Evensong Westminster Choir
Donald Nally, conductor
Claire Fritz, graduate assistant conductor
Lucas Heredia, graduate assistant conductor
Michael Diorio, organ
September 27, 2025 at 5 p.m.
Trinity Church
33 Mercer Street
Princeton, NJ 08540
In our lives as singers and conductors, we regularly encounter motets, masses, and historical works originally intended for church use but now treated as a part of the canon and considered appropriate to many performance settings. Yet, the purpose of these compositions and their place in a liturgy was the defining factor in their creation; the function and intent inform our programming as we consider the journey through which any liturgy, ritual, or concert progresses. Today we sing a concert based on the beautiful liturgy of Evensong, a sung Evening Prayer, the service established in the Church of England’s first Book of Common Prayer in 1549, in which the canonical hours of Vespers and Compline were combined for communal worship. Our concert replaces the readings appointed to the day with contemporary motets that tell the stories we live with – our stories, of our time, standing next to these ancient prayers that have helped generations navigate the stories of their times. We hope this music reaches all ears – of the Church and of the Academy, of believers and non-believers – as we intend: an expression of our human experience, described through an enduring, ancient musical architecture.
– Donald Nally
Program
The choir enters and sings from the West end of the nave.
INTROIT
Chant
Emilie Beals, cantor
Domine Deus salutis meae, in die clamavi, et nocte coram te.
Lord god of my slavation, I have cried day and night before you. – Psalm 87
A organ voluntary is heard as the choir moves to the Choir.
The Preces (1986) Janet Wheeler
Ben Glick, cantor
Cantor: O Lord, open thou our lips.
Choir: And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Cantor: O God, make speed to save us.
Choir: O Lord, make haste to help us.
Cantor: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;
Choir: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.
Choir: Praise ye the Lord. The Lord’s name be praised.
– Psalm 48: 8-9, 118: 25
Psalm 67 (chant)
Edward Bairstow (1874-1946)
God be merciful unto us, and bless us: and show us the light of His countenance, and be merciful unto us: That Thy way may be known upon earth: Thy saving health among all nations.
Let the people praise Thee, O God: Yes, let all the people praise Thee.
O let the nations rejoice and be glad: for Thou shalt judge the folk righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.
Let the people praise Thee, O God: Yes, let all the people praise Thee. Then shall the earth bring forth her increase: and God, even our own God, shall give us His blessing.
God shall bless us: and all the ends of the world shall fear Him.
– Coverdale Psalter (1535)
The audience is invited to stand and join in singing the hymn
HYMN
Praise the Spirit in Creation
The hymn is located on the printed handout and on page 7.
The audience is seated for the Lessons and Canticles
FIRST LESSON
she took his hands (2017)
Claire Fritz, graduate student conductor Julia Wilder, solo
JULION
David Hurd
Nicholas Cline
she took his hands she said to him “have faith I will be fine and with you soon.” she took his hands, he took her hands, she took her hands, I take her hands, I take his hands
– Emma Lozano, quoted in The Washington Post article, August 21, 2007; on the arrest of Chicago activist Elvira Arellano “She took Saulito’s hands and said to him very calmly, ‘They can’t hurt us. God is protecting us. You just have to have faith and I will be fine and with you soon.’”
CANTICLE
Magnificat: Collegium Regale (1945)
Herbert Howells (1892-1983)
My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations. He hath showed strength with his arm he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away. He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever. 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. – Luke 1:46-55, Book of Common Prayer, 1662
SECOND LESSON
Our flags are wafting in hope and grief (2014) Gabriel Jackson Alexa Farah, solo
Our flags are wafting in hope and grief, through turmoil we are silent and stern. A moment has come - a moment so brief, perhaps a point of no return. We live with regret, we live with doubt, our roots are tangled and ancient. The timidest heart that never spoke out now breaks into song, impatient. Whatever we had, whatever we lost, whether valued or taken for granted, a voicing of freedom at whatever cost cannot now be recanted.
– Doris Kareva
CANTICLE
Nunc dimittis: Collegium Regale Howells Tyler Miller, solo
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; To be a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel.
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. – Luke 2:29-32, Book of Common Prayer, 1662
THE RESPONSES Wheeler
Cantor: The Lord be with you.
Choir: And with thy spirit.
Cantor: Let us pray.
PRAYER
How Can I Keep on Feelin’ in This Mean, Mean World (2021) Shara Nova from Titration
Lucas Heredia, graduate student conductor
How do I keep on feelin’ in this mean, mean world?
How do I keep this softness alive with all this dying?
How do I build myself strong for the task at hand?
How? How?
How do I keep on feelin’ when I want to hide away?
Stay
Stay in the feeling
Stay in the feeling body
How?
Stay in the feeling in body – Text by the composer
THE RESPONSES Wheeler
Cantor: O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.
Choir: And grant us thy salvation.
Cantor: O Lord, save the State.
Choir: And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
Cantor; Endue thy Ministers with righteousness.
Choir: and make thy chosen people joyful.
Cantor: O Lord, save thy people.
Choir: And bless thine inheritance.
Cantor: Give peace in our time, O Lord.
Choir: Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.
Cantor: O God, make clean our hearts within us.
Choir: And take not thy holy Spirit from us. Amen.
A moment of silence is observed as choir members move to the crossing.
ANTHEM
O lux beatissima (2002) Howard Helvey
O lux beatissima, reple cordis intima tuorum fidelium. Sine tuo numine, nihil est in homine, nihil est innoxium.
O Light most blessed, fill the hearts' depths of all your faithful. Without your grace, nothing is in us, nothing that is not harmful. - attr. Stephen Langton (d. 1228), from the Pentecost sequence, Veni Sancte Spiritus.
The audience is invited to stand and join in singing the hymn
HYMN
What does the Lord require (1968)
Erik Routley (1917-1982)
The hymn is located on the printed handout and on page 8.
The audience is seated for the Benediction
BENEDICTION
Domine, exaudi orationem meam ad te veniat.
Lord, hear my prayer and let my cry come unto you.
- Psalm 101
The audience is invited to join the choir for a reception on the north lawn of the church.
Chant
