Back in August, the choir got together to record its very first CD, comprised of a collection of pieces sung during the Easter Triduum. We ended up with 17 tracks, consisting mostly of polyphonic pieces from the Renaissance by composers such as Palestrina, Victoria, and de Pres. We’re not professionals, but I think it came out very nicely–even the album artwork which was put together by one of our altos.
Here’s the full selection of pieces:
- Ubi Caritas – Maurice Durufle
- Ave Verum Corpus – William Byrd
- Christus Factus Est – Chant
- Ave Christe – Josquin de Pres
- Popule Meus – Tomas Luis de Victoria
- O Jesu Christe – Jacquet de Mantua
- O Vos Omnes – Tomas Luis de Victoria
- Aestimatus Sum – Tomas Luis de Victoria
- Miserere Mei – Gregoria Allegri
- Sicut Cervus – Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
- Missa Brevis (Kyrie) – Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
- Missa Brevis (Gloria) – Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
- Alleluia Pascha Nostrum – Chant
- Regina Caeli – R.K. Biggs
- Alleluia – Chant
- Alleluia Surrexit Dominus Vere – Jacquet de Berchem
- Exultate Deo – Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Lux in Tenebris
One of the great things about this CD is that it is a collection of hymns we actually sang this year during the Easter Triduum rather than hymns we learned just for the recording. If memory serves, tracks 1-4 were sung on Holy Thursday, 5-9 on Good Friday, and the remainder either on Holy Saturday or Easter Sunday morning. The cover art is an actual photo from Tenebrae from a year or two ago, and the other artwork consists of pictures taken before or during Holy Week liturgies at our parish.
Here’s a sneak peek at my favorite track, Aestimatus Sum (just the first 20 seconds).
This is a polyphonic responsory written by Victoria for Tenebrae of Holy Saturday (sung on Good Friday after sunset): sublime and surreal. A quick translation of the first line: “I am counted with them that go down into the pit”. Thinking of those words said about Our Lord gives pause for some real meditation.
I really love the title of this CD: Lux in Tenebris (Light in Darkness). The cover art shows the final candle from Tenebrae symbolizing the Lord, the light which shines in the darkness, as spoken of by St. John. The other candles are extinguished one-by-one, signifying the flight of the disciples from the Garden of Gethsemane. Here, the Lord remains alone, despised and rejected. He goes to his death and our redemption, counted as it were among those going down into the pit.
Perhaps the best thing about this CD is its purpose. This is a CD of Catholic music with Catholic lyrics, written by Catholics, and sung by Catholics for God’s glory. The proceeds from the CD support the choir and the expansion of our parish into a larger church. Follow this link to see where you can purchase the CD.
It is said that better music makes for better prayer. For all the church music we sing, that is our goal.
Update: 2014-11-21
Now on Amazon for digital download.
Update: 2014-12-02
Additional info at New Liturgical Movement.
Update: 2015-03-24
Now also available through Fraternity Publications.
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