Music for Second Sunday of Advent

 

The mass setting we share today is by Eleanor Daley, an acclaimed Canadian composer of choral and church music. I have to confess that I had not encountered this setting before, and only know one other Daley Missa Brevis (No.4); finding this makes me wonder what happened to all the others before she got to No. 8! In this service it is paired with the classic Palestrina anthem introducing St John the Baptist, “Fuit homo”.

Two of the hymns pick up where we left off last week with Bach chorales: the offertory hymn is actually by German hymn-writer Philipp Nicolai (1566-1608); it was adapted and harmonized by J.S. Bach for his Cantata 140, and first performed at the end of November in 1731. The communion hymn returns to last week’s chorale of Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, with words by the gifted hymn-writer Anna Briggs, four of whose texts made their way into Common Praise.

Brigid Coult

 

Solemn Mass takes place at St. James’ Anglican Church, Vancouver at 10:30 am every Sunday.