Music for Transfiguration

Transfiguration -- Lewis Bowman.

This week, some parishes may be keeping the feast of the Transfiguration by transference.  This feast is a bit like the Baptism of the Lord (Epiphany I), which often tends to get swamped when Epiphany is transferred to the following Sunday. Transfiguration is also a bit like Corpus Christi and other similar feasts, such as the Invention of the Cross (more recently re-badged as the Triumph of the Same): its origins lie in a transference of the celebration of a mystery to a time outside Lent, where it formed the Gospel reading on the second Sunday.  Because the August observance of Transfiguration tends to fall on a weekday it is often allowed to pass by.  And, of course, followers of the new lectionary keep this feast on the last Sunday before Lent, which used to be Quinquagesima.  I still use the 'gesima' Sunday names on my music lists, if only to see the suppressed guffaws on Sexagesima.  It also provides a good teaching point for choristers, especially at a time in the year when Holy Week is not far away.  The main message there is "we'd better get cracking on the plainchant for Palm Sunday."

Of course, most of the world knows 6 August as Hiroshima day.  That was Operation Transfiguration.

You'll see from another entry that the Parish of Jika Jika is keeping the Ordinary Sunday.  That decision was taken after this blog entry was put together, so this is more for curiosity value, along with my personal affection for this feast, than anything else.

The readings for the feast are linked here.

This is a good selection of hymns, covering most of the bases (particularly that of familiarity!):

Introit: Christ upon the mountain peak [243]
For the Psalm: The Lord is king, the most high [55]
Gradual: How good, Lord, to be here! [234]
Offertory: God, your glory we have seen in your Son [461]
Communion: Christ, whose glory fills the skies [212]

See the other entry for music that will be part of the service at All Saints this week.