Music

Since its opening, music at St. Patrick's has glorified God and uplifted spirits. The tradition of music at St. Patrick's dates from its opening in 1815, and some of the finest musicians of the last two centuries have passed through its doors.

Click on the links below for more information;

 

Musical Program

The 12:45PM Sunday service includes our choir-in-residence, Amor Artis, and the 1868 Henry Erben organ. At this service, the unique ambiance of St. Patrick's is imbued with chant, Renaissance polyphony, and other selections from the great treasury of sacred music. In addition, the 11:30AM mass in Spanish and the 10:15AM mass in Chinese have energetic volunteer choirs that strive for excellence.

The music of the 7PM mass is led by the Basilica's volunteer Schola, which meets 6:15PM to rehearse before mass.  To volunteer please contact Joshua South (cantor@oldcathedral.org ).

We encourage all congregants to sing the Ordinary, hymns, and acclamations with verve. Click on this link.to hear some common chants we sing: 

Recordings of chant used in the services are posted weekly on the Basilica's Facebook page.

We hold musical events throughout the year, including organ recitals and tours, guest choral and chamber ensembles, and other programs.

If your group would like to schedule a concert or rehearse in the space, please contact us.

Musical Personnel

Jared Lamenzo is the Organist of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral and provides direction to the growing music program. He has concertized on some of the world's finest instruments in Germany, Italy (including St. Peter's), and South America, and was Organ Scholar at the First Presbyterian Church of New York. He is a member of the Organ Committee of the Archdiocesan Music Commission. In addition, he has worked as a keyboardist for Grammy award-winning and chart-topping recording artists. He is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, and Harvard, concentrating in Applied Mathematics and Engineering. His polyvalent interest in both technology and art is evident in multimedia artwork that has been shown at the Chelsea Art Museum, the Sony Wonder Tech Lab, Eyebeam, the Museum of Contemporary Art (Genova, Italy), the Los Angeles Center for Digital Art, Rockefeller Center, the University of British Columbia, and many others. You can email Jared at organist@oldcathedral.org.

Johannes Somary, now in his fiftieth year as Music Director and Founder of AmorArtis, has achieved a prominent international career. He has conducted such ensembles as the English Chamber Orchestra, New Orleans Symphony, and London's Royal Philharmonic. He has participated in many international festivals including those in Sion, Dubrovnik, Madeira, Israel, and Greece. Maestro Somary's discography claims over fifty recordings, including four Stereo Review Record-of-the-Year Awards. Many of his recordings have been re-released on compact disc. The most recent of these re-releases is a disc entitled Russian Favorites for Strings, which includes Tchaikovsky's Serenade in C and works by Arensky, Borodin, and Prokofiev, on Vanguard Classics Ultra Analog. Among his new discs is one on Premier, which features him in his dual role as conductor and composer.

Joshua South, bass-baritone and Cantor, made his Avery Fischer Hall solo debut with the American Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Leon Botstein, and a New York City debut with Kent Tritle in the Sacred Music in a Sacred Space concert series. He appeared at Brooklyn Academy of Music in the critically-acclaimed staging of Bach's St. Matthew Passion, directed by Sir Jonathan Miller; his role as Peter was described as "unforgettable" by the New York Times. He was also in the New York premiere of Elliot Goldenthal's Grendel, under the direction of Julie Taymor as part of the Lincoln Center Festival. In the 2006-7 season, Joshua appeared in the American premiere of Sir Paul McCartney's latest oratorio, Ecce Cor Meum, at Carnegie Hall. He was also a member of the Servants' Chorus in a semi-staged production of My Fair Lady, starring Kelsey Grammer, Brian Dennehy, and Kelli O'Hara, with the New York Philharmonic. Joshua is an active ensemble singer, and serves as a soloist and cantor at the Cathedral of St. Patrick, which is broadcast nationally on Sirius Satellite Radio.

A Brief History of Music at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral

When the Cathedral was built, it was located amidst woodlands and fields. In 1815, the city had the cultural sophistication of a small colonial outpost, lagging far behind other cities in America, and it struggled for an artistic position worthy of its growing commercial might. It wasn't until 1842 an orchestra was formed in New York City (the Philharmonic, after three other attempts); it was another generation when, in 1896, the first music professorship was created (Edward MacDowell at Columbia). In this milieu, the Old Cathedral was one of the few places to hear music of quality. Indeed, in an era when music was not accessible in full fidelity, everywhere, as it is today, even culture-starved Protestants began to visit the Cathedral.

