Gregorian Chant in Orkney

St Magnus' Cathedral on the eve of the Reformation

2012-01-14T19:30:00.000Z

In 1544, the Scottish humanist and diplomat, Bishop Robert Reid of Orkney, re-arranged the finances, organisation and liturgical regime of St Magnus' Cathedral in Kirkwall and its associated schools. This was necessary, he alleged, because all the old documents relating to the initial foundation of the Cathedral and the Orkney parishes (in the twelfth century) had perished in the damp Orcadian climate. Given that today was the first day without rain since 20 November, his claim seems quite credible! The Latin text of Bishop Reid's so-called Foundation Document has survived, however, and was last reprinted in Alexander Peterkin's Rentals of Orkney (1820).

A propos of something completely different, the brilliant Orcadian storyteller Tom Muir mentioned that Peterkin's Rentals is now available on Google Books. Our document is Appendix V.

The only English translation, as far as I know, is that by J. Storer Clouston in his Records of the Earldom of Orkney (1914). Storer Clouston may have known all there was to know about Orkney, but he was clearly no expert on the inner workings of Roman Catholic cathedrals, and his version of the document is riddled with errors and misunderstandings. One day I'll get round to doing my own translation; but now I've given you the link, feel free to have a go yourself. This document tells us as much as we're ever likely to know about liturgical music in Orkney on the eve of the Reformation.

Norwegian chant in situ

2012-01-10T23:06:00.000Z

More chant from medieval Norway online: this time it's not just on the page. It's being sung, in the ruins of Hamar Cathedral, by two young Cathedral guides, who also incorporate folk songs and readings from Norwegian literature in their presentation of this historic building. What a marvellous way to experience what's left of the Domkirkeodden! The lady sings the Marian antiphon Ave regina celorum at 2min 45s (to a tone I've never heard before), and the gentleman sings Lux illuxit (the Sequence in honour of St Olav), starting at around 5min 20s.

(And yes, I would like a gold star for identifying the latter piece!)

Parish Book of Chant

2012-01-10T20:53:00.001Z

A while ago, members of the Orkney Schola bought copies of the Parish Book of Chant, edited by Richard Rice for the Church Music Association of America. It's been very useful, and I am sure we will make use of it again (yes, we are going to sing again, as soon as I can make time to organise something!!). The only quibble I had with the first edition was that it did not include the Sequences from the Roman Gradual; so I'm glad to see (on Clare's blog) that there will be a second edition, and that this will include these important and beautiful chants.

In excelso throno

2012-01-08T19:24:00.000Z

Another post inspired by the Bishop of Aberdeen. In his column for the splendid diocesan quarterly magazine Light of the North, Bishop Hugh quotes this extraordinary passage from the life of Saint Mechtilde:

During the Mass In excelso throno she saw the Lord Jesus on the altar as on a royal throne, saying, 'Here I am with all my divine power, to heal all your wounds.' But Mechtilde thought, "Oh, if he would offer a perfect praise to God the Father for me, I'd be far happier.' Our Lord replied, 'This sorrow of your heart in never being able to praise God as much as you desire is precisely the wound I wish to heal, in supplying myself for your incapacity.'

Click on the link to read the Bishop's reflections on that episode; but I just wanted to point out that the Mass In excelso throno was (in St Mechtilde's day) celebrated on the Sunday after Epiphany (i.e. today), and as is customary it takes its name from the Introit chant. The new translation of the Roman Missal renders the Introit antiphon thus: "Upon a lofty throne, I saw a man seated, whom a host of angels adore, singing in unison: Behold him, the name of whose empire is eternal." I can only find one performance of it on the internet: take it away, Yoshihiro Kurebayashi!

The Use of Nidaros - online

2012-01-06T00:03:00.001Z

It's truly astonishing what you can find on the internet these days - like full, hi-res scans of the fragmentary Antiphonarium Nidrosiense and the 1519 Missale Nidrosiense. If anyone spots a Breviarium Nidrosiense, please let me know!

Create silence!

2011-12-12T19:26:00.003Z

In case you missed the Bishop of Aberdeen's Pastoral Letter yesterday, you can read it here.

One passage that struck me as very wise (and pertinent to this blog) was the following: "In the church itself, so far as possible, silence should prevail. ... And then the Mass, with its words and music and movement and its own moments of silence, will become more real."

Elsewhere in the letter, the bishop refers to the Christmas introit Dum medium silentium:

Plainsong by Appointment?

2011-11-19T00:06:00.001Z

"I also knew that the Duchess of Cambridge liked the plainchant" - Paul Mealor, composer, interviewed by Mark Lawson on BBC Radio 4's Front Row on Wednesday.

It's good to know that our future queen (DV) likes chant!

The Cardinall's Musick

2011-11-13T20:05:00.001Z

I have just seen the list of headline acts for next year's St Magnus Festival. One name leapt out.

A Proposal for the Propers

2011-11-09T23:03:00.000Z

As previously mentioned, I've sketched out a couple of possible options for singing, in English, a version of the traditional Introit for the First Sunday in Advent. Now that I see my own efforts on paper, and now that I have had a chance to compare them with the wealth of material that is now - or soon will be - available for this purpose, I am not sure that it is really worth my while to scan my poor attempts and upload them. If you're really interested I can send you a pdf. But what I have in mind is something that no one else appears to have tried, so let me at least describe my 'method'.

For the text of the antiphon, I used the Processional which has been produced by the Society of St Gregory and endorsed by the Bishops' Conferences of England & Wales, and Scotland. For the Psalm verses, I used the Grail Psalter. The opening English phrase was set, very closely, to the opening musical phrase of the Gregorian Introit. This is the USP of this method. Using current resources, one must either sing the full, traditional plainsong melody (from the Graduale Romanum or Triplex or Novum, or the American Gradual, or the Plainchant Gradual), OR wave bye-bye to the musical incipit, and this is the gap I would like to see filled. These striking, beautiful and ancient incipits, especially as they are found in the Introits of key Sundays and high days, illuminate and articulate the liturgical year like so many painted miniatures in a Book of Hours. Can we, somehow, hang on to these treasures? I think especially of Ad te levavi, Puer natus est, Nos autem gloriari, Resurrexi, Viri Galilaei, Gaudeamus, and Requiem aeternam. Hence my desire to replicate the opening melodic phrase as closely as possible. After that, I simplified the chant, making it more or less syllabic, but following the basic outline of the traditional tone. Someone with a strong grasp of Gregorian semiology and some basic skill as a composer (I have neither) could do this much more effectively. This simplified antiphon would be well within the reach of even a quite modest schola. The Psalm verses could be sung by a cantor, using the traditional Introit Psalm tone adapted for the rhythms of English.

Now, it may be the case that you have no schola at a given Mass, but just a cantor. So I made a second version in which the antiphon text was truncated to 'To you I lift up my soul, O my God', set to a correspondingly simple melody, but preserving the ancient melodic incipit. This would be simple enough for the congregation to learn by ear within a few repetitions, like the refrain of a Responsorial Psalm, so it would be possible for people to join in even without having the music in front of them. The verses of text that were lopped off the antiphon could be sung as the first two verses of the Psalm, which for illustrative purposes I set to the Psalm tone VIII G (again suitably adapted for English rather than Latin stress patterns).

