It's as wonderful as I thought.

The music program at the Cathedral-Basilica here in Philadelphia. Some of you may remember about how I was freaking out with joy at the appointment of a new choir master and organist at the cathedral, Dr. John Romeri. The music had been only fair in recent years, not what it ought to be and what it once was. But now, it's absolutely glorious. Here's the lent and Easter schedule for example.

Or, for another, here's the music at the ordinations to the priesthood from yesterday:

Prelude: Piece Heroique, Cesar Frank ( The Cathedral organ scholar played this one)

Introit: Graduale simplex, rendered in English (With psalm 103)

At the entrance of the Cardinal: Ecce Sacerdos, Anton Bruckner

Hymn: The day of Resurrection (Ellacombe) (With Descant)

Mass setting: A community mass, Richard Proulx
Gloria: Peter Jones

Psalm: Psalm 23, John Goss

Alleluia: Festival Alleluia

At the laying on of hands: Surrexit Pastor Bonus, Orlando DiLasso (Cathedral Schola)

At the offertory: Psalm 100 with antiphon, simple gradual.
Hallelujah from the Mount of Olives, Ludwig van Beethoven

At communion: Ego Sum Pastor Bonus, Mode II chant.
Draw Near and take the body of the Lord
Ave verum corpus, Colin Mawby
Regina Caeli, laetare, Antonio Lotti

Recessional: O God, Beyond all praising, Thaxted (With descant)

Postlude: Prelude and Fugue in B- Major, Dupre (Assistant Organist)

Besides the Cathedral Schola Cantorum, there is also now an audition archdiocese-wide choir. It draws the best singers from parishes from all areound the diocese to create a large and extremely competent choir for filling the huge cathedral. There is also now an assistant organist as well as an organ scholar at the cathedral. All in all, the music program is exquisite, with a good sprinkling of Anglican choral music within the normal repertoire of polyphony and chant.

I would suggest stopping in for a Sunday to hear them.