FROM DR. DAVID HURD: ORGAN RECITALS 2024–2025

Friday, November 1, All Saints’ Day – 5:30 PM
Rhonda Edgington, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI

Monday, December 9, Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Observed) – 5:30 PM
Jordan Prescot, Grace & Saint Peter’s Church, Baltimore, MD

Monday, January 6, The Epiphany – 5:30 PM
Rebecca Ehren, Church of the Epiphany, New York City

Tuesday, March 25, The Annunciation – 5:30 PM
Ralph Holtzhauser, Saint Columba Cathedral Parish, Youngstown,
 Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH

Thursday, May 29, Ascension Day – 5:30 PM
David Hurd, Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, New York City

The organ at Saint Mary’s, Aeolian-Skinner Opus 891, dates from 1932 with additions in 1942 and 2002. It is a world-famous instrument largely due to its high rear-galley installation and the resultingly rich musical voice it has given to the dynamic worship life of Saint Mary’s. Its tonal refinement (in contrast with its strikingly unfinished appearance), and its thrilling engagement of the church’s gracious acoustics, have been brought to life by the remarkable musicians, too many to name, who have performed a remarkably wide range of music on it through the years in the liturgy, in recital, and on recordings. This has largely been made possible by the dedicated work of Lawrence Trupiano, who has curated this landmark instrument generously and expertly for decades.

In the 2024–2025 season, our recital series will include programs on All Saints’ Day (November 1), The Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (observed on December 9), The Epiphany (January 6), The Annunciation (March 25), and Ascension Day (May 29).

Here is an introduction to the organists who will present recitals before Feast Day Solemn Masses on this season’s series:

Rhonda Sider Edgington will come from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to present the first of our recitals on All Saints’ Day, November 1. Rhonda is often commended for her innovative programming, colorful use of registrations, and exciting playing. She spent seven years studying, working, and performing in Bremen, Germany, as a Fulbright scholar with Prof. Harald Vogel. Rhonda Edgington has played recitals at venues in the United States such as Saint Paul’s Cathedral in Pittsburgh, Arizona State University, and the Cadet Chapel at West Point, and in Germany on many significant historic organs. She has performed at national and regional conventions of the American Guild of Organists and Organ Historical Society and been heard on the PBS radio program Pipedreams. She is an avid collaborative musician, performing regularly with Thunder & Wind, with Carolyn Koebel on percussion, and other creative combinations. Rhonda is the Organist and Music Director at Hope Church, Organ Instructor at Calvin University, and Education Coordinator for the Grand Rapids Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. When not musiking, she can be found riding her bike, shopping at local farmers’ markets, and enjoying Lake Michigan. Find her pipe organ photos on Instagram at i_luv_schnitgers or her music writings at RhondaSiderEdgington.substack.com. Her Saint Mary’s program will include works by Josef Rheinberger, Jeanne Demessieux, and Alfred Fedak.

Jordan Prescott will present the organ recital on the Feast of the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, observed on December 9. Hailed as an “organ star” (The Baltimore Sun) whose playing “encompass[es] the church in a wild wind” (The Washington Post), Mr. Prescott has distinguished himself as an organist, conductor, and scholar with a sensitive, versatile, and striking artistry. A highly-sought-after performer, Jordan enjoys an active recital career in such esteemed venues as the Piccolo Spoleto Festival (Charleston), Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue (New York City), the Cathedral of Saint Philip (Atlanta), Grace Cathedral (San Francisco), and the West Point Military Academy Cadet Chapel. He is also regularly featured at regional and national conventions of the American Guild of Organists and the Organ Historical Society. Dr. Prescott is Organist-Choirmaster at Grace and Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church in Baltimore and a member of the music theory faculty at the Peabody Institute from which he earned the Doctor of Musical Arts. His research is regularly published in The American Organist and The Tracker magazines, and, in 2019, he was named one of Diapason magazine’s “20 Under 30” most influential young artists. Jordan has studied in the United States with John Walker, Andrew Scanlon, and Christopher Jacobson and in Paris with Marie-Louise Langlais. Jordan Prescott is represented in North America by Seven Eight Artists. His Saint Mary’s program will include works of Charles Tournemire, Marcel Dupré, Jehan Alain, Jeanne Demessieux, and Kerensa Briggs.