It takes nearly as long to describe this process as to do it; I spent about an hour, total, creating these two versions of the Introit, so it would be quite feasible to produce similar introits week by week. My invitation, then, to music directors and composers more talented than I, is: Go thou and do likewise. I would hope I am not the only person who would be glad to see (or hear) a set of simplified Introits for the liturgical year which preserved those talismanic incipit melodies.

[Update: the title of this blog post has been changed in obedience to a legitimate exercise of authority on the part of Hilary Jane Margaret White. We hear, and we obey.]

Voskresenije

2011-11-07T19:37:00.002Z

The Russian choir Voskresenije will be singing in the King Street Halls in Kirkwall on Wednesday evening. I heard them there a couple of years ago; if you can go, go - they are tremendous. The sound quality on this video (filmed in Ealing Abbey, of all places) doesn't really do them justice, but it gives you some idea of their robust approach to the Orthodox choral repertoire.

The Scottish Hierarchy's Guide for Composers

2011-11-02T10:35:00.000Z

Here are some excerpts from the Guide for Composers that was drawn up for England and Wales, and has now been promulgated in Scotland also. I don't want to get into a detailed analysis of this document, which is in some places a little problematic, but the following passages give some context for the specimen introits that I will be including in my next post:

"The Processional
14. The Society of St Gregory in collaboration with the Department for Christian Lifeand Worship (England and Wales) has prepared The Processional a compilation, inEnglish, of the antiphon texts with relevant psalm verses for Sundays and Solemnitiesas a resource to encourage composers to provide setting of these texts forcongregations to sing."

"Entrance Antiphon
42. The antiphons are, as a rule, sentences from scripture for singing by the assemblywith psalm verses sung by a cantor or choir. Though the format is similar to theResponsorial Psalm; their function and context, accompanying the Entrance processionrather than responding to the word, suggests a more forthright style.The psalm verses should be taken from an approved translation. A doxology is usuallysung at the conclusion of the psalm.The texts of the antiphons can provide a useful resource of texts to composers whichmight be used in a variety of forms. Consideration should be given to the use ofantiphons over a liturgical season or group of Sundays of Ordinary Time.43. Another hymn or song that is suited to this part of the Mass, the day, or the seasonmay, of course, be sung. It should be recalled that hymns at this point are a recentinnovation within the Roman Rite. The closed form of a hymn—regular stanzas withsome narrative progression to unchanging melody— means that it does not necessarilysit well with the liturgical action."

[Typography, punctuation and syntax are as published.]

Another idea for the introit

2011-11-02T01:15:00.002Z

Kathleen Pluth, one of the best of today's Catholic hymn writers, outlines on her own blog a very promising scheme to combine the accessibility of hymn-singing with the antiphonal form and Scripture-based content of the Propers: she calls them Hymn Tune Introits - go and take a look.

Singing the new translation

2011-10-30T22:26:00.001Z

On Tuesday (All Saints' Day) at 6 p.m., there will be a meeting at the parish church to learn some of the music of the new Missal (Mass will follow at 7 p.m.). There's quite a lot of material online to help us learn this music, but here are a few sound samples that have been provided by the monks of Pluscarden Abbey for the diocesan website:

Kyrie (the final, ornamented repeat of 'Kyrie eleison' is optional);

Preface dialogue;

Holy, holy, holy;

Lamb of God.

[Full list here.]

The only thing missing from this helpful resource is the three memorial acclamations, but these are found on the Roman Missal Scotland website.

The acclamation we've been using most often is this one: We proclaim.

Update: I have been looking for people's music sheets to print off, and have found three useful ones:
one from the Liturgy Office of England & Wales (click on 'Booklet of Chants'), which is very comprehensive but runs to two double sided sheets of A4, folded & stapled;
one from the Diocese of Sioux Falls (USA) which fits on a double sided sheet of A4, folded;
and one from the Australian National Liturgical Music Board (click on 'Assembly Melody'), which is on two sides of A4 (unfolded, so a bit awkward to hold at Mass), but which is a much more practical singing edition - it doesn't include the shorter responses, but these are perhaps best learnt by ear anyway.

The Propers: a list of resources, and a challenge

2011-10-22T22:29:00.001+01:00

Just to recapitulate what I've been saying in recent posts. If you decided to try and sing the Proper Introit of the Mass, you could avail yourself of one of the following resources (all of which are either available now, or likely to be forthcoming in time for Advent 2011:

the Graduale Romanum; or (for hardcore chant fiends) the Graduale Novum or the Graduale Triplex; the Graduale Simplex; a polyphonic choral setting; the English Chant Propers; the Complete English Propers; the American Gradual; various projects by Samuel Weber; the Anglican Use Gradual; the Simple Choral Gradual; Propers for Advent, &c. by Gary D. Penkala; the Simple English Propers; the St Michael Hymnal; the Graduale Parvum; Entrance Songs by Gerry Fitzpatrick; Psallite; Introit Hymns for the Church Year; hymns which are based on the texts of the Propers; metrical Psalms; the Lumen Christi Missal; Propers for the Church Year by Todd A. Peperkorn.

[Update (1/11/11): You can add to that list the splendid scheme outlined by Kathleen Pluth, one of the best contemporary hymn-writers, for metrical antiphons with Psalm tones.]

[Update (8/11/11): An omission that should be rectified: the Plainsong Gradual by G.H. Palmer et al., an Anglo-Catholic resource from the glory days, which adapts the traditional Gregorian tones (from Sarum sources) to occasionally florid English translations of the Latin text.]

This is almost certainly not a complete list.

The first three books named above contain the ancient Latin texts with their traditional melodies. Of the others, the Graduale Simplex is in Latin, as are the classic polyphonic settings; the Graduale Parvum will contain both Latin and English texts; and all the other resources are in English only. Frequently, these settings use shortened or otherwise modified translations of the Latin text, and at the time of blogging I am not aware that any of the translations in question have been cleared for liturgical use with the competent authorities in Scotland, or England and Wales.

Likewise, all the sources mentioned except for the first three, the American Gradual, the Plainsong Gradual, and Pastor Peperkorn's settings, depart to a significant decree from the actual chant melodies that have come down to us by tradition from the Papal schola cantorum of the eighth century. Compromises have been made for the sake of smaller choirs; in accordance with the composer's understanding of how English chant should function; or out of a desire to encourage congregational participation in the Propers.

Though it may seem we have enough settings of the Propers to be going on with (!), I would like to lay down a challenge to any liturgical composers who have read this far. Can you come up with a setting of the Propers in English which fulfils the following conditions:

1. a genuinely Proper antiphon is offered (i.e. one for each Sunday and Feast) for the entrance, and ideally also for the offertory and holy communion;

2. the text is a true translation of the Latin Proper;

3. this translation is one that has been approved for use at Mass (in England & Wales this could include the translations in the Processional- it is not yet quite so clear what provisions will be made in Scotland);

4. the music is within the reach of a small amateur schola, or even of the congregation led by a cantor;

5. the melody bears a relationship to the original music of the Graduale (i.e. more than simply being in a chant style or using the same mode).

