Sunday morning, 26th November saw a wonderful gathering of Choir Alumni and Choir Supporters. A really joyous occasion. At Mass, the current members of the Palestrina Choir sang Palestrina's greatly revered Missa Papae Marcelli. It was this Mass that the choir's founder Edward Martyn heard performed in Clarendon Street conducted by Vincent O'Brien that inspired him to start of the process of establishing the Palestrina Choir at the Pro-Cathedral. After Mass the alumni joined the current choir on the steps of the altar in singing together Viadana Exsultate Justi. And after that much tea, coffee and cake was consumed amidst a great deal of reminiscing. And, as we celebrated the alumni, the choir's next generation, four senior probationers got robed and fully admitted into the choir. Congratulations to these young boys starting out on their choir journey. A day to be remembered! During the 120 year we have started reaching out to the alumni and would very much like to keep hearing from past members so that we are able to build a vibrant data base. *** To all alumni out there - please contact us if you would like to be included! *** Fr Kieran McDermott robing the senior probationers & welcoming them as full members of the Choir.
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At 11am Mass on Sunday 19th November 2023, Seán Doherty's new "Mass" was premièred by the Palestrina Choir, Organist Aleksandr Nisse, Soloist Nathan Phipps-O'Neill conducted by Blánaid Murphy. Monsignor Lorcan O'Brien was the Celebrant assisted by Deacon Tom Groves.
This was commissioned and fully funded by all the members of the 120 Committee. This setting of the Mass is particularly evocative and sensitively written exploring the full range of dynamics and sonority of the Choir and of the organ at the Pro-Cathedral. It will certainly become a staple of the choir's Sunday repertoire. Thank you and many congratulations to Seán Doherty. The première of this work was a very special moment in the celebrations of the Choir's 120th anniversary. A live recording of the première will be available soon. FILMING FOR RTÉ NEWS2DAYPresenter Molly O'Connor from RTÉ News2Day and her crew were at the Pro-Cathedral bright and early on morning of Wednesday 15th November. The Boy Choristers were joined by the boy and girl Junior Probationers (for the Palestrina Choir and for St Mary's Pro-Cathedral Girls' Choir). The Choristers were filmed at the Spire, at the Hand in the Department of Education and on the Pro-Cathedral steps in a spirited rendition of "Carol of the Bells". And some interviews took place. This clip will go out on RTÉ over the next couple of weeks. 120 lecture series |
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A wonderful tour - WE WILL BE BACK!
As we enter our last few days of preparations of our trip to Palestrina and to sing at the Papal Mass in St Peter’s Basilica on the Feast of Pentecost, it was special to sing Palestrina’s masterpiece Missa Papae Marcelli today at the Pro-Cathedral.
This Mass was sung at Papal Coronation Masses (the last being the coronation of Paul VI in 1963) and it also holds a very important place in the history of the Palestrina Choir:
More information on the tour to Palestrina, St Peter’s Basilica and Basilica of San Silvestro to follow soon.
This Mass was sung at Papal Coronation Masses (the last being the coronation of Paul VI in 1963) and it also holds a very important place in the history of the Palestrina Choir:
- This Mass was composed in honour of Pope Marcellus II, who was Pope for three weeks in 1555, is often cited as the most perfect example of rich, complex polyphony.
- in the late 16th century, a legend began that polyphony might have been banned by the Council of Trent because of the unintelligibility of the words, was the impetus behind Palestrina's composition of this mass. It was believed that the simple, declamatory style of Missa Papae Marcelli convinced Cardinal Carlo Borromeo, on hearing, that polyphony could be intelligible, and that music such as Palestrina's was all too beautiful to ban from the Church.
- The Palestrina Choir had its origins in a boys’ choir formed in the 1890’s by Dr. Vincent O’Brien, then a music teacher at St. Mary’s Place Christian Brothers School in Dublin. It was at a performance of Palestrina’s Missa Papae Marcelli at St. Teresa’s Carmelite Church in Clarendon Street in 1898 that this choir, and its gifted director, first came to the attention of Edward Martyn.
