Weekend Fun

Saturday morning was the annual mass in the Tridentine mass at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Cadogan Street, Chelsea. Father Peter Gee and 2 others celebrated a Solemn Mass in the Tridentine Rite. The choir came back from their holidays (no choral services on Sundays in August) and we had a good turn out, 12 people singing. Besides the extensive Gregorian chant needed, we sang Victoria's Missa Simile est Regnum Coelorum. The mass is basically in 4 parts but Agnus Dei 3 is a canon for 2 SATB choirs, which sounded lovely. For motets we did Palestrina's Ave Maria and Morales's Simile est Regnum Coelorum (not the motet on which the mass is based, but a lovely motet nonetheless.

It was a tiring morning as we rehearsed from 10am to 11.30pm or so and mass was from 12.00am to 1.15pm. Still there was a good congregational turnout including a number of people coming to St. Mary's especially for the mass.

Then in the evening, I had a group of singing friends round to try out one or two new pieces. I've just finished an unnamed 4-part mass and wanted to check it out before I print copies to send to people. Having canvassed the singers about a possible name, I think it will be Missa Sine Nomine, which just about says it all. I was very pleased with the sound of the mass, these things come over far better when sung than on the computer. I think the singers enjoyed it as well, which is a bonus.

We also tried through the new piece (3 movements) which I've written for London Concord Singers anniversary concert in November. Its for unaccompanied 8-part choir so we could only really try the piece out with piano, but it was useful to check what people thought of the pieces (tricky, but fun I'd like to think) and iron out any errors.