A picture taken by Joe Pizzimenti during rehearsal of Paul Paray's "Joan of Arc Mass" performed Easter 2007. Because the balcony is too small for orchestra and choir, it is normally not used during orchestra Masses. Rather, pews have been removed from the back on the main floor to create an area large enough for both. However, the orchestra was so large for the Paray Mass, the choir had to be upstairs with video feeds focused on Fr. Eduard Perrone - the conductor. It was a challenge, but worked out surprisingly well.
Assumption Grotto has two orchestra Masses forthcoming. One is scheduled on Pentecost at 9:30am (Tridentine), and the other is at Noon on Corpus Christi. I'm not sure if Father will move the Tridentine to the Noon Mass that day or not yet. Sometimes he does when it involves an orchestra Mass.
Here is the note from the Assumption Grotto website:
Masses for Pentecost Sunday and Corpus Christi Sunday:
For the solemnities of Pentecost (May 11) at the 9:30 a.m. Mass and for Corpus Christi (May 25) for the noon Mass, the choir and orchestra will perform the Mozart "Credo" Mass and five movements from Bach's Pentecost Cantatas (BWV 172, 74 and 34).
Fr. Perrone explains in the Sunday Pastor's column for May 4, 2008:
A musical note. The 9:30 a.m. Tridentine
Mass next Sunday, Pentecost, will feature
the lively music of Mozart’s Credo which
we sang last year for the first time. It is a
particularly joyful and lyrical Mass, well
suited to this day of rejoicing. But we are
also singing the praises of the Almighty
that day with the (rare for us) music of J.S.
Bach. He wrote some 200 cantatas for the
Church year, a handful of which are for
Pentecost Sunday. Although Bach was not
a Catholic yet he came out of the musical
and liturgical tradition invented by the
Catholic Church. There is nothing
Protestant in spirit about his festive
church music. In fact, it well expresses
the exuberance of the Church in the divine
outpouring of Pentecostal graces. If
you are looking for uplifting music to
express the joy of the Holy Spirit, I suggest
that you may well find it in the stirring
strains of Bach’s music.
Where is Assumption Grotto in Detroit?
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