The New Castle Service

From the New Castle Weekly, May 14th, 2025

New Liturgical Music at Immanuel Church

By Cynthia Batty

“Well, there wasn’t much on television one Sunday afternoon a few weeks back, so I thought I would write a mass,” joked Gary Harney, Director of Music at Immanuel on the Green on Sunday. When you have an organ performance degree from the University of Kentucky and the University of Illinois and studied under luminaries and a decades-long career in music, that’s easy to say!

This new mass setting, which Mr. Harney has named The New Castle Service, premiered on May 4th, and will continue through the Easter season. It includes two traditional set prayers of the service. The Sanctus and Benedictus qui venit (Sanctus, Latin for "Holy," a declaration of God's holiness; Benedictus qui venit, "Blessed is he who comes"), and the Agnus Dei (“Lamb of God”), perhaps the most beautiful of the prayers of the Mass. Listening to these lovely new versions, the words that come to mind are happy, solemn, and singable – the latter being important for these prayers, which touch the heart and engage the worshipper. You can listen at the links above!

Characteristically of the Immanuel musical program, these settings were on either side of a version of the Lord’s Prayer set to music by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Immanuel services frequently include 20th-century musical settings, and pieces by the previous Immanuel music director, Jack Warren Burnam, are part of their commitment to incorporate both classical Anglican repertoire as well as more recent American, international, and commissioned works.

Immanuel has an adventurous musical program, both in the Mass and services settings (holding many beautiful Choral Evensongs and other musical liturgical celebrations). The Immanuel Choir is well known for excellence and is a draw for both worship and the enjoyment of their beautiful singing. Immanuel is also the home of the Robert R. and Mary Wolcott Davis Endowed Music Fund, which brings extraordinary performers for concerts of both secular and religious themes, performed in the beautiful Immanuel Church.

Of his new settings, Mr. Harney said, “I like them both. But I have realized that I like the Agnus Dei more. Who knows, maybe I will go back and rewrite the Sanctus . . .” Let’s hope that he keeps writing more beautiful music for Immanuel and all of us to enrich our lives!

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