunday, 7 September, 6pm Evensong and Benediction
Responses: Reading, Psalm: 105 1-15, Office Hymn: 248ii
Canticles: Noble in B minor, Anthem: O Lorde the maker of al thing, Joubert, Tantum Ergo & O Salutaris: Liszt

Sunday, 14 September Holy Cross Day, 10.45am Mass
Hymns: 338: 439: 79, Setting: Missa “L’hora passa” Viadana, Motet: Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen, Brahms (How lovely are Thy dwellings, from Ein deutsches Requiem)

Sunday, 21 September St Matthew Apostle & Evangelist, 10.45am Mass
Hymns: 224t178: 189: 374, Setting: Missa “Lauda Sion” Palestrina, Motet: Almighty and everlasting God, Gibbons

Sunday, 28 September Trinity XV, 10.45am Mass
Hymns: 335: 74: 443, Setting: Wood in F, Motet: O thou the central orb, Wood

Monday, 29 September St Michael & All Angels, 7:30pm Mass followed by a Bring&Share Party.
Hymns: 205: 296: 206, Setting: Missa “O quam gloriosum” Victoria, Motet: And I saw another angel, Stanford.

Question: Where would you find the above depiction of St Michael? Answer next post.