Sunday 25 October 2009

LMS Oxford Pilgrimage 2009

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The first Mass of the academic year was yesterday; it was the Latin Mass Society's annual pilgrimage to Oxford, in honour of the Catholic Martyrs of Oxford. This was the occasion for a splendid Solemn Mass in Blackfriars, and a very impressive procession through the streets of Oxford to the site of the martyrdoms of 1589. So addition to singing at the Mass, we sang the Great Litany, the Te Deum, and other things, on the procession, and finally accompanied Benediction.



Below is the choir loft at Blackfriars, with our polyphony group singing Byrd's Four-Part Mass.
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Here is the Introit, Kyrie and Gloria.


The Gradual and Alleluia.


The Offertory and a polyphonic motet.

Sunday 4 October 2009

Welcome

This is the website of the Oxford Gregorian Chant Society, the Schola Abelis. The Society exists to sing Gregorian Chant and Renaissance Polyphony to the highest possible standards in the setting for which this music was composed: the traditional liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church.

This term we are singing in a Catholic Hall and in three Catholic parish churches around Oxford, and an historic Catholic house, Milton Manor, whose private chapel dates from before Catholic churches could be built openly. The Masses are organised in association with the Latin Mass Society.

The OGCS consists of an all-male schola for the singing of the chant and a mixed choir for the polyphony. Membership is by audition but all are encouraged to have a go. Few people coming to Oxford have significant previous experience of singing Gregorian Chant, in particular, so we don't expect you to have!

As well as singing at seven Masses in the course of the term we have a day with Mr Philip Duffy, an associate of the Schola Gregoriana who was Director of Music at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral for thirty years. He has done a number of workshops at Oxford in recent years.

Our student singers are paid a stipend of £15 per Mass (with associated practices). Membership is also open to non-students and to people of all faiths.

Contact us to join: oxfordgregorianchant@googlemail.com

President: Richard Craddock, Somerville
Secretary: Paul Kolb, Queen's
Treasurer: Andrew Crawford, Blackfriars
Senior Member: Dr Joseph Shaw, St Benet's Hall

Term Card, Michaelmas 2009

Practices are every Wednesday, 8.15, Queen's College

2nd Wk Sat 24th Oct

Pilgrimage in honour of the Oxford Martyrs
Blackfriars 11am followed by procesion and benediction.

4th Wk Mon 2nd Nov
All Souls (requiem) Oratory 12.15

4th Wk Fri 6th
Votive of the Sacred Heart (First Friday), SS Gregory & Augustine 6pm

5th Wk Sat 14th
Master Class with Philip Duffy

6th Wk Sat 21st
Presentation of BVM, 11am St Anthony of Padua, Headington.

7th Wk Sat 28th
Requiem 11am Milton Manor, Didcot

8th Wk Fri 4th Dec
St Peter Chrysologus (First Friday) SS Gregory & Augustine 6pm