Some of this Sunday’s music dates from the 16th century! The organ prelude at the 9:00 and 11:00 am services is by the Spanish composer Antonio de Cabezón (1510-1566). His piece Diferencias sobre ‘El canto llano del caballero’ is a set of keyboard variations (“diferencias”) on a Renaissance secular song. Like several other famous organists through the centuries, Cabezón was blind, but that didn’t stop him from rising to prominence as an organist and composer for the royal family of Spain, Charles and Isabella.

The choral anthem on Sunday, meanwhile, is by an anonymous 16th-century composer. Rejoice in the Lord alway, which we recorded with our section leaders all the way back in October 2020, will now be sung live by a larger ensemble from our St. Michael’s Singers. We have updated the text very slightly to be more inclusive: “Let your softness be known unto all men” is now “Let your softness be known unto all.” We don’t think “anonymous” will mind.