The church was standing room only and they had to set up folding chairs in the narthex to accommodate the overflow crowd. Parish organist John opened the festivities with a prelude from the Chorale of Louis Vierne's Symphonie No. 2 in E minor. In fact, it turned out to be a big Vierne night, as the new interim choirmaster played the Final from the Symphonie No. 1 in D Major, and the Mass setting was Vierne's Messe Solennelle.
This is the first time I've heard the new interim choirmaster, who was imported from England for a year and started the first of September. He's younger than I had expected. I thought he took most of the music at a very fast clip, and he has an interesting habit of bouncing on his toes as he conducts. I was disappointed he didn't come up to the reception afterwards, as I would have liked to have made his acquaintance. I did see, though, the organist from the National Cathedral up there (the cathedral is very low church under the current dean and transfers the feast to the nearest Sunday, unfortunately).
Once the altar party and choir had taken their places in the sanctuary and chancel, the solemn procession led by an excellent thurifer (I always like guys with the courage to do "round the worlds" with the incense) moved around the nave, singing first Sine Nomine (For all the saints), then Lasst uns erfreuen (Ye watchers and ye holy ones). I liked the way John played the processional hymns, especially his tasteful use of the tuba mirabilis and other ear-blasting stops on the huge organ that expressed the festal nature of the occasion without leaving us in the congregation with tinnitus. Other hymns included Zeuch mich, zeuch mich (Who are these like stars appearing) as the sequence, St. Catherine's Court (In our day of thanksgiving) during the post-communion ablutions, and an obnoxiously high (several long high Fs) All Hallows (O heavenly Jerusalem) for the recessional.
The choir also did an Anglican chant setting by Thomas Attwood for the psalm (Cantate Domino) and the offertory anthem was Basil Harwood's "O how glorious is the Kingdom." To save time, the lengthy Agnus Dei from the Mass setting served as a communion motet.
As is the custom at St. Paul's, all of the versicles and responses, antiphons, Gospel alleluias, collects, Bible readings, consecration prayers, etc., were chanted, and the congregation even chants the Lord's Prayer and the Nicene Creed. It's also a fun church, cause most of the congregation sings parts on the hymns.
The retired bishop of Bethlehem, Pa., was a special guest, and he served as preacher. He was very good for a bishop—only talked for fifteen minutes, and he was actually interesting.
After Mass, we had a lovely wine and cheese and hors d'oeuvres reception in the parish hall.
Here is a little 15 second clip (as soon as YouTube finishes processing them) of John's prelude:
and a little 30 second clip of Giles's postlude:
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