I think I can see a way this could be done, but it will take me a while to put an example down on paper. Does anyone else think they can rise to this challenge?

Advent Sunday Introit XIII

2011-10-22T11:32:00.001+01:00

This just in: even while I was composing this series of posts, contributors at the Chant Café have drawn attention to yet more options for chanting the introit in English:

'Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul' from Todd A. Peperkorn's Lutheran website;

and 'To you I lift up my soul' from the forthcoming Lumen Christi Missal.

Advent Sunday Introit XII

2011-10-22T00:12:00.002+01:00

The metrical Psalm ‘To thee I lift my soul’ from the Church Hymnary (Third Edition).

Why the Third Edition? Because the version of Psalm 24 (they call it 25 of course) in the (current) Fourth Edition starts about halfway through (unless there's a full version somewhere that I missed). In fact, there's another, splendidly rugged version in the old Revised Edition, but I can't see it tripping off the tongue very easily. The version in the Third Edition begins thus:

To thee I lift my soul:
O Lord, I trust in thee:
My God, let me not be asham'd,
Nor foes triumph o'er me.
Let none that wait on thee
Be put to shame at all;
But those that without cause transgress,
Let shame upon them fall.

For: This is a translation - and a pretty faithful one - of Psalm 24, the source of the Advent Sunday introit. It comes from the metrical Psalter of the Church of Scotland. Catholic hymnal compilers are used to raiding the treasuries of the Anglican/Episcopal church, and more recently the "praise and worship" music of the Evangelicals, but here in Scotland there is surely a case to be made for drawing on the Kirk's great corpus of metrical Psalmody - for ecumenical as well as musical reasons. Note also that the Kirk Psalter includes the complete cycle of Psalmody, and additional paraphrases of other scriptural passages: it would be possible to furnish versions of most antiphons in the Graduale from this source. This particular version of Psalm 24 is in Short Metre, so there are plenty of hymn tunes that would fit it.

Against: This translation has not been approved by the competent Catholic authorities. The tunes to which it might be sung are unrelated to the chant of the Graduale, and the antiphon-Psalm alternation would be lost.

Advent Sunday Introit XI

2011-10-21T14:48:00.001+01:00

The hymn ‘All my soul to God I raise’ by Timothy Dudley-Smith.

I wanted to include at least one decent option that might be found in current hymnals. Actually, I'm not sure whether any existing Catholic hymnals do include this, but some of Dudley-Smith's work has been widely adopted in Catholic worship, so this will do, at least for illustrative purposes.

The first verse runs as follows:

All my soul to God I raise
Be my guardian all my days
Confident in hope I rest
Daily prove your path is best
Ever work in me your will
Faithful to your promise still

I found the text on this blog.

For: The hymn form is familiar and easy for congregations to sing : a tune like 'Dix' would work with this metre. 'All my soul' would not frighten the horses.

Against: This is better described as a paraphrase than as a translation of Psalm 24. There is no refrain, so the antiphon-Psalm alternation of the traditional introit would be lost. Even a good hymn tune like 'Dix' is completely unrelated to the Gregorian chant which is part and parcel of the introit in the Graduale. (Just to state the obvious: Timothy Dudley-Smith was not trying to write an introit, so it's not surprising that what he produced lacks some of the characteristics of the introit form.) Also, it is just fortuitous that this piece begins with a paraphrase of Psalm 24.1; you could search long, hard and fruitlessly for good English hymns that happen to fit the introit texts for other Sundays.

Advent Sunday Introit X

2011-10-20T23:45:00.001+01:00

The hymn ‘To you, O Lord, I pray’ from Hymn Introits by Christoph Tietze.

When Catholic communities don't sing the Proper introit - and let's face it: most of them don't - what they sing instead is usually a strophic, congregational, vernacular song. In other words, a hymn. Christoph Tietze (not to be confused with the seventeenth-century hymn writer of the same name) has come up with a brilliantly simple way to bridge the gap. He has written strophic paraphrases of the introit antiphons and Psalms, and set them to hymn tunes which are already well known to English-speaking Catholics. The rationale, and the texts, are given in his book Hymn Introits for the Liturgical Year; a volume with the confusingly similar title Introit Hymns for the Church Year is for use - it contains the texts and music.

So, for the first Sunday of Advent, the introit hymn begins as follows:

To you, O Lord, I pray;
I trust in your great name.
Let not my enemies exult
Nor put my soul to shame.

Imagine a world in which Tietze's cycle of hymns is adopted wholesale by the editors of popular hymnals; what a difference that would make to the ethos of Catholic hymnody, without any significant effort on the part of parish musicians.

For: Tietze offers a paraphrase of the introit for all Sundays and major feasts. He allows for the preservation of the antiphon-Psalm alternation, as the first verse of each hymn usually contains the substance of the antiphon, and it can simply be repeated as a refrain. For communities used to singing a hymn at the entrance, this scheme can be implemented without any change in musical practice.

Against: There is no relationship between the suggested hymn tune (St Bride) and the chant of the original introit; and antiphon texts are sometimes truncated (as in the example above) in order to fit into a single stanza. Other liberties are taken, as well: 'To you I pray' is one possible reading of 'Ad te levavi animam meam' - after all, doesn't the catechism offer us 'the raising of the heart and mind to God' as a definition of prayer? But the loss of the great metaphor of upward movement seems to me to rob this introit of some of its dynamism. Query: have these texts been approved for liturgical use?

Advent Sunday Introit IX

2011-10-20T00:42:00.002+01:00

‘To you, O Lord, I lift my soul’ from Psallite by the Collegeville Composers Group.

I put this down on my initial list as a choir anthem, since a descant is given even for the antiphon, but looking more carefully I see that the principal melody line of the antiphon is, in fact, intended for the congregation, and part of what you pay for is an 'assembly graphic' which can be inserted in orders of service. Have a look for yourself here.

For: Preserves the antiphon-Psalm alternation, and the text is an English translation of the traditional Introit. The whole Psallite programme covers every Sunday in the three year Lectionary cycle, so these are proper Propers: a communion song is given in addition to the introit. According to the publisher, "The music of Psallite clearly reflects the role of liturgical music envisioned in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. It is music that restores psalm-singing as the primary prayer language." Amen to that.

Against: This was published in 2005, so the translation obviously doesn't conform to the new translation of the Roman Missal. Has this text been authorised for use in Scotland? For congregational 'singability', the antiphon text has been reduced to a short snippet, with the missing verses reassigned to the choir or cantor part.

It's all very admirable, but at this point I have to go off on a bit of a rant. Liturgical composers who import styles or motifs from secular music, need to realise that these extraneous elements trail a great deal of baggage for their listeners, and that this might result in distraction and disedification - even when the secular sources are much loved. It's precisely because, as a teenager, I listened obsessively to the early recordings of Genesis that I cannot hear Shine, Jesus, Shine without that the vision of the young Peter Gabriel rises upon my inward sight. (Compare Graham Kendrick's song with "Window" from the band's first album.) This is why I would never programme the hymn Immaculate Mary, Star of the Morning to the tune of The Streets of Laredo, even though it sounds fantastic: the associations are wrong. And I shudder at the mere thought of the "U2charist", or the Jazz Reproaches. So when I watched this promotional video, I found myself being sold right off the idea of Psallite. Pope St Pius X decreed that, "Since modern music has risen mainly to serve profane uses, greater care must be taken with regard to it, in order that the musical compositions of modern style which are admitted in the Church may contain nothing profane, be free from reminiscences of motifs adopted in the theatres, and be not fashioned even in their external forms after the manner of profane pieces. Among the different kinds of modern music, that which appears less suitable for accompanying the functions of public worship is the theatrical style." (Tra le Sollecitudini, nn. 5-6) Of course he was thinking of Opera, but there is a modern theatrical style of music also, to which his strictures must surely apply.

