Choral Eucharist for Whitsunday

When was the last time you attended a full-blown Choral Eucharist? You have an opportunity to do so this Sunday, June 9th. Because Pentecost is a Major Feast Day, the Choir of Men & Boys will be singing Choral Eucharist instead of Choral Mattins at the 11:00 AM service. And because the academic year is drawing to an end, and the choir are about to begin their summer hiatus, this will be your last opportunity to attend Choral Eucharist until the fall.

The service will be filled with suitably festal music. The mass setting of the Ordinary (Kyrie, Sanctus & Benedictus, Agnus Dei, and Gloria) will be the Missa “Æterna Christi munera” by Palestrina, one of the great composers of the Italian Renaissance. The music is based on a hymn attributed to Saint Ambrose, “Eternal gifts of Christ the King”. The anthem is “Listen sweet dove”, by Grayston (“Bill”) Ives, a contemporary composer and former member of the Kings’ singers, using a text by George Herbert. And of course, there will be great Whitsuntide hymns for the congregation to sing. (For details, see music.ststeve.com.)