Rebecca Ehren will play the organ recital on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6. Rebecca recently began as Music Director at The Church of the Epiphany, on the Upper East Side. Previously she served as Organ Scholar at Washington National Cathedral, where she played for services and concerts reaching over 10,000 people, worked with the choristers and professional choir, and assisted in all aspects of the music program. Prior to her cathedral appointment, Rebecca studied privately with Raymond Nagem and went on to receive her Master of Music degree from Yale’s Institute of Sacred Music. She has also held positions at Grace Church (New York City), Saint Michael’s Episcopal Church (also in here in New York), and the University Church in Yale. As an organist quickly building an exciting career, Rebecca was the featured guest on Episode 17 of “Sounds from the Sanctuary,” a podcast based at Christ (formerly Crystal) Cathedral in Orange County, California. Rebecca also performs regularly as a pianist. She completed a bachelor’s degree in piano with honors from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and is an Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto). In addition to playing keyboard instruments, Rebecca also frequently sings in professional ensembles for worship services and performances. She sang with the Experiential Orchestra and Chorus on their 2021 Grammy-winning recording of Ethyl Smyth’s The Prison. Beyond performing, Rebecca has served as the Chair of the Board of Directors for C4: The Choral Composer Conductor Collective and holds a second undergraduate degree from Indiana University in cognitive science and mathematics/economics. For additional details about Rebecca, please visit www.rebeccaehren.com. Her program on the feast of the Epiphany will include works by Dieterich Buxtehude, Olivier Messiaen, and Gaston Litaize.

Ralph Holtzhauser will present the organ recital on the Feast of the Annunciation, March 25. Mr. Holtzhause is primarily known as a liturgical musician and performer. He began his twenty-five-year playing career at four different churches in Northeast Ohio while he was yet in high school, reaching his current position as Diocesan Music Director of Youngstown and the Music Director of the Cathedral of Saint Columba in 2022. He has also ventured into the realm of jazz, playing with three-time Grammy winner Graham Breedlove at the Kennedy Center, as well as progressive rock, recording at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, home to the largest church organ in the world. He earned his master’s degree studying organ with Todd Wilson at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Mr. Holtzhauser was invited to be the Professor of Sacred Music at the Franciscan University of Steubenville and the Professor of Organ Performance at Youngstown State University. He is currently recording a CD entirely of previously unrecorded organ music by African American composers, scheduled for release next year. Most recently, Mr. Holtzhauser has played at Saint Eustache and Sainte-Clotilde in Paris, France, as well as the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. To keep up with Ralph’s music, please subscribe to his YouTube channel under his name. His program at Saint Mary’s will include works by Felix Mendelssohn, Marcel Dupré, Paul de Maleingreau, and Robert G. Farrell.

David Hurd, Organist and Music Director at The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, will present the recital on May 29, Ascension Day. David Hurd is a native New Yorker and has studied locally at The Juilliard School, the High School of Music and Art, and the Manhattan School of Music. He graduated from Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio, and he continued graduate studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He has received doctoral degrees, honoris causa, from academic institutions in Connecticut, Illinois, California, and Tennessee. From 1976 until 2015 he served on the faculty of The General Theological Seminary and was named Professor of Church Music and Organist in 1984. He has taught also at Duke University, Manhattan School of Music, Westminster Choir College, and Yale University. A lifelong Episcopalian, he served on the Standing Commission on Church Music from 1977 to 1986 and was a major contributor to The Hymnal 1982. Since winning first prizes both in organ performance and in improvisation at the 1977 International Congress of Organists, he has performed extensively throughout North America and Europe and has been a featured artist at several national and regional conventions of the American Guild of Organists. His catalogue of published musical compositions features choral, vocal, liturgical, and organ works. I Sing as I Arise Today, a collection of seventy-seven of his original hymn settings, includes several which have been adopted, reprinted, and sung ecumenically. In 2010, he became the fifteenth recipient of The American Guild of Organists’ biennial Distinguished Composer Award. He was appointed as organist and music director at Saint Mary’s in 2016 having previously served at Trinity Church Wall Street and Saint Paul’s Chapel, The Church of the Intercession, Saint James’s Church, All Saints Church, and the Church of the Holy Apostles. He is represented by Phillip Truckenbrod Concert Artists. His Ascension Day program will include works by twentieth-century French composers Marcel Dupré, Jehan Alain, and Jean-Jacques Grunenwald.