I don't want to single out Psallite for criticism here, and of course there's a great deal of other music in our hymnals which is in a similar style (and often much less well-written) - and at least the Collegeville composers are trying to get us to sing the Proper antiphons and Psalms. But I think there is a serious issue here, and for me this vitiates the laudable work that Psallite is trying to do. Feel free to disagree with me, dear reader: that's what the combox is for!

Advent Sunday Introit VIII

2011-10-19T21:18:00.002+01:00

The choir anthem ‘I lift my soul to you’ by Gerry Fitzpatrick.

See the score and listen to a recording here.

This is one of a handful of small-scale choral introits on the website of St Mungo Music. It's been announced that a book of these introits will be published soon.

For: The fact that this is home-grown - composed by a Glaswegian parish priest - will endear it to Scottish church musicians, I am sure. The antiphon-Psalm alternation is preserved. The text is a slightly abbreviated translation of the Proper Introit, but as Msgr Fitzpatrick is the Secretary of the Scottish bishops' Committee for Church Music, we can reasonably assume that he would not publish anything that had not received the necessary approval! The music is within the reach of a decent parish choir & organist, and while it is stylistically quite modern, no one would mistake it for anything other than a piece of religious music. And you can download & print off the score from the website for nothing.

Against: It is an abbreviated, not a complete, translation of the Latin text.

I am not sure whether the forthcoming book will be comprehensive (i.e. providing an introit for each Sunday); the samples on the website give us just one piece for each season. Not everyone will appreciate the style of this (to be honest, I don't really warm to it myself); but de gustibus non disputandum: I'm sure there are plenty of people who will love singing, playing or hearing it. For most parishes, introducing a setting of the Proper like this would be a huge step in a very positive direction.

Advent Sunday Introit VII

2011-10-18T22:52:00.000+01:00

The antiphon for the first Sunday of Advent from the Graduale Parvum (forthcoming).

I can't say a great deal about this, as the Graduale Parvum has yet to be published, but I have read accounts of the book's methodology by its initiator, the late Professor László Dobszay.

For: The GP will provide (once all volumes are published) Proper processional antiphons for every Sunday of the year. The texts will be the antiphons in the Graduale Romanum, or in some cases the Missale Romanum. The antiphon melodies will be taken from authentic Gregorian sources (e.g. the antiphons and short responsories of the Divine Office). Versions will be given in both Latin and English, giving communities a choice of language. It is, I understand, the intention of the compilers that the antiphons will be sung by the congregation. It is also intended that the Latin antiphons will be suitable for small scholas singing at the Extraordinary Form Mass (the 'old rite'), making this an extremely flexible programme.

Against: In order to make the antiphons suitable for congregational singing, many texts will be shortened (however, the verses excised from the antiphon itself will be sung by the cantor/choir to a Psalm tone). The melodies, though Gregorian, will not be ones that have been traditionally sung at Mass.

Advent Sunday Introit VI

2011-10-18T22:08:00.000+01:00

The antiphon ‘No one who waits for you’ by Richard Rice, from the St Michael Hymnal.

See the score of the antiphon here.

I often complain that most hymnals have been compiled without reference to the cycle of Proper chants, so I was encouraged to see that the new edition of the St Michael Hymnal from the USA actually contains settings of the introit for every Sunday of the year.

For: Preserves the antiphon-psalm alternation, and sets a translation of the Proper Introit each Sunday. If your goal is to get the congregation singing the Proper, this is how to do it. The melodies are simple enough for congregational singing; and they are printed in modern notation, which will be more familiar than chant notation to the majority of people. Crucially, the words and music can be put in front of the people not in a special 'Propers' book, or on a scrappy 'missalette', or (God help us!) a projection screen - but in the regular pew hymnal itself. Presumably the choir edition of the hymnal includes the Psalm verses that will be sung by a cantor or by the choir.

Against: Not a traditional melody. In the quest for singability, it has been necessary to shorten the antiphon texts (some of which are quite long in the Graduale) to a brief refrain. Moreover, for this Advent Sunday Introit, the refrain is not the iconic opening verse of Psalm 24 ('To you O Lord I lift up my soul') but instead the final clause of the traditional antiphon ('No one who waits for you is ever put to shame'). I can guess why this has been done - to bring into prominence the Advent theme of waiting for the Lord - but it seems to me to put unnecessary distance between the Introit in the Graduale and the St Michael Hymnal version. The translation used might not be authorised for all territories.

Advent Sunday Introit V

2011-10-18T15:38:00.000+01:00

The antiphon ‘Unto you have I lifted up my soul’ from Simple English Propers by Adam Bartlett.

See the score here.

In many ways, this is similar to the example from Columba Kelly in the previous post.

For: It uses a translation of the Proper chant text (and so for all the Sundays of the year). It is written in a style closely modelled on Gregorian chant, and in the same mode as the original antiphon. The classic antiphon-Psalm alternation is preserved. The chant is simple enough to be sung by a small schola. While it seems to me unlikely that congregations will join in with this, they can follow the words in the Vatican II Hymnal. The Propers themselves can be downloaded for free, or you can by the complete set in a handsome hardback volume. A complete suite of practice videos is available online as a learning aid. Bartlett has composed a relatively small set of basic melodies, which are then adapted to the words; so that once you have learned a Mode VIII introit, the other Mode VIII introits will be found to follow the same musical contours.

Against: Not an ancient melody. This particular translation may not have been approved (yet) by your local bishops' conference.

Advent Sunday Introit IV

2011-10-18T12:02:00.001+01:00

The antiphon ‘To you, my God’ from English Chant Propers by Columba Kelly.

View the score here.

Here we have another adaptation of the antiphon 'Ad te levavi', this time in English.

For: Fr Columba's settings offer a translation of the antiphons in the Graduale Romanum for each Sunday. The melodies are composed to fit the words by someone who has probably more experience than anyone else in the setting of English words to chant. This setting is in the eighth mode, the same musical register used in the original antiphon. If your schola is not ready for the Graduale Romanum, this may be what they need: the melody is simpler than that of the GR, while still being expressive, and of course there is not the obstacle (as some people regard it) of Latin. Perhaps more importantly in terms of access, Fr Columba's Mass booklets are free to download: a very generous gift to the Church.

Against: Whatever the merits of this melody, it is not the traditional plainsong tune, not even (as is the case with the Graduale Simplex) an ancient tone re-used in a new context. Also, the English text used may not conform to the translations previously approved for use by your local hierarchy, though I see no reason why it should not be accepted if were submitted for approval. While some will see English as preferable, others will prefer the universal quality of Latin, especially since this is a piece to be sung by a schola rather than by the congregation.

