Seasonal Concert Announcement

The St. Mary's Music Ministry will present

A Christmas
Pastorale, A concert of Choral and Instrumental Music, on Sunday, December 16, 4:00 p.m., in the Church.

They’ll be performing many beloved and renowned carols that
are newly arranged including an Advent motet, JESU CANDLELIGHT CAROL,
based upon the famed setting of “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”
from Bach’s Cantata 147, that is then complimented by another
Bach/Gounod favorite, the “Ave Maria” that uses that melody as a companion
to the traditional Austrian carol “Still, Still, Still” in STILL
A BACH LULLABY. The always-enjoyed Ukrainian Bell Carol
receives a choral treatment that is also partnered to the French
carol “Noel Nouvelet” with a new text by Patrick Liebergen,
BORN IS EMMANUEL. Keeping the musical theme of adapting
great melodies, PEACE ON EARTH takes its inspiration from
the folk song “O waly waly” which is better known as “The Water
is Wide.” The profound poem of Longfellow is set beautifully
in this arrangement. Another adaptation is a choral setting, OF
THE FATHER’S LOVE BEGOTTEN, a 13th century plainchant (O divinum mysterium)
whose text dates to the 4th century. Schola St. Mary’s will perform
a number of formal sacred works, HODIE CHRISTUS NATUS EST
by the late -Renaissance composer Marenzio, and IN FESTO NATALIS by Tomas Luis de Victoria. John Rutter's haunting setting of the American composer Niles' I WONDER AS I WANDER, as well as the Praetorius PSALLITE UNIGENITE will complete the schola portion.

The concert will then feature some
new, audience friendly works: O, TINY BABE OF BETHLEHEM
(Althouse,) and MY HEART, YOUR BETHLEHEM (Schram &
Gaines.)

Portions of the concert will also be reprised before the annual Midnight Mass of Christmas.