We hope that you will take the opportunity to hear these five organ recital programs, played before Solemn Masses on Feast Days, and bring friends. — DH

PRAYING FOR THE CHURCH & FOR THE WORLD

We pray for an end to war, division, violence, and injustice, especially in the Middle East, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Haiti, Ukraine, Russia, Myanmar, Sudan, and Darfur. We pray for justice and for an end to violence and discord in our city and nation.

We pray for the people and clergy of the Church of All Saints, Margaret Street, London, UK.

We pray for those who have asked us for our prayers, especially Suzanne, Stephanie, Amelia, Kenneth, Adrian, Fletcher, Margaret, Jacques, Keith, Claudia, Dorian, Patrick, Frank, Steve, Susanna, Rolf, Richard, Josh, Tony, Paul, Nettie, Chrissy, Maureen, Cedric, Otis, Don, Audy, Robert, Duncan, Justin, Sheila, Jan, Pat, Marjorie, Carole, Sharon, Quincy, Carlos, José, Brian, Manuel, Hardy, Gypsy, Leroy, Bob, and Liduvina; Laura Katharine, religious; Lind, deacon; and Jay, Julie, Jean, Robby, and Stephen, priests.

We also pray for the repose of the souls of Abraham Rochester; Robert Willis, priest; Richard Grein, bishop; and those whose year’s mind falls on October 27, Whidden Graham (1944); George Grant (1948); Peter LaFarge (1965).

Prayer for an Election (Book of Common Prayer, p. 822)

Almighty God, to whom we must account for all our powers and privileges: Guide the people of the United States in the election of officials and representatives; that, by faithful administration and wise laws, the rights of all may be protected and our nation be enabled to fulfill your purposes; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

IN THIS TRANSITORY LIFE

Abraham Joseph Cornelius Rochester, longtime member of Saint Mary’s, died peacefully at his home in the northern Bronx early in the morning of Thursday, October 24, after a long illness. He would have turned 93 on December 15. He is survived by his wife, Suzanne, his children, Stephanie, Kenneth, and Amelia, and his grandson, Adrian. Abe was born here in New York, but his mother died when he was quite young and he was taken to Saint Kitts, an island of the West Indies, by his Anglican grandmother, who raised him there. He returned to New York when he was seventeen and after a time settled into a long career as an insurance investigator and adjuster for several insurance companies and for a number of attorneys. He married Suzanne Nagy Rochester on May 26, 1966. They celebrated their fifty-eighth wedding anniversary in the spring. Their long marriage has a special meaning to the Rochester family and to those who know them. Abe was black, Suzanne is white, and in the 1960s their marriage was greeted with resistance and much disapproval. Their commitment to each other has long been a sign to us of love’s holy power to overcome hatred. Abe was a keeper of Saint Mary’s history and often shared his memories with Saint Marians new and old. He was a dedicated member of the Saint Raphael’s Guild of Ushers and his service in that ministry is memorable. A Requiem Mass will be celebrated here before the end of the year and Abe’s ashes are to be interred in the columbarium in the Mercy Chapel. — JRS

A Message from the XVII Bishop of New York: I share the sad news that the Right Reverend Richard Grein, XIV bishop of New York, died at home in Portland, Oregon, on the morning of Tuesday, October 8. His children spent his final week together with him and he was surrounded by people who loved him when he died. Bishop Grein was elected as bishop coadjutor in 1988 and became bishop diocesan in 1989. He had formerly served as bishop of Kansas from 1981. He was born in 1932 in Bemidji, Minnesota, to Lavina Frost and Ray Clausen. His parents divorced when he was young, and he was later adopted by Lester Grein. He played football for Carleton College and was invited to try out for the then-Washington Redskins. He became an associate of Holy Cross Monastery in West Park. He later pursued a master’s degree in pastoral theology at Nashotah House. Afterward, he served the Diocese of Minnesota as a priest in Elk River, where he co-founded Guardian Angels, a faith based senior-care community. Prior to his 1981 election as bishop of Kansas, he taught at Nashotah House and served as a parish priest in Minnesota and Kansas. In twelve years as bishop of New York he emphasized local ministry, creating Episcopal Charities and the congregational support plan. He also focused on financial stewardship of the diocese by creating the diocesan trustees and expanding the diocesan endowment. He renewed the permanent diaconate, ordaining the first of these deacons in 1993. He was also committed to ecumenical relationships and strengthened connections with the Orthodox Church, with special support to the Russian Orthodox Church and a friendship with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. — + Matthew Heyd