Other, similar English Mass Propers are available: an article on the Cantica Nova website draws attention to the Advent Sunday introit as it is given in six such programmes, and I am sure more resources of this kind will appear in the future.

Advent Sunday Introit III

2011-10-17T23:47:00.000+01:00

Actually, I couldn't find a version of the Palestrina that's worth sharing, so here's a link to Luigi Balbi's version.

For: This is just ravishing. You really want to lift up your soul? Listen to some Renaissance polyphony. It's a style that's been praised by Popes for its appropriateness to the liturgy, from the sixteenth century to the present.

Against: You need a really good choir for this sort of thing; but if you have one, go for it!

Advent Sunday Introit II

2011-10-17T23:25:00.000+01:00

The antiphon ‘Ad te Domine’ from the Graduale Simplex

The Graduale Simplex is the book of Latin chants which was published by command of the Second Vatican Council, and later revised in conformity with the new Roman Missal, for the use of 'smaller churches'.

For: This chant preserves the basic structure of the traditional introit: Antiphon -- Psalm-verse -- Antiphon (with the alternating pattern repeated for as long as is necessary). But, as you can see at a glance, both antiphon and Psalm tone are much simpler than the elaborate chants of the Graduale Romanum. The melodies of both antiphon and Psalm are drawn from the authentic Gregorian tradition, albeit they would traditionally have been used in the Divine Office rather than at Mass.

Against: Look closely; this is not quite the same text as the traditional antiphon. In fact it has a slightly different mood about it: less waiting in joyful hope, more crying out in desperation. Also, the Simplex does not give us a set of Propers for each Sunday in Advent, but two 'suites' of Advent chants; so while this might make a fitting replacement for 'Ad te levavi' on Advent I, it is decidedly uncomfortable as a substitute for 'Gaudete' on Advent III, for example. Although the simplicity of this chant puts in within reach of the very smallest and least ambitious choirs, it is still, realistically, unlikely ever to be a congregational chant - the retention of the Latin language sees to that. One could argue that the Simplex thus gives us the worst of both worlds: neither the richness and beauty of the traditional chant, nor the congregational participation that other options might afford.

Advent Sunday Introit I

2011-10-17T22:54:00.003+01:00

The antiphon ‘Ad te levavi’ from the Graduale Romanum.

See the whole score here.

For: These are the very words, this the very melody, that have been sung at the beginning of the Advent Sunday Mass for upwards of 1300 years. The text is sacred scripture - drawn from the book of Psalms, the hymn-book of the Apostolic Church - in the universal language of the Christian West. Its musical setting is a masterpiece, part of the incomparable cultural monument that is the Gregorian cycle of Propers for the liturgical year. What's not to like?

Against: This chant, and the Proper cycle in toto, is not music that welcomes amateurs, or flatters dilettanti. Let me clarify that: I do not think that the Propers can be sung only by professional musicians. But to execute them properly, certain conditions are required. In the first place, although the chants can be sung as solos, their structure ideally calls for a schola: a group of two, three, and preferably more, singers. These singers must be competent, and they must also be able to sing well as an ensemble, to blend their voices. To do this they will need to be under the care of a skilful director. And, very importantly, they need to devote plenty of time to regular practice. I'm an optimist: I believe these conditions can be met, even in quite small parishes, but only if the will is there and the necessary effort is made.

Cantus ad introitum

2011-10-16T23:46:00.003+01:00

Cantus ad introitum: The entrance song in Roman Catholic worship.

Seeing that Jason J. McFarland's thesis (above) is going to be published by Liturgical Press in January prompted me to think again about a problem I've gnawed at more than once on this blog: how the Proper chants of the Roman Rite can be adapted - if adaptation be needed - for use in parish Masses. McFarland looks in particular at the introit for the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. More pressingly, I've been thinking about the introit for the first Sunday of Advent, which this year will be the first day on which the new English translation of the Roman Missal will be used in Scotland. What might be sung that would reflect, to some degree, the musical and textual heritage of the Gregorian introit 'Ad te levavi'? Here's the list that came to mind:

1. The antiphon ‘Ad te levavi’ from the Graduale Romanum (Latin);
2. The antiphon ‘Ad te Domine’ from the Graduale Simplex (Latin);
3. The choir anthem ‘Ad te levavi’ by Palestrina (Latin);
4. The antiphon ‘To you, my God’ from English Chant Propers by Columba Kelly;
5. The antiphon ‘Unto you have I lifted up my soul’ from Simple English Propers by Adam Bartlett;
6. The antiphon ‘No one who waits for you’ by Richard Rice, from St Michael’s Hymnal;
7. The antiphon for the first Sunday of Advent from the Graduale Parvum (forthcoming);
8. The choir anthem ‘I lift my soul to you’ by Gerry Fitzpatrick;
9. The choir anthem ‘To you, O Lord, I lift my soul’ from Psallite by the Collegeville Composers Group;
10. The hymn ‘To you, O Lord, I pray’ from Hymn Introits by Christoph Tietze;
11. The hymn ‘All my soul to God I raise’ by Timothy Dudley-Smith;
12. The metrical Psalm ‘To thee I lift my soul’ from the Church Hymnary (third edition).
There are probably many other possibilities, but in an occasional series of very brief reflections between now and Advent, I'd like to offer some comments about the pros and cons of these various different options; a perhaps suggest another possibility ...

Oh, and I haven't forgotten that an anonymous commenter asked me to say more about the use of Psalms at Mass. Well this is obviously relevant to that wider question; but in any case, I will be thinking about the Psalms over the next few months as I rewrite a book for publication, so I will try to contemplata aliis tradere as I go along.

By the way, at the Italian Chapel this afternoon, we sang the communion antiphon from the Graduale Romanum - on about three minutes' rehearsal - and we (OK, I) made only one mistake.

P.S. The relevant rubric should be noted: "In Scotland: This chant [the 'Entrance Chant'] is sung alternately by the choir and the people or similarly by a cantor and the people, or entirely by the people, or by the choir alone. In the dioceses of Scotland the Entrance Chant may be chosen from among the following: the antiphon with its Psalm from the Graduale Romanum or the Graduale Simplex, or another chant that is suited to the sacred action, the day, or the time of year, and whose text has been approved by the Conference of Bishops of Scotland." GIRM 48

Music for the Royal Oak Mass

2011-10-11T12:25:00.003+01:00

On Sunday (at the Italian Chapel at 3.30 p.m.), I am proposing singing the following music:Entrance. HYMN: Eternal Father, strong to saveKyrie. From Mass XVI (omitting the optional ornamented final repeat)

Kyrie (3 of 22) from Church Music Association of Amer on Vimeo.

