Pat Raube, a fellow liturgical snob, has posted a Friday Five on Advent. Now that I am back in the bible belt where Christmas decorations go up before Halloween, I have been rebellious about being 'out there' with Christmasy stuff. I tend to be rather Christmas phobic anyway. Pat even posted a youtube of Sting singing Gabriel's Message which I refuse to post. Can't stand his voice. So here is my take of the season. ~ Muthah+
Those of you who are my friends on Facebook know I've been trying to post Advent music in this season, which is no small trick because, as you well know, it's been "Christmas" since Halloween in the world out there! So today we focus on Advent and its music-- the good, the bad, the new and the as-yet-unheard!
1. First, do you come from a tradition in which the Advent season is embraced? This is not true for all of us. If you do, what is your personal preference? Do you love it or hate it? Embrace it or want it to go away already? How enthusiastically does your church enter into Advent?
2. What is your favorite Advent music? (A tiny hint about mine can be found above.) Link to a favorite piece if you can.
I have never learned how to link music but I love Creator of the stars of Night, Wachet auf (in harmony and auf Deutch ) and Prepare the way, O Zion.
3. What Advent music makes your skin crawl-- or at least annoys you and makes you wish it were Christmas already?
I am pretty tired of O Come, O Come Emmanuel. I love the whole thing but I really love when they can be sung as they were intended as O Antiphones for the Magnificate the last 8 days before Christmas, but alas we don't live in community of singers and say the Divine Office daily.
4. Any Advent discoveries or re-discoveries? Again, we love links-- share your music with us!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeKvNxYMDxE This isn't quite Advent but it is quiet and meditative on the whole season.
5. Tell us how your Advent is going this year. Lost in a haze of church busyness? Finding ways to sit quietly in the darkness and wait? Give us your tips for a really rich Advent experience.
We have a remarkably vigilant neighborhood association where we live now. We have only put a wreath on the door and a single string of lights up. The neighborhood is ablaze however. I know all of that will be down and packed away by Christmas night while we will only put on our lights up during Advent IV. I will keep them up until Epiphany and perhaps until Ash Wed. if the association doesn't get crabby. I am staying out the frenzy of church stuff although I preaching both Advent IV and Christmas Eve! Our rector loves giving us what we like to preach on and I love preaching Christmas Eve. I am actually going to be able to sing the mass at the main service. I feel really blest in this parish after being in my previous diocese where I couldn't even celebrate for 8 years. God is good for those who wait.
4 comments:
Great to find a kindred spirit--thanks for a beautiful play!
Thanks for the link...wonderful contemplative music.
Honored to be acknowledged a fellow liturgical snob! :-) Thanks for your reflections, + Muthah!
Hullo Muthah,
We're in full Advent at Trinity. Dave Drebert went to the mat with the Altar Guild and there are no flowers on the altar, just bundles of evergreen branches, No wreaths on the doors and no Christmas Tree in the nave until Christmas Eve. The royal purple vestments and paraments are in the closet having been replaced by new in Sarum and Mary blue as a memorial to the 8th Rector Art Doersam.
Wonder of wonders we haven't heard O Come O Come Emmanuel yet. I'm hoping it'll be sung tomorrow with the first of the Os continuing into next week, but am not optimistic. Elizabeth Mont (Sp) a retied priest who is now a member and an "Associate" is also hopeful. We'll see. Trinity is now very much an Anglo Catholic parish and there is some tension as everyone grows into the new. Sung Eucharists/Mass; Chasubles; Anglican Chant, Daily Office, etc.
I wonder where some have been in the past ten years. I've actually heard people announcing that they're "shocked" absolutely "stunned" to learn that General Convention had authorized Blessing Services for same gender couples. And that Trinity's two delegates at GC voted for it. Trinity has supplied at least two delegates for so long that a lot of folks think Trinity has always had and always will have at least two delegates as a right. LOL.
Enjoy the remaining days of Advent we are. This is a season of change for Susan and I. Eleanor will only be with us on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
She's going back to New Paltz on the 26th. She's house and cat sitting for a Professor, who is in India until the start of Spring Semester. She's happy because she's getting paid! and has a place to stay when Roller Derby starts to practice for the Spring Season on January 4th. Susan is going back with her on the 26th and I'll join them on the 29th and we'll celebrate Susan's birthday before coming back to Binghamton on the 30th.
Elle's thriving -- I think she's doing what is turning into a English Major with a Minor in Creative Fiction and Non-Fiction and a second Major in French with a Minor in Italian. All while maintaining Dean's List grades.
Gerry Hough
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