The former Dean of Canterbury the Very Reverend Robert Willis died “suddenly and peacefully” in [New Haven, Connecticut] on Tuesday, October 22. He was 77. In a message to the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, on Wednesday, where Dean Willis was a resident Fellow, his partner, Fletcher Banner, said, “It is with great sadness that I have to tell you all of Dean Robert’s passing. After a brief illness whilst at Yale in America, Robert suffered heart failure and died last night. Robert was a man of great faith and intellect whose greatest joy was to share his life with others. This has been particularly so since we left Canterbury and have been welcomed elsewhere all over the world.” Dean Willis was ordained deacon in 1972 and priest in 1973, having trained at Cuddesdon Theological College. He served as a parish priest and a school chaplain between 1973 and 1992, when he was appointed Dean of Hereford where he served until 2001, when he became Dean of Canterbury. Dean Willis retired, after two decades in office, on the eve of his 75th birthday in February 2022. Towards the end of his twenty-one years in Canterbury, he became known for his garden ministry during the first national lockdown during the pandemic, when Canterbury Cathedral—like other churches—was forced to close to worshippers. The initiative was his own, supported by his partner, as a way of not breaking the 1400-year tradition of the daily Office at the cathedral. The popularity of Dean Willis’s broadcasts, which have a dedicated YouTube channel, took off thanks to the frequent impromptu appearances of his cats, Leo and Tiger, and other members of the Deanery menagerie. This continued in his retirement. His last broadcast was on Monday, October 21. Mr. Banner continued, “Robert has been my partner in life and ministry for more than 20 wonderful years. Like me I am sure you will carry his memory in your hearts.” The funeral is to take place in New Haven, and a memorial service is to be held next year at Salisbury Cathedral. — From The Church Times, October 24, 2024

Dean Willis thought of Canterbury Cathedral as the mother church of the Anglican Communion. He worked tirelessly to make the cathedral a holy place, a welcoming place, for all Anglicans and for all those who visited the cathedral. He played host to the bishops of the Anglican Communion during two Lambeth Conferences (2008 and 2022). Jesus’ words “blessed are the peacemakers” applied to him, for he had a remarkable ability to remain focused and unbowed during those sometimes tense and painful meetings. Dean Robert was a great friend of Saint Mary’s. He often stayed at the rectory when he was in New York, and he preached here on a number of occasions. He, and Fletcher, showed great kindness to Father Stephen Gerth and to Father Jay Smith, and to other members of the clergy and the congregation, providing support, counsel, and the gift of his friendship. He will be greatly missed. — JRS

The ashes of Dr. William Henry Benefield, Sr. (1934–2024) will be interred in the columbarium here at Saint Mary’s at a Committal Service in the Mercy Chapel on All Souls’ Day, Saturday, November 2, 2024, at 10:00 AM. Members of the Saint Mary’s community are invited to attend the service. Dr. Benefield is the father of Saint Mary’s parishioner, Brother William Benefield, BSG. A Solemn Requiem Mass for the repose of Dr. Benefield’s soul will be celebrated tomorrow, Saturday, October 26, at the Church of Saint Mark in San Antonio, Texas. A second Requiem Mass will be celebrated at the Church of the Epiphany in Guntersville, Alabama, on November 16, 2024.

Please keep Abraham, Richard, Robert, William, their family, friends, colleagues, and communities in your prayers, and of your charity please pray for all who mourn. — JRS 

Anglican Heritage Pilgrimage: June 9–20, 2025

Father Sammy Wood will be leading a pilgrimage to England in June 2025! For Episcopalians in the Anglican tradition, England holds a place of distinct significance. The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin’s Anglican Heritage Pilgrimage will trace Christianity’s early days in Great Britain, medieval England, and the Reformation as we experience the treasures of our Anglican tradition. Skilled guides will lead our small group through the sacred places that bore witness to Christian saints, Protestant martyrs, and significant events in Anglican church history. Click here for additional details and please speak with Father Sammy if you have any questions.

But time is growing short: the deadline for deposits—October 31—is fast approaching!

Sunday, October 27
Guild Fair in Saint Joseph’s Hall, 12:30–1:30 PM
Please come to Saint Joseph’s Hall after Solemn Mass for the Guild Fair.
There’s a lot going on at Saint Mary’s.
Talk to folks, ask questions, think about what kind of ministry or service seems right for you.