Offertory. HYMN: Hail, Queen of heaven, the ocean starSanctus. From Mass VIII (Missa de Angelis)Agnus Dei. From Mass VIII (Missa de Angelis)Communion. HYMN: Sweet sacrament divineRecessional. In paradisum

A new forum

2011-10-08T12:06:00.003+01:00

When he was elected to the Papacy in 1878, Leo XIII's first administrative act was to restore the Scottish hierarchy, erecting (among others) the diocese of Aberdeen, of which Orkney is a parish. Pope Leo was an early adopter of new technologies, as can be seen in this extraordinary footage: he was the first Pontiff to be filmed and sound-recorded. I think Leo XIII would be pleased, then, to hear of the latest development in the diocese: an online forum. I would urge all Catholics in the diocese to join this discussion, using their own names (!), and taking this opportunity to engage in a constructive conversation across this widely-scattered diocese. The administrator has suggested to me that this could, for example, be a useful place for folk to exchange ideas and advice regarding the singing of the new translation of holy Mass. It is not quite Year Zero for vernacular sacred music in the English-speaking world, but we all need to be thinking hard about what and how we sing at Mass, and we should be bearing one another company on this journey of discovery. As I may have mentioned before, it is the will of our bishop that every parish should learn the simple Mass setting that is printed in the Missal itself.

The Royal Oak Mass

2011-10-08T11:00:00.002+01:00

The annual Mass for the repose of the souls of those who died aboard the HMS Royal Oak, which was torpedoed in Scapa Flow in October 1939, will be offered at the Italian Chapel on Sunday 16 October, at 3.30 p.m. Please come and take this opportunity to pray for men (and boys) who gave their lives in war. We will sing the ordinary of the Mass in Latin, as we have been doing at most of the Italian Chapel Masses this year.

Welcome, LL readers!

2011-09-26T20:24:00.001+01:00

In your latest issue of Latin Liturgy, the journal of the Association for Latin Liturgy,* you'll find my 'News from Nowhere' column. In it, I invite readers to suggest websites that they think are worth a visit. For the next article, I want to focus on online resources for Gregorian chant. To suggest links on this, or any other subject of interest to ALL members, please leave a comment on this post. Thanks! *You don't have the latest issue? You need to renewed your subscription to the ALL!

Course CANCELLED

2011-09-26T17:31:00.002+01:00

The beginners' course in Gregorian chant, which was scheduled to start tomorrow, has been cancelled owing to lack of interest. I'm not discouraged: it just means that what Orkney needs right now is something slightly different. I'm going to think & discuss with people what exactly this might be. In the meantime, thanks and apologies to those of you who did sign up.

Italian Chapel

2011-08-30T17:00:00.000+01:00

Owing to holiday absences, the Mass at the Italian Chapel on Sunday 4 September, at 3.30 p.m., will not be sung to Gregorian chant. Please watch this space for news about the Royal Oak Mass in October.

Enrol now!

2011-08-29T17:56:00.000+01:00

I will be offering a practical course in Gregorian Chant for beginners this autumn. Students will learn how to read and sing Gregorian chant. They will also learn about the history of plainsong and its cultural influence, and study the pronunciation and meaning of the Latin texts they are singing. The course is structured around the service of Compline (evening prayer), which we will learn to sing in its entirety.

The course presupposes no knowledge or experience of singing chant, and is for all levels of ability. Those who took my previous courses at Appies Tea Rooms will find something new in this course, however: not only have I spent two years since then thinking hard about singing and teaching chant, but I have reconstructed the office of Compline as it might have been sung at St Magnus' Cathedral during the Middle Ages, so some of the texts and music will be things we have not sung before. I hope, therefore, that a few non-beginners will come along as well!

To enrol, you should complete the form on the back of the Guide to Courses, which is being distributed with today's Orcadian. Please call 873535 if you need a copy of the Guide. Enrolment closes on 2 September, and the course will only run if a viable number have enrolled by then, so please don't wait too long.

The classes will be held in the King Street Halls, Kirkwall, on Wednesdays from 7 - 9 pm, starting on 28 September. The course of eight classes costs £52, and there will be a £5 charge for the Compline booklets which I will provide. (NB The Halls are unavailable on 9 November, so we will have a break then and the course will continue until 23 November.)

P.S. The Angel is from the church of Ss Peter & Paul, Cork City. Nothing to do with the course, just a bonny picture.

A Book of Introits (made in Scotland)

2011-08-27T18:11:00.000+01:00

This caught my eye in last week's Scottish Catholic Observer: 'A celebration of St Mungo Singers'. The St Mungo Singers were founded in 1971 'with the aim of promoting Liturgical music in Glasgow Archdiocese'. Their director of music, Msgr Gerry Fitzpatrick, made this announcement: 'We are bringing out a book of introits and entry songs very soon and I am hoping people will realise the value of having an introit'. You can see and hear some examples of Msgr Fitzpatrick's introits here.

A Tale of Two Sundays (Part 3)

2011-08-27T17:22:00.000+01:00

But I actually have a third Sunday in mind: 4 September, 23rd Sunday per annum. This is just a thought experiment, as I shall be away that Sunday anyway, but supposing I did want to select hymns for that Sunday which corresponded with the Proper chants.
Entrance. Justus es Domine (Psalm 118.137, 124, 1). Nothing in the hymn book.
Offertory. Oravi Deum meum (Daniel 9.4, 2, 17, 19). Nothing in the hymn book.
Communion. Vovete et reddite (Psalm 75.12, 13). Nothing in the hymn book.
This is (one reason) why Catholic parishes do not sing the Mass: no one has given them the tools.

Music for a new bishop

2011-08-27T12:33:00.002+01:00

Last week, our new bishop, Hugh Gilbert was consecrated at St Mary's Cathedral, Aberdeen. There was a nice picture in the Press & Journal, but the media have said very little about the music. In his address, the new bishop thanked some of the musicians: "Thank you to the Diocesan Choir, who have enriched this celebration so much, and to James MacMillan who composed especially for this event the fine Ecce Sacerdos with which we began." An eye (ear?) witness, the Wandering Oblate, gives a little more detail: "It was wonderful to see all the community of Pluscarden attend this historic occasion and quite rightly participating in the Mass in singing the Introit, Gospel Acclamation and leading the singing of the Litany of the Saints. Sitting behind me was one of Scotland's premier composers, James Macmillan, who had composed a very pleasing Motet "Ecce Sacerdos Magnus" especially for the Bishop's ordination."

Bishop Hugh prescinded from elaborating any "pastoral priorities" in his address, rightly preferring to remind us that "the priority of priorities is Christ." But this blog dares to hope that sacred music will be one of the areas in which our new shepherd will give us leadership. Ad multos annos, Bishop Hugh!

László Dobszay R.I.P.

2011-08-26T20:21:00.002+01:00

I have just learned, with sorrow, of the passing of Professor László Dobszay: the founder and director of the Schola Hungarica; a magisterial scholar of music history; the author of two seminal books on the Catholic liturgy; a great promoter of popular sacred music in Hungary, and the originator of the Graduale Parvum; an editorial adviser to Usus Antiquior, the journal of which I am assistant editor. I met him only once, when he went out of his way, after giving a conference paper, to discuss with me in some detail a question that I had raised: he was as generous with his time and knowledge as he was brilliant. May he rest in peace.

Byrd on Lamb Holm?