In 1826, the first in a long line of benefit concerts was given for the Orphan Asylum, now St. Patrick's Old Cathedral School. The Italian Opera Company, the first opera company to perform in New York, was led by Manuel Garcia. It also was the vehicle of stardom for his daughter, later known as Madame Malibran, with whom all subsequent prime donne were compared. They were brought to New York by Dominick Lynch, a Trustee of the Cathedral and sophisticated son of a banker who, recently returned from his Grand Tour, desired to bring some "culture" to the City. When the Garcias arrived, Lorenzo da Ponte, Mozart's librettist, was there to greet them;; his brilliant collaborations with Mozart on Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosí fan tutte forty years previous were presented to an entirely new audience. Lorenzo, too, passionately tried to increase the level of musical sophistication in the city until his death in 1838. DaPonte's requiem mass took place at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral, to the sounds of Allegri's Miserere (this piece had been kept out of reach, a treasure of the Sistine Chapel, until the fourteen-year-old Mozart heard it and transcribed a "bootleg" from memory).

There is surely more musical history to be discovered relative to the order of worship, musical selections, performance practice, and other issues. We continue to search for more historical materials for our archives. Unfortunately, the last century is an abyss; no names, programs or hymnbooks outside of those from the last decade. Surprisingly, the 19th-century history is better documented; at that time, newspapers gave detailed accounts of the ceremonies at Easter, Christmas and other special services at the Cathedral. Though there was much original music performed in the past, there are sadly no extant copies in the church's possession.

Organists of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral

Though there was music at the opening of the Cathedral in 1815, it is difficult to surmise what itwas or who performed it. Indeed, only second- or third-person sources exist to cobble togethereven this very incomplete list. Generally, there was a professional quartet at the Cathedral, augmented by the volunteer St. Patrick's Choral Union.

May 1 1825-July 12 1826(?)
W. A. Rabbeson
Information on Rabbeson's activities was found in only one source, from 1899 [1]. The articledescribes a benefit concert by the first Italian opera company in the United States. The leader of the orchestra at the event was Mr. De Luce with Messrs. Etienne and Moran,leading a varied program of Haydn, Handel, Cimarosa, Zingarelli and Dr. Arne (presumably Dr.Thomas Arne 1710-1778). In this account, Rabbeson is not mentioned in the program.It is interesting to note that the new musicians coming to New York from Europe after the war of1812 most certainly had an effect on the music scene in New York and contributed to theappreciation of good music generally. Denis-Germain Etienne (1781-1859) was a prize-winninggraduate of the Paris Conservatoire who arrived from France in 1815. He was apianist/composer/teacher and played the French Horn [2]. Etienne was one of three conductors at the first performance of the New York Philharmonic in 1842.

1830(?)-1845
William Richard Bristow
An English musician, he was a church organist, conductor, and a clarinetist in the OlympicTheatre orchestra [3]. He was active in New York and Brooklyn from 1822 until his death in1867. After St. Patrick's, he moved to the Market Street Church. On April 17, 1842, he mountedan elaborate concert of sacred music at St. Patrick's [4]. He played organ, and his famous son,George Frederick Bristow, led the orchestra. The program included works by Handel, Haydn,Mozart, Paisello, Webbe, and Stevenson.

G.F. Bristow (1825-98) joined the Philharmonic as a violinist in 1842 (the year of its inception) atthe age of seventeen, and was an active member of the institution for forty years [5]. In 1847, thePhilharmonic performed his Concert Overture, Op. 3, the first full-fledged symphonic work by anAmerican-born composer performed by any orchestra.

1845-1852(?)
David R. Harrison
Also the Organist of the New York Sacred Music Society [6], he took over from Bristow. Hisname is ubiquitous in concerts with the founder of the Philharmonic, U. C. Hill, and at any new Erben organ exhibition. Harrison is still listed on the program as Organist of the Cathedral at thegrand exhibition of the 1852 Erben organ [8].

1850s
Antonio Morra
He was perhaps an alumnus of first Italian opera company at Astor Place in 1847, along withSignora Angiolina Morra and his father, Signor Morra. After St. Patrick's, he became Organist atSt. Stephen's church in 1861 [9]. Morra was also a conductor and a composer [10].

