On March 11, 2021, the Ensemble Altera Singers recorded several selections at Blessed Sacrament Church in Providence, Rhode Island.
1. Again The Slowly Circling Year (Richardson)
2. Te Joseph celebrent (Ravanello)
3. Lord, I Give My Life To Thee (Louis Berge)
4. O Jesu Mi (Sr. Mary Alexis Donnelly)
5. Come, Holy Ghost, Send Down Those Beams
6. Hail, True Body (Kuntz)
7. I See His Blood Upon The Rose (O’Carolan)
8. O God Of Earth And Altar (Davies, arr. Giffen)
9. The Saviour Is Our Very Food (Webbe)
10. Silent Night (Gruber, arr. Michael Garrepy)
11. O God Of Earth And Altar (Corner)
12. Rose Of The Cross (Notre Dame Hymn Tune Book)
13. Rose Of The Cross (Sunday School Hymn Book)
14. Yes, Heaven Is The Prize
15. Hail, Thou Star Of Ocean
The Ensemble Altera Singers
Rachel Garrepy, soprano
Olivia Miller, soprano
Janet Stone, soprano
Olivia Kleyla, alto
Christopher Lowrey, alto
Brad Kleyla, tenor
Grant Randall, tenor
Michael Garrepy, bass
Nathan Halbur, bass
Nicholas Larocge, bass
Christopher Lowrey, director
Michael Garrepy, organ
Sound engineer: Brad Kleyla
Notes on the hymns
Two versions of Chesterton’s O God Of Earth And Altar are presented; the first is set to a melody by H. Walford Davies and arranged by Charles H. Giffen. The second was published with a melody by David Corner, OSB.
In addition, Rose Of The Cross (Rosa Mystica) is presented with two melodies: one by Victor Pastore from the Notre Dame Hymn Tune Book, and one from the Sunday School Hymn Book.
The version of Silent Night heard here has a text that appeared commonly in Catholic hymnals in the first half of the 20th century, though the choral arrangement is a recent one by organist Michael Garrepy. The lyrics are:
Silent night, sacred night,
Bethlehem sleeps, yet what light
Floats around the holy pair;
Songs of angels fill the air,
Strains of heavenly peace.
Silent night, sacred night,
Shepherds first see the light,
Hear the Alleluias ring,
Which the angel-chorus sing;
Christ the Saviour has come.
Silent night, sacred night,
Son of God! Oh, what light
Radiates from thy manger-bed
Over realms with darkness spread,
Thou in Bethlehem born.
Sources for the other hymns can be found below.