Wednesday, October 30, after Evening Prayer (5:30 PM) and Mass (6:00 PM)
“Group Seeks God”
In this small-group experiment, Father Sammy and Renee Wood will demonstrate how simple practices like hospitality and storytelling create opportunities for engagement and invitation in our everyday worlds.

Friday, November 1
All Saints’ Day
Morning Prayer 8:00 AM
Mass 12:10 PM
Organ Recital by Rhonda Edgington 5:30 PM
Solemn Mass 6:00 PM
The Rev’d Kathleen Liles, guest preacher

Saturday, November 2
All Souls’ Day
Sung Mass with a Quartet from the Choir 12:10 PM
Sermon by Father Matt Jacobson

Sunday, November 3, 2:00 AM
Daylight Saving Time ends. Clocks go back one hour.

Monday, November 11
Veterans Day
Mass 10:00 AM in the Lady Chapel
Federal Holiday Schedule: the church opens at 9:00 AM and closes at 12:00 PM. Parish offices are closed.

Wednesday, November 27
Eve of Thanksgiving Day
Sung Mass with a Quartet from the Choir 6:00 PM

Thanksgiving Day
Mass 10:00 AM in the Lady Chapel
Federal Holiday Schedule: the church opens at 9:00 AM and closes at 12:00 PM. Parish offices are closed.

First Sunday of Advent
December 1, 2024

The Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (tr.)
Monday, December 9, 2024
Morning Prayer 8:00 AM
Sung Mass 12:10 PM
Organ Recital 5:30 PM
Solemn Mass 6:00 PM

NEWS & NOTICES

Adult Formation: Classes continue Sunday mornings at 9:45 AM . . . October 27, 9:45 AM: Foundations Course: Invitation to a Journey. This four-week series is about building a “trellis” for us to grow along. The Foundations classes aim to increase our proficiency in various aspects of the Christian life and are meant for longtime practitioners brushing up on the basics of their faith, and for newcomers who seek connections within the parish. In a word, Foundations Courses are for all adults who find themselves around Saint Mary’s! . . . November 3 at 9:45 AM in Saint Joseph’s Hall, Father Peter Powell will lead a Bible Study in Saint Joseph’s Hall. The class will be reading and studying the gospel accounts of Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection. These passages are fundamental to our faith so they will be useful to the beginner as well as to the more knowledgeable student. All are welcome. No prior preparation is required. Come and join us.

Would you like to donate the altar flowers? . . . The following Sundays are available: November 10, 17, and 24. The customary donation requested is $250. Please call the Parish Office for more information (212-869-5830).

At the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine: Discipleship and Politics: How does one inform the other? Monday, October 28, 6:30-8:00 PM . . . Sister Ruth Lautt, O.P., Esq and Father Scott Gunn will discuss the connection between discipleship and politics. How ought our beliefs as followers of Jesus lead us to take part in the public political landscape? Clearly, there is wide disagreement among Christians on this as some advocate a complete separation of the church from politics, while others advocate a theocratic nation. Both panelists will offer possible paths or a middle way between these extremes. So come join what is sure to be a vibrant and thought-provoking conversation to see where Sister Ruth and Father Scott find common ground and where they diverge as we consider our vocations as both Christians and as members of the body politic. This topic matters greatly as we consider our upcoming elections, foreign policy, involvement with local political issues, and more.

• The Rev. Scott Gunn is executive director of Forward Movement. An Episcopal priest, he has served parishes in Rhode Island and Ohio.

• Sr. Ruth Lautt, O.P., Esq. is a practicing attorney and the Founder and Director of the Saint Fidelis RC Church Street Outreach in College Point, Queens.

Tickets are being offered on a "pay what you can" basis. The suggested ticket price is $15, with options to pay more or less. Free student rush tickets are available on the door. Click here for tickets. The event is offered by the Community at the Crossing and is part of their Dialogues on Divinity series.

ANNUAL REQUIEM MASSES

Each year we pray for the departed, those whom we love but who we see no longer, at five Requiem Masses celebrated on the weekdays after All Souls’ Day. This is the schedule: Monday, November 4, 12:10 PM, Last Names A-E; Tuesday, November 5, 12:10 PM, Last Names F-K; Wednesday, November 6, 12:10 & 6:00 PM, Last names L-N; Thursday, November 7, 12:10 PM, Last names O-Q; and Friday, November 8, 12:10 PM, Last names R-Z. At these Masses, prayers will be offered for the departed by the last name of the person making the request. Lists of names may be mailed to the parish office, sent by e-mail to the office, or placed in the collection basket at Mass.

