Friday, November 09, 2007

Music for the Christian Wedding

The marriage liturgy is a sacred and solemn celebration of Christian love in which the couple ministers this sacrament to one another in the presence of the presider and community. In the marriage liturgy, presider, bride, groom, and guests are all active participants in prayer, blessing, and adoration. This aspect is at the heart of how the Parish of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church plans the Wedding Mass, including music, reflecting the sacred musical styles incorporated into the sacramental rites of the Roman Catholic Church under the directives of the Church documents. St. John the Baptist Parish carefully follows the solemn and sacred rite of the Wedding Mass.

If one were to place the wedding rite in the context of the Sunday morning Mass, a clearer understanding of the sacred nature of this rite will become evident. When planning your wedding, the sacred and solemn nature of the Wedding Mass must be kept in the forefront of all you consider for your wedding in the church.

Therefore, the service music of the Wedding Mass, the Prelude, Introit, [Kyrie, Gloria], Sanctus, Memorial Acclamation, Great Amen, Agnus Dei, and Offertory and Communion Antiphons, has been established from the Roman Missal, for all weddings, using the Mass setting Missal chants or Mass of Wisdom for the people’s sung prayer, led by the parish cantor and organist. This includes the Responsorial Psalm and Gospel Acclamation Verse, which are taken from the Graduale Romanum, the official Roman Missal of the Church.

Additionally, to help the family in preparing the wedding, the music for the bridesmaids and bridal procession, unity candle song, offertory and communion song, Marion Presentation, and recessional will be carefully guided by the Director of Music according to Church documents. Requests for other sacred music may be requested and must be carefully guided and approved by the Director of Music.

Secular songs, ballads, and show tunes are more appropriate for the reception, therefore, are not permitted at the Wedding Mass. The use of CDs and accompaniment tracks is strictly prohibited.

The organist and cantor of St. John the Baptist Parish must be present at all Weddings. The fee is $175 for the Music Director/Organist and $150 per staff musician. Kindly note that organists and cantors from outside St. John the Baptist Parish music staff are NOT permitted.

If, under special circumstances, an outside organist and/or cantor are granted permission by the Director of Music to participate, you may be charged a $100 bench fee for each musician, and they must be auditioned to ensure the standards of integrity in the sacred music liturgy at St. John the Baptist Parish are maintained. Besides being unfamiliar with the proper timing and function that music plays liturgically within St. John the Baptist Parish, non-parish musicians do not have access to the facilities and equipment.

The request for additional musicians must be approved by the Director of Music. Bagpipes and instruments of a percussive nature are discouraged from use, and are more suited to the reception.

However, there are times when the family want a family member or friend to participate; one suggestion would be to have that person sing one “special,” sacred song, approved by the Director of Music, the parish cantor singing the service music.

In order to meet your needs in the best way possible, please contact the Director of Music immediately, at which time all details of the wedding music will be established, later changes are not permitted.

The following organ pieces are approved for use at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and are listed on the wedding music guidelines found in your "Together for Life" booklet.

Air I, G.F. Handel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0bHwyK0zfs

Allegretto, Spring (Four Seasons), A. Vivaldi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypBRrZt1Lqg

Allegro, Autumn (Four Seasons), A. Vivaldi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jX2FLFsli4

Priere a Notre-Dame, L. Boellmann
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXUYXoD8_Hw

Arioso in A, J.S. Bach
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX7_bGLPUdM

Canon in D, J. Pachelbel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wpPk8qk3uQ

Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, J.S. Bach
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN4AGVq1XG0

Allegro Maestoso, G.F. Handel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t6MMJVMQQQ

Rondeau, J. Mouret
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVUJjPzRb2U

Te Deum, M.A. Charpentier
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPnKqokV1ds

Trumpet Tune & Air, H. Purcell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2ugP0-nfw8

Trumpet Voluntary, J. Stanley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HloZyxmQhhM

Trumpet Voluntary, J. Clark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7S9ubgKl-Q

Bridal Chorus, R. Wagner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBt6Myv75jk

Ode to Joy, L.V Beethoven
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmAJ82m0p0E

The Rejoicing, G.F. Handel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGO36Sc76zw

Riguadon, A. Campra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFKyWEZDvOM

In Dir Ist Freude, J.S. Bach
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipe6AB1n6_U

Fanfare, J. Lemmens
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTY6S9DfSro

Finale (Symphony No. 1), L. Vierne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHF2M8VnEg4

Toccata (Symphony No. 5), C.M. Widor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvIh8Ao6bSQ



Bob Grant, Director of Music, Organist & Choirmaster
949.939.2489 – Cell
714.557.0761 – Music Office
bgrant@sjboc.org – Music E-Mail
lagunaredbob@msn.com – Personal E-Mail