1864-at least 1873
Gustavus Schmitz
Before coming to St. Patrick's, the organist, conductor and composer held the bench at theChurch of the Immaculate Conception [12]. He is also listed as a clarinetist of the PhilharmonicSociety in 1853 and in many grand performances about the city [13]. His brother Henry was thehornist in the Philharmonic and a musical man-about-town. Unfortunately, Gustavus' work as acomposer is lost, as is the case with most of the music composed from that period.

1877
John White c. 1877
John White was the Organist, when in 1877, the Cathedral moved to its uptown location. He hada very successful career, later becoming the organist at the Church of the Ascension on 5thAvenue. By 1892, he had apparently done well, having an address at the Dakota on CentralPark West [14].

1887
George O'Gorman(?) 1887 (15)
No remarks as to a choir; no details.

1890-at least 1895 (15)Thomas Gorman
Miss Nellie Cassin is listed as a director, with Gorman as Director/Organist. There was a boychoir from St. Patrick's School in 1892-3. By 1895, Ms. Cassin's title was Assistant, and there wasa choir consisting of the following:
Soprano - Miss Agnes R. Byrne
Alto - Miss Nellie McCarthy, Miss Nettie Sullivan, Mrs. M. R. Higgins
Tenor - Thomas Dowd
Bass - Fred Frank

1919
Lynwood Farnam (visit)
On Novemer 8, 1919, the famous concert organist Lynwood Farnam visited the instrument andreported its stoplist in his notes. He called it "very interesting. Pleasant, though small, diap. Veryliquid pleasing flutes, even Claribel Flute 4' on Ped." [16].

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Pipe Organs of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral

1815: Organ built by William Redstone. One manual.
1820: Thomas Hall enlarged and altered the organ.
1826: Hall & Erben organ installed, three manuals.
1852: Henry Erben organ, three manuals, destroyed in 1866 fire.
1868-present: Henry Erben organ, three manuals; the organ in current use. [16]

 

The 1868 Erben Organ of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral

At the age of sixty-eight, Henry Erben (1800-1884), a monumental figure in the history of organ building, completed one of his most important works: the organ of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral. Its sculptural mechanisms, of exemplary craftsmanship, control one of the few remaining large, unaltered mid-19th century pipe organs in its original acoustic space. Remarkable in its tonal and visual design, it is a masterpiece of musical and visual art and remains one of the great treasures of New York City. After nearly 140 years, its 2,290 pipes speak with a rare grandeur and eloquence. Installed just after the Civil War, this organ was brought by horse and carriage from Erben's New York factory and assembled by hand. The organ cost, in 1868 dollars, approximately ,000-a kingly ransom. The previous Erben organ, built in 1852, was destroyed in a fire that ravaged the Cathedral in 1866; the organ installed during the rehabilitation of the Cathedral is the one in use today for countless liturgies, weddings, and concerts.

Organs of the mid-19th century were icons of the technological and cultural progress of the newly industrial American society. The Erben played a very important role in the rapidly expanding Catholic Church in New York and in the cultural life of the city. It is difficult to imagine a world in which music is not accessible in full fidelity, everywhere, as it is today. Before the invention of recorded sound and the foundation of philharmonic societies, the organ was the only mechanism able to interpret the European orchestral music and American popular music of the time for large audiences. Henry Erben, as impresario, was renowned for his "exhibitions" where organists, over the course of several days, would take turns at a new instrument's console. For the exhibition of Trinity Church's Erben organ in 1846, 17,939 people attended the two-day marathon.

The Erben has three manuals (keyboards) and a pedal division, operated by tracker (mechanical) action. Each of the pipes is signed and dated by its original "voicer", including Henry Erben himself. The black walnut casework is in the Carpenter Gothic style, and the façade pipes are "speaking" pipes. It has 39 speaking stops, which control the airflow to the different sets of pipes, which may sound like violins, flutes, or trumpets, depending on their shape, size, and material. Though the bellows are now connected to an electric blower, the Erben's bellows were originally pumped by hand with a large rotating wheel. This pump mechanism is still intact. The organ also chronicles the names of choristers who, throughout the last 140 years, deigned to carve their names into the case and choir rail!

