To sing these texts is to journey from Christ’s Resurrection to the decent of the Holy Spirit. Although intellectually understood, it is still an emotional experience to realize HOW MANY ALLELUIAS are in all of the Easter propers! After abstaining from “Alleluias” throughout Lent, it is a blessed relief to sing “Alleluia” over and over again within these beautiful texts from scripture.

Free Download:
PDF • “Easter Season Communion Propers, Year C”
(for Schola, Organ, SATB)
To purchase hard copies: ($3.25 each)
• Includes ten settings from the Easter Vigil though Pentecost Sunday. Also included is a setting for the Seventh Sunday of Easter in those dioceses in which The Ascension of Our Lord is not transferred to Sunday.

• All are chant based.

• Can be sung with cantor or schola with organ. There is enormous opportunity for optional SATB singing, designed to offer contrast with unison singing.

• Optional congregation inserts for worship aids found after page 21

• Antiphon texts are English translations of those found in the Graduale Romanum. (You will find variation with the Communion propers found in the Roman Missal, especially during the Easter Season. A MUST READ article regarding Antiphons in the Roman Missal vs. the Roman Gradual is written by Jeff Ostrowski.)

These ten antiphons were composed within a twenty-four hour period, so hopefully there is some continuity among them. The antiphons should always be sung with forward, yet unhurried movement, and often with an air of lightness—not always in color but in spirit and energy. Even the intensity of the Pentecost antiphon should be sung with light forward motion, yet still unhurried (despite the “rush of a mighty wind”!).

Each antiphon colors the text simply and occasionally with symbolic gesture. For example, the Easter Vigil / Easter Sunday antiphon ends a half step below the tonic — unresolved and evoking the mystery of the empty tomb. The Pentecost antiphon uses a similar device, bookending this collection. Another example is found in the Sixth Sunday of Easter which utilizes an augmented fifth chord—three equal intervals representing the Trinity — the augmented fifth, symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, on Ascension Thursday, the final chord in both the antiphon and verses are unsupported by the root, but instead by the third providing a sense of elevated motion.

Finally, for future reference, or a last minute opportunity for Palm Sunday:
Free Download:
PDF • “Twelve Communion Propers for Lent” (for Schola, Organ, SATB)

Have a blessed Holy Week!

Two Lenten Mediations  was premièred a St. Cecilia Church in 2002 by Marco Facchin, organ, Michael Calmès, tenor, and the St. Cecilia Schola.

I. Misereris Omnium–Atonement, Transformation is based on the Introit for Ash Wednesday. Here the schola sings the Intoit, followed by organ variations. The transformation and variety of colors in the organ indicate that through the Lenten season, we do not end up in the same place that we started. Beginning with the thick and rich clarinet stop in the tenor, the piece explores many colors, ending with very light 4′ flutes, in anticipation of Christ’s resurrection.

II. Lover of Souls also takes its text from the Ash Wednesday Introit, with the added line from scripture Wisdom 11: 27: “But you spare all things, because they are yours, O Lord, Lover of Souls.” This work with contemporary classical harmonic language is beautifully sung by Michael Calmès, ternor.

To purchase hard copies: ($3.25 each)

• Includes settings from Ash Wednesday and each Sunday of Lent though Palm Sunday. Also included are the multiple settings for Sundays three, four, and five, appropriate for the various cycles of readings and scrutinies for RCIA.

• All are chant based/inspired.

• Can be sung with cantor or schola only; there is enormous opportunity for SATB singing, designed to offer contrast with unison singing.

• Congregation inserts for worship aids found after page 25

• Antiphon texts are English translations of those found in the Graduale Romanum. (You will find some variation with the Communion propers found in the Roman Missal. An extraordinary article regarding Antiphons in the Roman Missal vs. the Roman Gradual is written by Jeff Ostrowski.)

Singing the propers during mass is not only the first option indicated by the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, but a true gift and blessing irregardless. It is fitting that the first communion antiphon on Ash Wednesday is, “He who meditates day and night on the law of the Lord, shall bear fruit in due season.” (Ps. 1: 2b, 3b) This is our hope: that our meditation and prayer, put into action will bear great fruit that will last.

The texts of the mass propers are a treasure. They are a gift being rediscovered by our generation, right now. While it may take another generation for singing them to become common practice at the parish level, the mustard seed has been planted with strong roots taking hold. So many extraordinary composers are taking on the challenge of bringing the mass propers into common practice: Kevin Allen, Adam Bartlett, Heinrich Isaac, Fr. Columba Kelley, Chris Meuller, Jeff Ostrowski, Gary Penkala, Kathleen Pluth, Richard Rice, Christoph Tietze, Fr. Samuel Weber, Russell Weissmann, and many more. This list is only the beginning.

Furthermore, singing the psalm verses in between antiphons opens our hearts to live our lives within the liturgy. Undiscovered by many, psalmody fills the mass and therefore fills our daily lives, addressing our most human wants, needs, and desires, only as imperfect humanity can express. Yet we offer our imperfection to God and ask God to take on our sorrows, our suffering, our joys and our praise, just as the psalmists did. In this way, we can live the liturgy.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Jennifer Pascual, Director of Music for Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City on SIRIUS XM 129 Radio, The Catholic Channel. Dr. Pascual is an incredibly down to earth and welcoming host!

Listen here to the interview on 9.24.2012:
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Or click here to Listen to this episode

The following pieces are featured on the program:

• Ave Maria
• Ascent to Freedom, IV. Go Down Moses, V. How Can I Keep from Singing
• Mass of the Angels, Gloria
• I Am Risen – Resurrexi
• You Have Searched Me, Lord | Psalm 139
• Light Upon the World

Gaudens Gaudebo—I Will Greatly Rejoice relies on three themes, two Georgian chants, played off of a third theme. All three are introduced within the first 4 measures. With rising and rhythmic improvisational manner, the Gregorian Chant, Gaudens Gaudebo is most prominent from the very beginning.

Regarding the billboard, Jason Villarreal Frias writes: “Восхождение к свободе=Ascent to Freedom is the big headline at the top above the Statue of Liberty and your name is in there Р. Кларк! (R. Clark) … the Russian pronunciation sounds like this: ‘Voskhozhdyeniye k svobodye.’“

Click here to listen to Richard J. Clark’s live performance of “Ascent to Freedom” on the 1875 E. & G. G. Hook & Hastings, Opus 801, Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston, MA.