One of the lovely sartorial trends of D.C. is the current popularity of bowties for men. I see them everywhere—on the subway, at the office, on the street, at restaurants—and there are so many of them, no one notices when someone's in a bowtie.
I wore a bowtie this morning for church. And, I made a very interesting sociological observation. At the R.C. parish, the church was absolutely packed, with probably well over a hundred people standing, and, now that I think about it, I think I was the only man in the whole church wearing a bowtie. When I went to the Episcopal parish, which is a significantly smaller church and probably had half the attendance or less, I think I saw easily two dozen bowties. Hmm. What does this mean?
Sunday, March 27, 2005
Buona Pascua!
Buona Pascua a tutti!
Is there an Easter lily shortage this year???
Went to two Easter Masses this morning at two fairly affluent parishes this morning, and one was decorated mostly in gladioli and spring flowers with all of six spindly-looking lillies in the whole church (and not together!) and the other church was richly decorated with proteas, ginger, tropical flowers and leaves, and tons of potted spring flowers with nary a lilly in the entire church!
I'd actually wanted to go to the National Cathedral, but I discovered too late that one had to have tickets (free, but tickets nonetheless) to attend services there. So, I ended up going to the neighborhood R.C. parish, St. Stephen Martyr for their 11 o'clock. Showed up twenty minutes early and the church was already full, so I had to sit in one of the little mini-pews on the sides. Eventually, the church would be standing room only and packed. The organist and small choir were supplemented this morning with some named Washington string ensemble, the name of which was mentioned only in passing and which did not show up in the service booklet or the parish newsletter. The ensemble had a horn in it, but no trumpets or percussion. Other than a sequence hymn, the music was all pretty much standard hymnal stuff. The choir did "The Heavens Are Telling" from Haydn's The Creation for a communion motet, but only did a hymn with organ improvisation for the offertory. The organist and the string ensemble did Concerto IV, Allegro, by Johann Melchior Molter for the postlude.
On the way back home, I went by St Paul's K Street which is one block south of St. Stephen, so I thought I'd stick my head in and see what they were doing since they'd also had an 11 o'clock, and knowing how much more ceremonial they are than the Romans, I knew they wouldn't be done yet. I wandered into the narthex where they had a few rows of folding chairs set up to supplement pew seating. There was activity going on up at the altar, so I thought they were just finishing up communion and I sat down to hear their closing hymn and postlude. Well, it turned out they weren't finishing up communion, they were just now finishing up the ***offertory*** and the ablutions being done weren't cleaning up after communion, but the celebrant washing his hands! In perusing the program, I see they had a solemn procession with three Easter hymns, but other than them having both an offertory hymn and an anthem (Byrd's "Haec dies quam fecit Dominus," which isn't that long), I can't imagine what took them so long unless Father Rector had a hugely long sermon. Of course, I remember their Epiphany procession back in January, where the acolytes moved around the church one little half step at a time. I'm glad I popped in, though, cause I loved their mass setting today (this is the parish that does a different formal choral mass setting every Sunday). It was a fairly new work called Messe du Jubile by Jean-Ives Daniel-Lesur (1908-2002), and it was interestingly dark and mysterious—somewhat in the Arvo Part mold—for a "festal" mass setting. The communion motet was "Surrexit Pastor bonus," by Roland de Lassus/Part I of an Eastertide Matin responsory. The postlude—which had a large percentage of the already no-doubt rump-sprung congregation stay to hear—was the "Final" from Vierne's Symphonie I, Op. 14. Oh, the program says the prelude had been Vierne as well, but the "Allegro" from Symphonie II, Op. 20. I pretended to be a tourist after the service and snapped a couple of photos.....here's the church:
Is there an Easter lily shortage this year???
Went to two Easter Masses this morning at two fairly affluent parishes this morning, and one was decorated mostly in gladioli and spring flowers with all of six spindly-looking lillies in the whole church (and not together!) and the other church was richly decorated with proteas, ginger, tropical flowers and leaves, and tons of potted spring flowers with nary a lilly in the entire church!
I'd actually wanted to go to the National Cathedral, but I discovered too late that one had to have tickets (free, but tickets nonetheless) to attend services there. So, I ended up going to the neighborhood R.C. parish, St. Stephen Martyr for their 11 o'clock. Showed up twenty minutes early and the church was already full, so I had to sit in one of the little mini-pews on the sides. Eventually, the church would be standing room only and packed. The organist and small choir were supplemented this morning with some named Washington string ensemble, the name of which was mentioned only in passing and which did not show up in the service booklet or the parish newsletter. The ensemble had a horn in it, but no trumpets or percussion. Other than a sequence hymn, the music was all pretty much standard hymnal stuff. The choir did "The Heavens Are Telling" from Haydn's The Creation for a communion motet, but only did a hymn with organ improvisation for the offertory. The organist and the string ensemble did Concerto IV, Allegro, by Johann Melchior Molter for the postlude.