2011-08-19T18:02:00.000+01:00

Sorry, this is my umpteenth post today, but this just popped into my head. And I recalled a conversation I had during this year's St Magnus Festival with someone who recalled a visiting choir - with local reinforcements - singing Byrd's Mass for four voices in the Italian Chapel, back in the 1980s (?). And then another conversation with a visitor who saw the Italian Chapel for the first time the other week, and said, 'This would be a great place to sing some small-scale polyphony - say, Byrd for four.' And it's a couple of years now since I spoke to someone who lives on one of the North Isles, who suggested it would be good to get together a small group for singing polyphonic Masses. 'Nothing too ambitious,' he said, 'just something like Byrd's Mass for four voices.'

I'm just saying.

The Antiphon 'Ne timeas'

2011-08-19T18:01:00.001+01:00

Antiphon - Ne timeas by Magnificat
I'm just putting this on the blog so I know where it is. It may come in handy later.

Nordic chant again

2011-08-19T18:00:00.000+01:00

Much of the repertoire sung by choirs such as Norway's Schola Sanctae Sunnivae and Schola Solensis comes from this fragmentary manuscript in the Danish Royal Library: Add. 47 2°, Antiphonarium Nidrosiense. And there it all is, online in a clear and legible scan. Tak!

Watou 2012

2011-08-19T17:59:00.001+01:00

The International Gregorian Festival of Watou (Belgium) will be held from 16 to 20 May 2012. Who's going?

What are we going to sing?

2011-08-19T17:29:00.002+01:00

A fortnight on Sunday, Catholic parishes in Scotland will be using, for the first time, a new English translation of the Ordo Missae. This entails learning some new music; our new Bishop of Aberdeen, Hugh Gilbert OSB, has asked that we learn, first of all, the chant-based music that is printed in the Missal itself before essaying any newly composed settings.

Almost everything the people might be expected to sing can be printed on two sides of an A4 sheet. Thanks to the Diocese of Sioux Falls in the USA, you can download (for free) and print off just such a sheet. If you prefer to learn the new music by ear, there are various resources that can help:

a page of recordings hosted by the Archdiocese of Boston;

a similar (though less comprehensive) resource provided by the Bishops' Conference of Scotland;

an extensive channel of videos created by the Church Music Association of America.

You can also buy a CD, put together by The Music Makers in London, which gives copious examples of all the different tones and options presented in the Missal.

Nordic chant

2011-08-18T22:25:00.006+01:00

Having been thinking a lot lately about medieval Scandinavian chant, and being about to visit Sweden, I've started to notice just how many Gregorian chant choirs there are in Scandinavia. And some of them are extremely good. Here's a list, which is surely incomplete; I'm putting in links where I have them.

Norway
Schola Sanctae Sunnivae
Schola Solensis
There's also a Norwegian Church Music Association which seems to give chant pride of place in its activities.

Denmark
The Danish Hildegard Ensemble
Absalon Six

Sweden
Pisces Dei
Schola Gothia
Schola Gregoriana Holmensis
Ensemble Gemma
Chant regularly features in the programme of the Nordic Medieval Festival of Music in Söderköping (8-11 September this year).

Finland
Vox Silentii

Most of these are professional choirs, singing for concerts and recordings, though some of them also sing liturgically. The list above does not include the scholas who sing exclusively for the Catholic or Lutheran liturgy. The Scandinavian countries have a thriving chant 'scene'.

A French view of Orkney

2011-08-08T20:53:00.002+01:00

May I commend to your attention the blog of the Schola Sainte Cécile? In particular, two recent posts concern Orkney: this one, on the St Magnus Hymn; and this other one, on 'the new Thebaid of the Northlands'.

Summertime ...

2011-08-07T21:32:00.002+01:00

... and the living isn't always easy for church choirs, what with folk being on holiday. How lucky we are, then, to live somewhere that is itself a tourist destination, and to have friends like Daniel Bushby (who sings tenor with Bristol's Exultate Singers) who are willing to have a go at a plainsong Mass setting on the strength of a five-minute rehearsal. Thanks, Dan!

A Tale of Two Sundays (Part II)

2011-07-30T23:49:00.002+01:00

In a previous post, I explained my selection of hymns for a Sunday Mass, on the principle of trying to find texts which conform in some degree with the texts of the Proper chants assigned to that day. In that particular case, it was possible to put together a fairly satisfactory selection using the hymnal available. Does this work for every Sunday? Let’s have a look at Sunday week: 7 August 2011, which is the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A).

Entrance. The Introit is Respice Domine (‘Remember, O Lord, your covenant ...’ from Psalm 73). Nothing shows up in the scriptural indices. I might turn, once again, to ‘O God, our help in ages past’, the first line of which is effectively a translation of the day’s Gospel Acclamation (Alleluia, Domine refugium; ‘O Lord, you have been unto us a refuge’ from Psalm 89), and which does at least tie in with the Gospel lesson about Peter’s walking on water.

Preparation of the gifts. The Offertory chant is In te speravi (‘In you have I put my trust, O Lord ...’ from Psalm 30). Check the indices: nothing. ‘Dear Lord and Father’ would give us an echo of the first reading – Elijah and the still, small voice – but I can never sing that text without remembering that it is part of polemical poem against the enthusiastic singing of hymns in worship. We may have to fall back on one of those over-used offertory hymns, such as ‘Lord, accept the gifts we offer’.

Communion. The appointed chant is Panis, quem ego dedero (‘The bread I shall give is my flesh ...’ John 6.52); the Missal gives as an alternative the following verse: ‘Praise the Lord, Jerusalem ...’ (from Psalm 147). Lots of Eucharistic hymns allude more or less directly to John 6. I’m tempted to go with ‘O food of travellers, angels’ bread’, as long as I can think of a Long Metre tune that’s so familiar people won’t notice that the words are unfamiliar. Our hymnbook has nothing cognate with Psalm 147, not even that wonderful old shout Lauda, Jerusalem, Dominum.

Recessional. This is the ‘wild card’, as there is no Proper chant assigned to the conclusion of Mass. Should we acknowledge that 7 August was the feast of the Holy Name in the Sarum Use – which would have been observed in the diocese of Aberdeen prior to the Reformation – by singing ‘At the name of Jesus’? But then, which tune? The only setting I like for Caroline Noel’s extraordinary text is KING’S WESTON by Vaughan Williams – the one tune which everyone is guaranteed not to know. Or would it be more appropriate to nod in the direction of the previous day’s feast, the Transfiguration? In my doctoral thesis, I argue for a connection between Newman’s ‘Lead, kindly Light’ and Transfiguration hymnody, but I share Newman’s own view that his famous poem is not appropriate for congregational singing. So what about Faber’s marvellous hymn which is indexed in our hymnbook as ‘My Gold, how wonderful thou art’? (And what does that Freudian slip say about the publishers of Catholic hymnals?) Perhaps I should play it safe with ‘Be thou my vision’.

I think this is enough to show the predicament Catholic musicians are in if they rely on the typical congregational hymnals produced in recent decades: the Proper Sunday Mass chants, in weekly use from c.700 until c.1970, are now inaccessibly lost to the faithful. Can we break our reliance on these inadequate collections of unliturgical songs? Can you see why I am looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of the Graduale Parvum?