More information on the tour to Palestrina, St Peter’s Basilica and Basilica of San Silvestro to follow soon.
As part of the Palestrina Choir 120 celebrations, what a wonderful mini-tour to Cork City, Cobh and Mount Melleray Abbey.
The Choir had the great privilege of being part of the Cork International Choral Festival (thank you to Festival Artistic Director Peter Stobart) and to give concerts in two wonderful Cathedrals: St Fin Barre’s (Cork City) and St Colman’s (Cobh). The choir also had the special opportunity of joining with the Cathedral Choir of St Fin Barre’s in singing Choral Evensong wonderfully accompanied by Matthew Breen, newly appointed Assistant Director at St Fin Barre's. During this beautiful service, we were able to give a choir medallion to Christopher Costello, now in his 80s, who has spent his adult life in Cork, but who started out as a boy chorister in the Palestrina Choir.
The Choir had the great privilege of being part of the Cork International Choral Festival (thank you to Festival Artistic Director Peter Stobart) and to give concerts in two wonderful Cathedrals: St Fin Barre’s (Cork City) and St Colman’s (Cobh). The choir also had the special opportunity of joining with the Cathedral Choir of St Fin Barre’s in singing Choral Evensong wonderfully accompanied by Matthew Breen, newly appointed Assistant Director at St Fin Barre's. During this beautiful service, we were able to give a choir medallion to Christopher Costello, now in his 80s, who has spent his adult life in Cork, but who started out as a boy chorister in the Palestrina Choir.
Holy Week and Easter liturgies may be still fresh in our memories but choristers are back with a bang, hitting the ground running. A great day was had today getting ready for "Palestrina Choir 120" outreach trip to Cork International Choral Festival and to Mount Melleray Abbey.
Boys made great progress on a whole range of repertoire for the trip whilst Parents and volunteers, co-ordinated by the Choir's wardrobe-mistress, Mary Sugrue, sorted choir uniform, choir bags and robes. It was quite the hive of activity upstairs in the choir area at the Pro-Cathedral.
Singing engagements:
lunchtime concert in St Fin Barre's Cathedral, Cork, Friday 28th April at 1.10pm:
https://www.corkchoral.ie/festival_events/organ-recital-at-st-fin-barres-cathedral/
Choral Evensong in St Fin Barre's Cathedral, Friday 28th April at 6.15pm
St Fin Barre’s Cathedral Choir and the Palestrina Choir, St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral:
https://www.corkchoral.ie/festival_events/choral-evensong-at-st-fin-barres-cathedral/
Lunchtime concert in St Colman's Cathedral, Cobh, Saturday 29th April at 1.10pm:
https://www.corkchoral.ie/festival_events/choirs-at-st-colmans-cathedral-saturday/
Sunday morning Mass at 10.30am in Mount Melleray Abbey, Waterford:
https://mountmellerayabbey.org/
Boys made great progress on a whole range of repertoire for the trip whilst Parents and volunteers, co-ordinated by the Choir's wardrobe-mistress, Mary Sugrue, sorted choir uniform, choir bags and robes. It was quite the hive of activity upstairs in the choir area at the Pro-Cathedral.
Singing engagements:
lunchtime concert in St Fin Barre's Cathedral, Cork, Friday 28th April at 1.10pm:
https://www.corkchoral.ie/festival_events/organ-recital-at-st-fin-barres-cathedral/
Choral Evensong in St Fin Barre's Cathedral, Friday 28th April at 6.15pm
St Fin Barre’s Cathedral Choir and the Palestrina Choir, St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral:
https://www.corkchoral.ie/festival_events/choral-evensong-at-st-fin-barres-cathedral/
Lunchtime concert in St Colman's Cathedral, Cobh, Saturday 29th April at 1.10pm:
https://www.corkchoral.ie/festival_events/choirs-at-st-colmans-cathedral-saturday/
Sunday morning Mass at 10.30am in Mount Melleray Abbey, Waterford:
https://mountmellerayabbey.org/
Authors
Blánaid Murphy - Dir.
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