From the Organist & Choirmaster

Today we find ourselves at the foot of the cross on the most solemn day of the church. In keeping with older traditions of not having the organ used after Maundy Thursday, today at our liturgy for Good Friday, you will hear only the most basic sounds of the organ and unaccompanied anthems sung by the choir at the Veneration of the Cross. These anthems, included in the Prayer Book, are both by Palestrina, Adoramus te, Christe and O crux ave. They demonstrate great Palestrina’s ability to greatly compose for liturgical texts. Adoramus te, Christe beautifully expresses the solemn and hopeful nature of the text “We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. He who suffered death for us, O Lord, O Lord, have mercy upon us.”

Perhaps my favorite collect of the Solemn Collets is the last:

“O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility and love the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.”