On the way back home, I went by St Paul's K Street which is one block south of St. Stephen, so I thought I'd stick my head in and see what they were doing since they'd also had an 11 o'clock, and knowing how much more ceremonial they are than the Romans, I knew they wouldn't be done yet. I wandered into the narthex where they had a few rows of folding chairs set up to supplement pew seating. There was activity going on up at the altar, so I thought they were just finishing up communion and I sat down to hear their closing hymn and postlude. Well, it turned out they weren't finishing up communion, they were just now finishing up the ***offertory*** and the ablutions being done weren't cleaning up after communion, but the celebrant washing his hands! In perusing the program, I see they had a solemn procession with three Easter hymns, but other than them having both an offertory hymn and an anthem (Byrd's "Haec dies quam fecit Dominus," which isn't that long), I can't imagine what took them so long unless Father Rector had a hugely long sermon. Of course, I remember their Epiphany procession back in January, where the acolytes moved around the church one little half step at a time. I'm glad I popped in, though, cause I loved their mass setting today (this is the parish that does a different formal choral mass setting every Sunday). It was a fairly new work called Messe du Jubile by Jean-Ives Daniel-Lesur (1908-2002), and it was interestingly dark and mysterious—somewhat in the Arvo Part mold—for a "festal" mass setting. The communion motet was "Surrexit Pastor bonus," by Roland de Lassus/Part I of an Eastertide Matin responsory. The postlude—which had a large percentage of the already no-doubt rump-sprung congregation stay to hear—was the "Final" from Vierne's Symphonie I, Op. 14. Oh, the program says the prelude had been Vierne as well, but the "Allegro" from Symphonie II, Op. 20. I pretended to be a tourist after the service and snapped a couple of photos.....here's the church:
Friday, March 25, 2005
Fast day
Today is Good Friday, and it's supposed to be a day of fasting. Let's just say I'm gonna have to go to confession before Easter Mass.....
Schiavo update
Tonight's headline news story continues to be a status update on the Terri Schiavo case. My deepest sympathies go out to the family for this very unfortunate situation, but I am appalled that they continue to litigate this matter, politicians are involved, and they don't let the poor woman die in peace. All the polls I've seen say that something like two-thirds of the nation thinks the woman should be allowed to die. The uncontroverted evidence in the endless court trials over the past seven years says that the woman did not want to live like this.
When are the damned Evangelicals who've conscripted the Republican Party going to remember that the party stands for state's rights and limited governmental interference in private citizens' lives? This isn't a religious issue. After all, someone in a persistent vegetative state isn't able to tithe! Plus, they've made such a big issue about preserving the sanctity of marriage and opposing "gay marriage," you'd think the Evangelicals would want to support a husband's difficult decision to make hard choices for his brain-damaged wife, instead of trying to undercut the marriage and shift control to the woman's parents.
I zipped off handwritten complaints earlier this week to all the Congressional leadership and all the Republicans in Congress I personally know when they pulled the shenanigans of doing a private bill. They don't need to be reinserting feeding tubes. What they need is to do is to appropriate money for the parents to get grief counseling and face the music that their daughter is a soon-to-be dead vegetable.
My tax dollars had better not be paying for that woman's care.
When are the damned Evangelicals who've conscripted the Republican Party going to remember that the party stands for state's rights and limited governmental interference in private citizens' lives? This isn't a religious issue. After all, someone in a persistent vegetative state isn't able to tithe! Plus, they've made such a big issue about preserving the sanctity of marriage and opposing "gay marriage," you'd think the Evangelicals would want to support a husband's difficult decision to make hard choices for his brain-damaged wife, instead of trying to undercut the marriage and shift control to the woman's parents.
I zipped off handwritten complaints earlier this week to all the Congressional leadership and all the Republicans in Congress I personally know when they pulled the shenanigans of doing a private bill. They don't need to be reinserting feeding tubes. What they need is to do is to appropriate money for the parents to get grief counseling and face the music that their daughter is a soon-to-be dead vegetable.
