An Advent Procession with Lessons & Carols

An Advent sequence, not a general holiday playlist

The Cathedral’s music listing begins with The Great O Antiphons and Richard Marlow’s Advent Responsory. It then names the hymn “Lo, he comes with clouds descending” (Helmsley), Boris Ord’s “Adam lay ybounden,” “Savior of the nations, come!” (Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland), Paul Manz’s “E’en so, Lord Jesus, quickly come,” and “Come, thou Redeemer of the earth” (Puer nobis). Lucy Walker’s “There is no rose” and “Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming” (Es ist ein Ros entsprungen) follow.

The remaining selections include Kerensa Briggs’s “O clavis David,” the hymn “The great forerunner of the morn” (The Truth from above), Melissa Dunphy’s “O Oriens,” Benjamin Britten’s “A hymn to the Virgin” and Anton Bruckner’s “Ave Maria à 7.” Herbert Howells’s Magnificat from Gloucester Service and Paul Mealor’s “A spotless rose” lead to the closing hymn, “O come, O come, Emmanuel” (Veni, veni Emmanuel). The list’s mix of antiphons, hymns and individual choral works keeps the emphasis on Advent.

The Cathedral calendar identifies Nov. 29 as the First Sunday of Advent, Year B. That date and the named Advent texts place the service within the church’s seasonal worship calendar.

Further reading: Music at the Cathedral of St. Philip ↗

A particular service in the Sunday choral calendar

The Cathedral describes its worship music as rooted in the Anglican choral tradition. Its visitor guide says Choral Evensong is the usual Sunday 4 p.m. service from September through May, though services of Lessons and Carols sometimes take that place. This date is specifically listed as an Advent Procession with Lessons & Carols, not as the routine Evensong service.

Further reading: Music at the Cathedral of St. Philip ↗ · Visitors and Newcomers | The Cathedral of St. Philip ↗