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Views from the Choir Loft

The Communion of the Second Sunday after Epiphany

Dr. Charles Weaver · January 16, 2022

N TODAY’S MASS, both forms of the Roman Rite give us the account of the wedding feast at Cana. In the newer liturgical books, this passage only comes around every three years, which means that for many people this is the first time hearing this passage at Mass since the pandemic began. Certainly the readings which the Church gives us are often to our profit regardless of our situation. In my case, I was supposed to be traveling this weekend and hearing the schola of one of my colleagues here. My plan has been derailed like so much else in our lives lately; instead I am at home and have experienced some recent illness as well. In this case it is worth reflecting on the message of this passage, even at the simple level of knowing that the Lord wishes us to be joyful, even if it is not in the way we expect: joy on His terms and not ours.

The communion antiphon is a masterpiece of exegesis and is one of my favorites of the whole year, so even though it has been discussed on this blog in previous years, it is certainly worthy of yet another post. To sing it is to engage in a guided lectio divina. To begin, consider the brevity of the text. Much of the miraculous kernel of the story is distilled from the text around it in the most concise possible way.

Now consider the way the composer creates different voices among the characters in the scene by using vocal register. Have you ever noticed that in the famous Passions of J.S. Bach, our Lord is always sung by a bass? This tradition in Passion singing dates from the Middle Ages. In the most widely used melody for the passions sung in Holy Week in the Roman Rite, the chronista occupies the middle fifth of the mode F–C, with the Lord and the other speakers (the synagoga part) taking the lower and upper registers respectively. Precisely the same thing is at work here, with characteristically subtle use of modulation. Indeed, the only notes on which we reach definitive cadences here are F and G, but what a wide variety of character is possible within this simple framework!

There are five utterances by three speakers, narrator-Christ-narrator-architriclinus-narrator. The narrator opens with a simple identification of the next speaker, accomplished by outlining the modal third F–A and avoiding a cadence.

Christ’s speech begins in what seems to be mode 2, outlining D–F, in a clearly lower register. Only with his second command does he lead to a typical mode-6 cadence.

As in the gospel account itself, the miraculous transformation is described only with a participle phrase: “when the chief steward had tasted the water made wine.” Perhaps there is a subtle allusion to the transformation in the change from b-natural to b-flat. The narrator again sticks to the compass of the central modal fifth F–C.

The exclamation of the chief steward reaches much higher than the rest of the chant, as though sung by a different singer as during the passion. The ecstatic nature of his outburst is of course expressed by the triple repetition of the torculus on the highest notes. We are given only the essence of steward’s words. The cadence suggests the eighth mode.

The closing narrative again occupies the central fifth F–C.

I never get tired of this melody and I look forward to it every time it comes around. A rehearsal video for the whole chant is here:

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 18, 2022

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About Dr. Charles Weaver

Dr. Charles Weaver is on the faculty of the Juilliard School, and serves as director of music for St. Mary’s Church. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and four children.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    “Glory To God” • (For Choir + Congregation)
    I wish to thank everyone for the nice comments I received vis-à-vis my Glory To God setting for Choir & Congregation. A gentleman with a musical doctorate from Indiana University wrote: “Love this setting so much. And I will pray, as you asked, for your return to composition more fully. You are very very good.” A female choir director wrote: “I love your harmonizations, your musicality, and the wonderful interplay you have with dissonance and consonance in your music. So fun to listen to, and great for intellect, heart, and soul!” A young woman from California wrote: “Thank you for releasing your new Glory To God in honor of Saint Noel Chabanel. I'm enjoying reading through the various parts and listening to your recordings.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    William Byrd • “Mass for Five Voices”
    Our volunteer choir is learning the “Sanctus” from William Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices. You can hear a short excerpt (recorded last Sunday) but please ignore the sound of babies crying: Mp3 recording. We still have work to do—but we’re on the right track. Once we have some of the tuning issues fixed, I desire to use it as an example proving volunteers can sing complicated polyphony. — One of our volunteer choirs also sang that SANCTUS on 24 September 2023, and you can listen to how that came out.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Baptism” • A Unique Hymn
    Father Christopher Phillips is the founding Pastor of Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church. One of his hymns is unique and (in my humble opinion) quite beautiful. His hymn is basically a prayer to the Holy Trinity but also speaks of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. It would be an ideal Communion hymn on Trinity Sunday or the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. You can hear live recording from last Sunday by clicking here.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

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— Daniel Barenboim (1960)

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