My tax dollars had better not be paying for that woman's care.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Maundy Thursday
Tonight one of my friends took me to Mass at a little neighborhood church up in Woodley Park called All Souls Memorial. What is it about high church Episcopal parishes around here that makes me think that in all high church parishes the entire congregation is either geriatric or gay? I only saw one child in the church, and she was one of the acolytes. Nevertheless, it was a fun little congregation, though Maundy Thursday never gives one an opportunity to socialize after the service.
The liturgy was an interesting mix of mostly Rite I language but with a few weird things thrown in here and there. They had quite a large parish choir that sang very nicely, though they did get just a touch over-ambitious tonight (especially when I think they have Good Friday to sing on the morrow, an Easter Vigil on Saturday, then probably two or more Masses on Sunday morning!). During the footwashing, they sang the Durufle "Ubi caritas" which was a little rocky, with someone attempting counter tenor for the opening incantation who never should have tried, and there were several voices that stuck out here and there, especially in some of the more difficult harmonic passages. By the time of the offertory, however, the choir acquitted themselves with a very nice "Into the woods my Master went" by Jane Hawes. Their communion motet was Orlando Gibbons' "Drop, drop slow tears" which was pretty in a Romantic era sort of way, but not very period. The Anglican chant for the psalm was one by John Goss, but I didn't recognize it, so I found that interesting. I was also quite pleased to hear the Healey Willan Mass setting sung tonight. The church has a little tiny rinky-dink organ that from my seat appeared to have only two small manuals, seven stops, and sounded like it was a tracker. This parish is supposed to have money, so I don't know why they don't do a proper organ.
Before Mass we popped in to Bistrot du Coin for a bite to eat. The service was unusually late (8 p.m.!), so we thought we'd best eat beforehand.
Tomorrow is Good Friday, but it's not a holiday, so I have to go to work. I doubt I'll go to Mass at noon, but I might.....depends on how much work I get done.
The liturgy was an interesting mix of mostly Rite I language but with a few weird things thrown in here and there. They had quite a large parish choir that sang very nicely, though they did get just a touch over-ambitious tonight (especially when I think they have Good Friday to sing on the morrow, an Easter Vigil on Saturday, then probably two or more Masses on Sunday morning!). During the footwashing, they sang the Durufle "Ubi caritas" which was a little rocky, with someone attempting counter tenor for the opening incantation who never should have tried, and there were several voices that stuck out here and there, especially in some of the more difficult harmonic passages. By the time of the offertory, however, the choir acquitted themselves with a very nice "Into the woods my Master went" by Jane Hawes. Their communion motet was Orlando Gibbons' "Drop, drop slow tears" which was pretty in a Romantic era sort of way, but not very period. The Anglican chant for the psalm was one by John Goss, but I didn't recognize it, so I found that interesting. I was also quite pleased to hear the Healey Willan Mass setting sung tonight. The church has a little tiny rinky-dink organ that from my seat appeared to have only two small manuals, seven stops, and sounded like it was a tracker. This parish is supposed to have money, so I don't know why they don't do a proper organ.
Before Mass we popped in to Bistrot du Coin for a bite to eat. The service was unusually late (8 p.m.!), so we thought we'd best eat beforehand.
Tomorrow is Good Friday, but it's not a holiday, so I have to go to work. I doubt I'll go to Mass at noon, but I might.....depends on how much work I get done.
Sunday, March 20, 2005
Palm Sunday
Just back from Mass at St. Stephen Martyr. Got some nice little palm fronds this year. I like this little neighborhood Catholic parish. It has totally hideous '60s architecture (reminds me of a bowling alley), but I sorta like the monseignor and the tiny music program (usually just four to eight people in the choir), and they have a young organist who appears to be pretty talented, at least with his improvisational abilities, which has always been something I've lacked on the organ.
Monday, March 14, 2005
Basilica
Mass was fun this morning at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It's a huge place! The priest was a bit swishy, but he had a great voice and chanted on key. They have an excellent organist, who was, alas, cursed to be stationed in a balcony at the back of the enormous basilica, but I noticed he had a TV monitor so he could see what was going on behind him. The choir was okay, but surprisingly small....only fourteen voices, including the female cantor. The choir was stationed in chairs behind the main altar in the large sanctuary space, and I was a bit chagrined to notice they mike the choir. I don't know if it is necessary in that large space or not, but it had the unfortunate effect of allowing some of the individual voices to stick out and they lost the choral balance and blend I think they would have had with natural acoustics. There's about a four or five second decay time for sound in that space, so I would have thought they'd have reveled in the opportunity to use it, especially since the choir sang a capella almost all the time.
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