OUTREACH AT SAINT MARY’S

Neighbors in Need . . . If you would like to volunteer or make a cash donation, please speak to MaryJane Boland. We are also eager to receive donations of new or lightly used sneakers and shoes, in all sizes, for both men and women. The October Drop-by was held on Friday, October 18, when we served 50 people. Next month’s Drop-by will take place on Friday, November 15. In December, the Drop-by will take place on the second Friday of the month, not the third: December 13, not December 20.

We are looking for a few more good volunteers, who feel called and inspired to give this work a try. Please speak to MaryJane Boland or Father Jay about our work and how you might help.

ABOUT THE MUSIC AT THE SOLEMN MASS ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 27, 2024, THE TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

As we look towards the Feast of All Saints later this week, Sunday’s organ voluntaries come from Bach’s setting of the Te Deum, the Church’s great hymn of praise by all creation. In this unusual work, Bach creates a fine, five-part accompaniment for each of the fifty-three lines of the hymn, using Luther’s version in rhyming German couplets. It is unclear whether Bach intended his setting as an accompaniment for singing, as a solo organ work, or both. The modern urtext calls for alternatim (verse and response) throughout the work, though it is often performed without this. There is, however, a lovely legend that Saints Ambrose and Augustine, to whom the hymn is traditionally attributed, improvised it singing antiphonally to each other. On Sunday morning, I will use both alternatim and more extended manual changes to differentiate among the verses. The text of the prelude can be found in the hymnal at S 287. In modern usage, the hymn usually ends here. But from ancient times, additional verses taken from the Psalms were added—they can be found in the service of Morning Prayer in the Book of Common Prayer 1979 as Suffrages B (pp. 55 and 98)—and the postlude sets these:

O Lord, save thy people
and bless thine heritage.
Govern them and lift them up for ever.
Day by day we magnify thee;
And we worship thy Name ever world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us as our trust is in thee.
O Lord, in thee have I trusted; let me never be confounded.
Amen.
—Clark Anderson

Hugo Distler (1908–1942) was born in Nuremberg. He attended Leipzig Conservatory first as a student of piano and conducting but later shifted his concentration to composition and organ. He became organist at Sankt Jacobi in Lübeck in 1931. He also taught at the School for Church Music in Spandau and became a professor of church music in Stuttgart in 1940. Becoming increasingly depressed from the death of friends, aerial attacks, job pressures, and the constant threat of conscription into the German army, he tragically committed suicide in Berlin at the age of thirty-four. His choral and organ compositions are often described as neo-classical because of their lean and carefully crafted polyphony and their employment of compositional devices associated with renaissance and baroque music. The Gloria in excelsis of the Mass on Sunday morning is Distler’s setting from his Liturgische Sätze, Opus 13, composed in the early 1930s. This setting is an elaboration of the monophonic 1525 Nürnberger Großes Gloria. Distler’s setting is for soprano solo and four-voice choir. The soprano solo begins the sixteenth-century German melody which Distler has presented in formalized rhythms. The choir soon enters singing the chorale Allein Gott in der Höhe sei Ehr, the German metrical paraphrase of Gloria in excelsis. (An English paraphrase of this Gloria chorale is at #421 in The Hymnal 1982, and we have sung it recently at Saint Mary’s.) Distler’s distinctive harmonization of the chorale provides the suitable harmonic backdrop for the old German chant sung by the soprano soloist.

The Sanctus at Sunday’s Solemn Mass is from Johann Sebastian Bach’s collected chorales which include a harmonization titled Heilig in one place and Sanctus in another. This setting bears the classification BWV 325 but lacks definitive and complete text underlay for either the implied Latin or the German texts. At Sunday’s Solemn Mass, the choir will sing Bach’s BWV 325 with the traditional Latin Sanctus et Benedictus texts.

The Agnus Dei on Sunday is a four-voice harmonization of the German Christe, du Lamm Gottes by Michael Praetorius (1571–1621). Praetorius was the leading German composer and writer on music theory and practice in his day. His Syntagma Musicum, though unfinished, provides a detailed picture of instrumental and vocal musical performance in sixteenth-century Germany. His massive compositional output included the nine-volume Musae Sioniae, a collection of approximately twelve hundred chorale and song arrangements. A composer of giant poly-choral works, he is also known for works of relative simplicity.

