Advent Procession with Lessons and Carols (November 27, 2022)

This Advent Procession with Lessons and Carols is sung by the Cathedral Choir. The officiant is the Rev. Canon George Maxwell. 

Organized around the O Antiphons – beautiful plainchant texts which invoke the Messiah to return, sung since the 8th century at Vespers on the seven evenings leading up to Christmas – the choir gradually moves into the chancel, stopping at various stations around the Cathedral nave. Each of the biblical prophecies is expanded upon by the singing of carols, anthems, and hymns which anticipate the coming of Christ, culminating in a glorious setting of the Magnificat (The Song of Mary, Luke 1:46-55) and the singing of “O come, O come, Emmanuel,” the text of which is an English translation of the very O Antiphons that the choir has sung throughout the service. 

Choral repertoire includes:

• Great O Antiphons
• Richard Marlow (1939-2013), Advent Responsory
• “Lo! he comes with clouds descending” Helmsley
• Ben Parry (b.1965), Adam lay ybounden
• “Creator of the stars of night” Conditor alme siderum
• Francisco Guerrero (1528-1599), Rorate caeli
• “Come, thou Redeemer of the earth” Puer nobis nascitur
• Kerensa Briggs (b.1991), A tender shoot
• “Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming” Es ist ein Ros entsprungen
• Charles Beaudrot, Jr. (b. 1951), Comfort, comfort ye my people
• Howard Helvey (b. 1968), There is no Rose of such virtue
• arr. David Schelat (b.1955), The Angel Gabriel
• Herbert Howells (1892-1983), Magnificat (Gloucester Cathedral)
• Elizabeth Poston (1905-1987), Jesus Christ the apple tree
• “O come, O come, Emmanuel” Veni, veni Emmanuel