In the mid-19th century, in no place could the cultural awakening of America be felt as strongly as in New York. Looking across the Atlantic for musical leadership, America's leading musicians were either natives of Europe or spent time studying there, as evidenced by the musicians in the Cathedral. The following program from the inaugural recital of SPOC's 1852 Erben organ is evidence:

 

 

A review of the 1869 inaugural recital (the 1852 organ was destroyed in an 1866 fire) shows similar predilections:

This organ is an exceptional survivor from an extraordinary era of American organ building. Most other similar organs have either been destroyed or altered beyond recognition. In some ways, neglect has been an ally. Unfortunately, most of the accessories on the Erben are no longer functional, and some ranks are unusable or barely speaking. Serious cracks have developed in the windchests, and it will be a short while before the bellows leather becomes dust, silencing the organ.

So that the Erben will continue to enrich our lives with its beautiful music for another 150 years, the parish has included an organ restoration as part of the bicentennial effort. A careful, sensitive restoration and conservation program will be a catalyst for future cultural activities and the ongoing preservation of Old Cathedral's heritage as a hub of cultural activity in the life of the City.

Current Chant

This is a selection of chant that we sing at Sunday mass: the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei. We hope the recordings will help you learn the melodies and get acquainted with chant's timeless beauty. If you normally don't sing during the Mass, chant is a good way to begin, with its simple navigation of whole steps and half steps, rhythm, and other basics of music theory. Chant began as an aural (heard) art, well before musical notation was developed (by Guido d'Arezzo, c. 1000), so the ability to read music is no prerequisite for singing chant.

Music

Click on the musical title to hear the music. Note, All music below is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.You can copy and listen to the music, but you can't make money from it, nor canyou remix or derive work from it. You must have Apple Quicktime player to listen to this music, If you do not have it you can download a FREE copy here http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/.
Musical Title and Link	Attribution
Kyrie from Mass XVI	11th-13th century
Gloria from Mass VIII	16th century
Credo III	17th century
Sanctus from Mass XVIII	13th century
Agnus Dei from Mass XVIII	12th century
Gloria from Mass XV	10th century
Pange lingua	Plainchant, Mode III; text: St. Thomas Aquinas, 1225-1274
Salve Regína	Attributed to Hermannus Contractus, 1013-1054
Ubi Caritas	Plainchant, Mode VI, Hymn for the Mandatum from the Holy Thursday Liturgy.
Kyrie	Kyrie from Missa Orbis Factor (14th-16th century)
Sanctus	Sanctus from Missa de Angelis (12th century)
Agnus Dei	Agnus Dei (12th century)
All Chants recorded at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral, 30 July 2008.  Jared Lamenzo, Organist; Johannes Somary, Director of  AmorArtis; Steven Fox and Jonathan Goodman, Vocals.

 

Text

 

Kyrie
Kyrie, eléison; Kyrie, eléison
Christé, eléison; Christé, eléison
Kyrie, eléison; Kyrie, eléison.

Lord have mercy; Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy; Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy; Lord have mercy.

Gloria
Glória in excélsis Deo
et in terra pax homínibus bonae voluntátis.
Laudámus te,
benedícimus te,
adorámus te,
glorificámus te,
grátias ágimus tibi propter magnam glóriamtuam,
Dómine Deus, Rex cæléstis,
Deus Pater omnípotens.
Dómine Fili Unigénite, Iesu Christe,
Dómine Deus, Agnus Dei, Fílius Patris,
qui tollis peccáta mundi, miserére nobis;
qui tollis peccáta mundi, súscipe deprecatiónemnostram.
Qui sedes ad déxteram Patris, miserére nobis.
Quóniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dóminus, tu solusAltíssimus,
Iesu Christe, cum Sancto Spíritu: in glória DeiPatris. Amen.
 
Glory be to God on high.
And in earth peace towards men of good will.
We praise thee.
We bless thee.
We worship thee.
We glorify thee.
We give thanks to thee for thy great glory.
O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son Jesu Christ.
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right of the Father, have mercy upon us.
For thou only art Holy. Thou only art the Lord.
Thou only, O Jesu Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art Most High inthe glory of God the Father. Amen.