The motet during Communion on Sunday, like the Gloria of the Mass, is by Hugo Distler. Distler’s Singet dem Herrn, Opus 12, 1, is a motet in three movements utilizing the text of Psalm 98:1,4–9. Its first movement presents the first verse of the psalm with fresh, clean, linear, and energetic writing. It is characterized by insistent and overlapping musical figures repeating the opening few words of the text. The first movement only will be sung on Sunday morning. — David Hurd

Dr. David Hurd has been away from the parish since Monday, October 14. He returns on Monday, October 28. He has been in Montreal, Quebec, serving on the International Jury at the Canadian International Organ Competition. David is one of nine jurors on this panel of accomplished musicians. The jury is indeed international: one juror is from the United Kingdom; three are from Canada; one is from Sweden; one is from Belgium; one is from France; one is representing both Canada and France; and two, including David, are from the United States. Congratulations, David, and we look forward to hearing all about it upon your return.

Parishioner Clark Anderson will play the service and conduct the choir at Saint Mary’s on October 27.
Thank you, Clark!

CONCERTS AT SAINT MARY’S
The Miller Theatre’s Early Music Series at Saint Mary’s
Saturday, October 26, 2024, 7:30 PM

The Sixteen
The Deer's Cry

One of the world’s most renowned choral ensembles, The Sixteen makes their Miller series debut with a stunning program pairing works by William Byrd and Arvo Pärt. Though hailing from different eras, the two composers are both celebrated masters of sacred music, despite facing considerable persecution for their work. The program alternates between works from Byrd’s Cantiones Sacrae, including the mighty eight-voice motet Ad Dominum cum tribularer, and three works by Pärt that highlight his signature style, with its unique blend of ancient and modern.

Visit the Theatre’s website to purchase tickets. Tickets cannot be purchased ahead of time here at Saint Mary’s or through the parish office.

FROM CHRISTINA DANIELS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF TIMES SQUARE ARTS, TIMES SQUARE ALLIANCE

We recently unveiled Shantell Martin’s new public artwork - The Path: A Meditation of Lines, a striking black and white 160-ft long mural and walking path that cuts through the chaos of Times Square, and carves out a space for New Yorkers and visitors to find a meditative moment. On Mondays through Fridays through November 20, we’re offering free guided morning and midday meditations with Ash Rucker, the very amazing movement facilitator and co-founder of TherapArt. 

Move With Meaning: Free Guided Meditation Sessions led by Ash Rucker of TherapArt (Register Here)

Broadway between 47th and 48th Streets
Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays: 12-12:30pm
Tuesdays & Thursdays: 9-9:30am

AN INVITATION FROM THE ROYAL FAMILY THEATER

We’d like to invite the people of Saint Mary’s to our two shows that are currently running. We’re doing a revised version of our Anne of Green Gables production from 2019, and a stand-alone sequel called Marilla of Green Gables which is brand new. These two shows are for all-ages and are family friendly. We’re really proud of these plays, and we would love the church to get a better sense of what we do.

This is our schedule through November 4:

Thursday at 6:00 PM – Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home
Friday at 6:00 PM – Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home
Saturday at 3:00 PM – Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home
Saturday at 5:00 PM – Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family
Sunday at 11:00 AM – Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home
Sunday at 1:00 PM – Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family
Monday at 6:00 PM – Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home
Monday at 7:30 PM – Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family

Please feel free to have anyone who wants to come email us and I will confirm them for any show they’d like to attend.

The Royal Family Theater is located on the third floor of the Parish House.

We need your help to keep holding our services. Click below, where you can make one-time or recurring donations to support Saint Mary’s. We are very grateful to all those who make such donations and continue to support Saint Mary’s so generously.

Saint Mary’s is a vibrant Anglo-Catholic witness in the heart of NYC. With our identity in Christ and a preference for the poor, we are an inclusive, diverse community called to love God and each other for the life of the world.

This edition of The Angelus was written and edited by Father Jay Smith, except as noted. Father Matt Jacobson also edits the newsletter and is responsible for formatting and posting it on the parish website and distributing it via mail and e-mail, with the assistance of Christopher Howatt, parish administrator, and parish volunteer, Clint Best.