A Service for Advent with Carols [R] Chapel of St John’s College, Cambridge 3.xii.23

[DracoM]

A Service for Advent with Carols [R]
Chapel of St John’s College, Cambridge

At: 3 p.m.

Introit: There is no rose (Gerald Hendrie)
Opening Sentence
Processional Hymn: Come thou redeemer of the earth (Puer nobis nascitur, desc Christopher Gray)

Bidding Prayer
Carol: Deus, Deus meus (Roxanna Panufnik)

I The Message of Advent
Sentence and Collect
Antiphons: O Sapientia and O Adonaï
First Lesson: Mark 13 vv.32-36
Motet: Vigilate (Byrd)
Second Lesson: Isaiah 11 vv.1-5
Carol: A tender shoot (Kerensa Briggs)

II The Word of God
Sentence and Collect
Antiphons: O Radix Jesse and O Clavis David
Third Lesson: Hebrews 4 vv.12-16
Carol: This is the truth (Trad., arr. Vaughan Williams and Christopher Robinson)
Fourth Lesson: Luke 4 vv. 14-21
Hymn: O come, O come Emmanuel (Veni Emmanuel, descant David Hill)

III The Prophetic Call
Sentence and Collect
Antiphons: O Oriens and O Rex Gentium
Fifth Lesson: Malachi 3 vv. 1-7
Motet: Fuit homo missus a Deo (Praetorius)
Sixth Lesson: Matthew 3 vv. 1-11
Hymn: On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry (Winchester New, descant Christopher Robinson)

IV The God-Bearer
Sentence and Collect
Antiphon: O Emmanuel
Anthem: Bogoroditse Dyevo (Rachmaninoff)
Seventh Lesson: Luke 1 vv. 26-38
Magnificat: The Truro Service (Russell Pascoe)
Eighth Lesson: The Annunciation (Edwin Muir)
Anthem: The Hidden Light (Joanna Marsh) – New commission
The Christmas Collect
Carol: Noel – Verbum caro factum est (Tamsin Jones)
Hymn: Of the Father’s heart begotten (Divinum mysterium, arr. Willcocks)
The College Prayer and The Blessing

Organ Voluntary: In dir ist Freude, BWV 615 (Bach)

Alexander Robson (Herbert Howells Organ Scholar)
Christopher Gray (Director of Music)


The Revd Canon Dr Mark Oakley (Dean)
The Revd Andrew Hammond (Chaplain)

Recorded 26 November

[Keraulophone]

Mr Gray's first and the Revd Oakley's last Advent carol service from SJC. Dr Oakley will be the next Dean of Southwark Cathedral.

Nice to have some Cornish representation (Pascoe Magnificat).

[oddoneout]

Looking forward to this.

Possibly also of interest...
On Sunday 17th December 10 am, St John's is also providing the Netherlands slot(!) on the EBU "Christmas around Europe" day from the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001t9x7

[smittims]

Goodness, Advent already. I don't know where this year's gone...

Thanks for the list. I'll be 'tuning in' as we used to say.

[S H Otley]

I'd been so looking forward to this. I now find it's RECORDED!! I'll find something else to do at 3pm

[Pulcinella]

I'd been so looking forward to this. I now find it's RECORDED!! I'll find something else to do at 3pm 🙄

Not at 3pm, but you could join the LIVE streaming of York's Advent Procession at 5:30pm instead.

https://yorkminster.org/whats-on/event/advent-procession/

I heard that the Precentor (currently on sabbatical) is moving to SJC; presumably as the new Dean?

[Nick Armstrong]

I'd been so looking forward to this. I now find it's RECORDED!! I'll find something else to do at 3pm

I have such difficulty understanding this approach. What’s your thinking behind this? (We know by now why it has to be recorded - term has ended, so the students may well not be around any more)… is it the religious aspect of the proceedings which means that you don’t feel you can participate unless it’s live?

[Petrushka]

Personally, I think it's a bit bizarre that all the Oxbridge colleges hold their Advent services before Advent. I know the reason why but couldn't they hold off for another week?

[CallMePaul]

I missed this (which I usually listen to, John's currently being my favourite Oxbridge choir) as I went to the Manchester Camerata's Messiah at Gorton Monastery this afternoon - generally very good, although the tenor soloist was not to my taste and three numbers including the pifa were cut. Is the John's broadcast, with a new Director of Music, up to the standards we had from Andrew Nethsingha? I may try to listen on Sounds but these services are very much for the occasion (Advent Sunday).

[oddoneout]

I missed this (which I usually listen to, John's currently being my favourite Oxbridge choir) as I went to the Manchester Camerata's Messiah at Gorton Monastery this afternoon - generally very good, although the tenor soloist was not to my taste and three numbers including the pifa were cut. Is the John's broadcast, with a new Director of Music, up to the standards we had from Andrew Nethsingha? I may try to listen on Sounds but these concerts are very much for the occasion (Advent Sunday).

If you want a concert how about the Amsterdam version on 17th December, posted earlier? Otherwise I think perhaps it is fair to consider that what was broadcast today was regarded as a "service for Advent" by those participating?

[Alison]

Was it a slightly different Johns sound under Christopher Gray?

just a little sweeter maybe?

[S H Otley]

I have such difficulty understanding this approach. What’s your thinking behind this? (We know by now why it has to be recorded - term has ended, so the students may well not be around any more)… is it the religious aspect of the proceedings which means that you don’t feel you can participate unless it’s live?

Got it in one. Precisely that. Worship is in the here and now.

[cat]

In a recent Cathedral Music interview, while discussing the influence of choir directors on their choirs Andrew Nethsingha said it's noticeable how much the sound of SJC has changed since he left.

Presumably such a change would be more noticeable to AN than anyone else, so it's interesting to note what differences others might have heard.

[DracoM]

Service nicely 'managed'. Boys sound very different. Less chest and more head, a deal less passion and attack?
BUT my prob was where on earth were the mikes? Weird balance now and then maybe?

[Bella Kemp]

This was wonderful. I listened via my mobile phone and headphones on a long train journey through bleak, wintry countryside and it lifted my spirits.