Credo
Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipoténtem, factóremcæli et terræ, visibílium ómnium etinvisibílium;
Et in unum Dóminum Iesum Christum, Fílium Deiunigénitum, et ex Patre natum ante ómnia sæcula:Deum de Deo, lumen de lúmine, Deum verum de Deo vero, génitumnon factum, consubstantiálem Patri, per quem ómniafacta sunt; qui propter nos hómines et propter nostram salútemdescéndit de cælis; et incarnátus est de SpírituSancto ex María Vírgine et homo factus est; crucifíxusétiam pro nobis sub Póntio Piláto, passus etsepúltus est; et resurréxit tértia die secúndumScriptúras; et ascéndit in cælum, sedet addéxteram Patris; et íterum ventúrus est cumglória iudicáre vivos et mórtuos; cuius regninon erit finis;
Et in Spíritum Sanctum, Dóminum et vivificántem:qui ex Patre Filióque procédit; qui cum Patre et Fíliosimul adorátur et conglorificátur; qui locútusest per Prophétas;
Et unam sanctam cathólicam et apostólicam Ecclésiam.
Confíteor unum baptísma in remissiónempeccatorum; et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum et vitam ventúrisæculi. Amen.

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven andearth, and of all things visible and invisible: And in one Lord JesusChrist, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father beforeall ages; God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God; begotten,not made; consubstantial with the Father, by Whom all things weremade: Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven,and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was mademan. He was crucified also for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, andwas buried: And the third day He arose again, according to theScriptures, and ascended into heaven. He sitteth at the right hand ofthe Father: and He shall come again with glory, to judge the livingand the dead: and His kingdom shall have no end: And in the HolyGhost, the Lord and Giver of life, Who proceedeth from the Father andthe Son, Who, together with the Father and the Son, is adored andglorified: Who spoke by the prophets. And one, holy, catholic, andapostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.And I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the worldto come. Amen.

Sanctus
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus
Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua.
Hosanna in excelsis.
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
Hosanna in excelsis.
 
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Agnus Dei
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy uponus.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy uponus.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

Chants for Sundays in Lent

Music

Click on the musical title to hear the music. Note, All music below is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.You can copy and listen to the music, but you can't make money from it, nor canyou remix or derive work from it. You must have Apple Quicktime player to listen to this music, If you do not have it you can download a FREE copy here http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/.
Musical Title and Link	Attribution
Kyrie	Kyrie from Missa Orbis Factor (14th-16th century)
Sanctus	Sanctus from Missa de Angelis (12th century)
Agnus Dei	Agnus Dei (12th century)
All Chants recorded at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral, 23 February 2009.  Jared Lamenzo, Organist; Joshua South, Vocal.

 

Footnotes

1.) Meehan, Thomas F. Historical Records and Studies, "The First Charity Concert for the Catholic Orphans in NewYork", United States Catholic Historical Society, 1899, p.368.
2.) Lawrence, Vera Brodsky. Strong on Music, Vol. I, Resonances 1836-1850 (New York, Oxford University Press,1988). See p.xl.
3.) Ibid., p.302n, 106n.
4.) Ibid., p. 168.
5.) Ibid., p. 423.
6.) Ibid., p. 31.
7.) Ibid., p. 74, 109, 113, 486 et. al.
8.) "A New Phase in Musical Matters," The Musical World and Journal of the Fine Arts, Vol. 3, No. 21 (1 July 1852):359-360. Courtesy of Stephen Pinel.
9.) Lawrence, Vera Brodsky. Strong on Music, Vol. I, Resonances 1836-1850 (New York, Oxford University Press,1988). p. 112.
10.) Lawrence, Vera Brodsky. Strong on Music, Vol. III, Repercussions 1857-1862 (Chicago, The University ofChicago Press, 1999) pp. 298, 440.
11.) Lawrence, Vera Brodsky. Strong on Music, Vol. II, Reverberations 1850-1856 (Chicago, The University ofChicago Press, 1995) p. 460.
12.) Lawrence, Vera Brodsky. Strong on Music, Vol. III, Repercussions 1857-1862 (Chicago, The University ofChicago Press, 1999) p. 537.
13.) Lawrence, Vera Brodsky. Strong on Music, Vol. II, Reverberations 1850-1856 (Chicago, The University ofChicago Press, 1995) p. 423.
14.) Courtesy of S. Basile, who is writing a history of music in the Archdiocese.
15.) From the "Metropolitan Church and Choir Directory of New York and Brooklyn," and also "Nickerson'sIllustrated Church Musical and School Directory of New York and Brooklyn."
16.) Courtesy of Stephen Pinel, Archivist, American Organ Archives of the Organ Historical Society, Princeton, NJ

Rectory

263 Mulberry Street
New York, NY 10012

Tel: (212) 226-8075
Fax: (212) 226-1219

E-mail: info@oldcathedral.org

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