Thursday, December 5, 2013

Advent Music: Polyphony

Advent has some of the most beautiful, and neglected music of the Church year. Many hymnals carry a wide selection of lovely and theologically rich Advent hymns, but I consider myself lucky if I don't hear "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" three out of the four Sundays, despite the fact that the text is based upon The O Antiphons for the very last part of Advent (Sapientiatide, as the Episcopal Church calls it).

With that in mind, I'm hoping to introduce you throughout the season to some of these gems of sacred music. The first playlist features choral music of the Renaissance era. They are fantastic pieces for meditation, or perhaps as background music to help you maintain some interior stillness in this time of preparation. Maybe listen to a piece each night as part of your Jesse Tree or other Advent prayers.

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