A Narrower Christmas

Examples!

A Twentieth Century American Christmas could easily include some of the fresh and beautiful anthems and arrangements written by living composers, perhaps even original works by some talented musicians from the parish. Try these by CNP: Ten New Carols for Advent and Christmas, Communion Psalms for the Liturgical Seasons, Mass of Saint Jerome, Gospel Verses for the Christmas Cycle, Tell Me, Shepherds, Psalm 96 or Joy to the World.

The modern architecture of Our Lady of Victory Church has given way on past Christmas Eves to an "English Tudor" spirit, becoming "The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin" for one night. Music (almost totally) was taken from 16th century England. A traditional Service of Lessons and Carols preceded Midnight Mass, with music of Byrd, Tye and Gibbons. Readers, in true British tradition, ranged from a boy chorister through the church pastor. The Christmas processional From East to West, an arrangement of Tallis' Canon, was sung by choir and congregation to open the liturgy in a darkened church. Mass responses were adapted from a Tudor Communion service by John Merbecke. The Responsorial Psalm was sung to an Anglican chant tone and the Alleluia was a round by William Boyce. Choral motets during Mass were "O Sing Joyfully" by Adrian Batten and an anonymous British setting of "Puer natus in Bethlehem." Organ music featured the early voluntaries of Byrd and Boyce.

Subsequent years found the music of Germany, Austria, Spain or Italy being sung at the parish in this ethnically-varied university town of State College PA... but that's another article!