I am sufficiently recovered from my cold that I was able to be back in the choir loft yesterday. We sang in English this week! During the Offertory, we did Ned Rorem‘s Sing, My Soul and during Communion, Teach Me, O Lord by Attwood (I think….or maybe Byrd).

We’re working on a couple of longer pieces over the next few weeks:

• Salve Regina by Francesco Cavalli (excerpt in mp3)
  This is written for ATTB (pdf) so Altos are singing Tenor I down an octave. This is a bit difficult for me from a reading perspective, so I may need to transcribe the notes on the score.
• Salvator Mundi (pdf score)(mp3) by Thomas Tallis
• In Paradisum (Real Audio) by Maurice Durufle from his Requiem. This has a wonderfully angelic sound, and accompanies these word (translated):

• May angels lead you into Paradise; may the martyrs receive you at your coming and lead you to the holy city of Jerusalem. May a choir of angels receive you, and with Lazarus, who once was poor, may you have eternal rest.

The recessional hymn was a beautiful arrangement (from the hymnal) of Hail Holy Queen (not the Sister Act one!)