7/21 practice video on Utube (from a tourist!)

(From Dan McKinley)

One of our choir members found this. Apparently a tourist at St. Patrick’s recorded and posted about a minute of us rehearsing the Gloria Patri (Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.) of the George Dyson Magnificat (My soul doth magnify the Lord…) from Tuesday afternoon, July 21.

Audio - Agnus Dei (Hans Leo Hassler)

At communion, the choir removes to the Lady Chapel, which is beyond the altar, at the east end of the church. This reverberant room is a particularly beautiful space in which to sing, with lush acoustics. Here we sang Hans Leo Hassler's Agnus Dei.

Download mp3 (3.2mb)

In the photo at the masthead of this blog, the Lady Chapel would be to the far right, obscured by the trees. What you can see is the east end, where the chancel (choir and sanctuary [altar]) are located. In this winter view, the Lady Chapel can be seen to the far right.

Audio - Fanfare in D (Lemmens)

Dan McKinley at the console of St Patrick's Cathedral, playing (if that's the word) Fanfare in D by Jean-Nicolas Lemmens. Strap yourself in.

Download mp3 (2.4mb)

'Trad' session at Cobblestones

A 'trad' session is an extemporaneous expression of traditional Irish music, typically done unamplified, always done on acoustic instruments. The lead starts a musical phrase, either a known tune or a made-up fragment. The musicians begin figuring it out, and join in when they've got it. In the first piece, our own Fred Shepard plays the traditional 'Off she goes' on the high flute, and then off they go, concertina, banjo, concertina, accordion and fiddle, riffing for two minutes.

Download mp3 (2mb)


In the next example, a tune is introduced and you can hear the first tentative attempts as the musicians begin to acquire the tune, and it begins to roll. At about 2 minutes two new musicians arrive (the music thins briefly as the fiddlers stop playing to make room). By three minutes, the new musicians have unpacked another concertina and another banjo, begin to tune, and by 3:45, they are up to speed. (at the end, the orchestra numbers three fiddles, two banjos, two concertinas, an accordion and Fred's high flute.)

Download mp3 (6.5mb)

Audio - the organ at St Patrick's

Two pieces performed by one of our assisting artists, Andrea Boudra. The Messiaen is contemplative, and hauntingly beautiful; the Mulet is in the style of the great French organ Toccatas. These pieces exploit the full range of the instrument's tonal characteristics of the instrument, as well as leveraging the acoustics of the cathedral space.

Priere apres la communion (Prayer after Communion)
Olivier Messiaen, performed by Andrea Boudra
Download mp3 (8.6 mb)

Tu es Petra (Thou art Peter [Rock])
Henri Mulet, performed by Andrea Boudra
Download mp3 (5.5mb)

Audio - Gibbons Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis

Recorded Monday, July 20 2009 at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, by the Choir of Christ Church directed by Dan McKinley

by Orlando Gibbons
Magnificat (2.5mb)
Nunc Dimittis (1.8mb)

Audio - Sicut Cervus (Palestrina)

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The Choir of Christ Church at the St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin singing Palestrina's Sicut Cervus (Psalm 42, Like as the hart desireth the waterbrooks). July 21 2009


Download mp3 (link)
Sicut cervus desiderat ad fontes aquarum, ita desiderat anima mea ad te, Deus.
Like as the hart desireth the water brooks, so longeth my soul after thee, O God

Audio - Praise Ye The Lord (Titcomb)

,From Monday's evensong at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, American composer Everett Titcomb's Praise Ye The Lord. Performed by the Choir of Christ Church, under the direction of Dan McKinley, accompanied by organist Andy Kotylo. (7/20/09).

Download mp3 (4.7mb)