May the God of Israel join you together

2011-07-18T22:43:00.002+01:00

In case anyone was wondering about the chant that was sung in Kirkwall parish church this morning, prior to the sacrament of matrimony, it was the traditional Introit antiphon (entrance chant) from the Nuptial Mass. The Latin text is: 'Deus Israel conjungat vos: et ipse sit vobiscum, qui misertus est duobus unicus: et nunc, Domine, fac eos plenius benedicere te.' Which, being interpreted, means: 'May the God of Israel join you together: and may he be with you, who was merciful to two only children: and now, O Lord, make them bless thee more fully.' The words are partly drawn from the book of Tobit, and the "two only children" referred to there are Tobias and Sarah. If you want to hear it sung more accurately than I managed this morning, the antiphon starts at 00:10 in this video.

Gregorian Chant for Beginners

2011-07-14T17:41:00.003+01:00

I propose to teach an evening class, 'Gregorian Chant for Beginners', starting on Wednesday 28 September, and running until Wednesday 23 November (with a break on 9 November because the venue is not available that evening). The course will be held at the King Street Halls, Kirkwall, under the auspices of the Council's Community Learning Programme. Full details will be available soon, but please mark your diary now!

The Blessed John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music

2011-07-06T17:22:00.002+01:00

This is an important development for liturgical music in the UK.

A Tale of Two Sundays (Part I)

2011-07-04T18:33:00.002+01:00

In the previous post, I pointed readers* towards several discussions about the relationship between the Proper chants of the Mass and congregational hymns. The writers in question all tended more or less to my own view, which can be summarised as follows: ‘The traditional Proper chants are an integral part of the sung liturgy, but if – for some substantial reason – they are to be replaced by congregational hymns, these should correspond as closely as possible to the Propers.’

How does this work in practice? The hymns I selected for Mass yesterday can serve as an example. It was the fourteenth Sunday in ordinary time (Year A).

Entrance: ‘O God our help in ages past’. The fourth line of the second stanza (‘and our defence is sure’) is based on a verse of Psalm 47 (‘God is ... a sure refuge’); and the Proper Introit Suscepimus consists of other verses from the same Psalm. The connection is, admittedly, quite tenuous in this case.

Offertory: ‘Through all the changing scenes of life’. I could find no hymn corresponding to the Proper Offertory chant Populum humilem, but the Communion chant Gustate et videte draws its text from Psalm 33. ‘Through all the changing scenes’ is a paraphrase of that Psalm. Unfortunately, it is such a loose paraphrase that it fails to preserve the idea of ‘tasting’ the goodness of the Lord. This makes it less suitable as a communion hymn, but it does mean that it can be sung appropriately at the preparation of the gifts.

Communion: ‘All ye who seek a comfort sure’. This hymn is based on Matthew 11.28: ‘Come to me, all you that labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest, says the Lord.’ This text occurs in the Gospel of the day, and it is offered in the Missal as a Communion verse, as an alternative to Gustate.

Recessional: ‘Sweet heart of Jesus’. As the Roman liturgical tradition does not assign a chant to the departure of the ministers from the sanctuary, I regard this as a ‘wild card’ element of the music. Anything appropriate to the season could fill this slot, and as it was the feast of the Sacred Heart last Friday, I could not resist programming this old Irish favourite.

So this is an example of one Sunday when, with a bit of jiggery pokery, it is possible to find hymns which more or less correspond to the Propers, even with the rather shoddy 1980s hymnal that we use at the Italian Chapel. Will this work for the next Mass there (on the first Sunday in August)? Watch this space ...

*Yes, they exist. I met one outside the crofting museum on Hoy last week!

The Propers

2011-06-22T18:55:00.004+01:00

When I have time to do it properly (i.e. not just now), I want to post something about the use and selection of hymns at Mass. But as a foundation-laying exercise, I want to point readers (if any there be) in the direction of some important discussions about the relationship between hymns (metrical, congregational songs) and the Propers (the traditional chants which these hymns, in many cases, supplant).

For a good introduction to what some have called the 'Hymns vs. Propers debate' (but which I would prefer to call the 'Hymns and Propers conversation'), try this short blogpost by choir director Aristotle A. Esguerra.

Elsewhere, composer Paul F. Ford reflects on the opportunities and challenges presented by creating a repertoire of English Propers.

Meanwhile, Bishop Edward J. Slattery proposes a recovery of the Propers as part of a solution to the 'problem' of the liturgy in our day.

An important article by Susan Benofy explains how the Propers came to be in need of salvage.

A keynote speech by Msgr Andrew Wadsworth of ICEL puts this discussion in the context of the forthcoming introduction of the new English-language Missal.

And finally, an academic thesis by Fr John-Mark Missio proposes the Propers as a model for Catholic hymnody.

Well, that reading list will keep you busy until I do get round to posting something more on this subject!

Chant at the Festival

2011-06-15T23:30:00.002+01:00

If you can get any tickets at this late stage, look out for the following chant-related pieces at this year's St Magnus Festival:
Friday, 10 p.m. London Sinfonietta perform 'Veni Creator Spiritus' by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies at St Magnus Cathedral;
Sunday, 7.30 p.m. St Magnus Festival Chorus & Scottish Chamber Orchestra perform Mozart's Requiem at the Pickaquoy Centre;
and at 10 p.m. Pure Brass perform 'Exsultet' by James Macmillan in the Cathedral.

Pater noster

2011-06-09T23:21:00.001+01:00

Latin in the Mass? In this day and age?

2011-06-06T22:57:00.002+01:00

At 3.30 p.m. on the first Sunday of every month between April and September, and on the Sunday in October nearest to the anniversary of the sinking of HMS Royal Oak (14 October 1939), Mass is celebrated in the Chapel on Lambs Holm, Orkney, which was built during the Second World War by Italian prisoners of war. This Mass is often attended by visitors, who come from many countries and speak a variety of languages. The Mass is celebrated predominantly in English, but this year, as last year, some parts of the Mass are sung in Latin. All the visitors who have spoken to me about this have been delighted to hear and sing these Latin chants: some remember them from childhood; others have encountered them more recently in the context of Papal liturgies, monastic retreats or pilgrimages. I am aware, however, that not everyone is quite so enthusiastic. I hope the following reflections might shed some light on why, in my opinion (and all the opinions expressed in this post are my own), we do well to sing parts of this monthly Mass in Latin.

LATIN IS A BOND OF COMMUNION WITH THE CHURCH THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
Since Latin ceased to be the living vernacular of any country or people, it has, to a greater degree than ever, come into its own as the lingua franca of the Roman Catholic Church. The use of Latin excludes no nation or ethnic group; on the contrary, the language which is used liturgically on every continent and in every country, is a sign of the substantial unity of the Roman Church.

LATIN IS A BOND OF COMMUNION WITH THE CHURCH THROUGHOUT THE AGES.
Latin has been the language of prayer for innumerable saints – indeed, for all the saints of the Western Church from the third century to the present day. Some of the most popular saints of the twentieth century – Padre Pio and Josémaria Escriva – chose to continue celebrating Mass in Latin after the introduction of the vernacular liturgy. Latin was the only liturgical language used by the Celtic monks who brought the Christian faith to Orkney; by St Magnus of Orkney, who attended a Latin Mass just hours before his martyrdom; by Catholic sailors on the crew of the Royal Oak; and by the Italian prisoners of war who built our beautiful chapel – including the chief artist Domenico Chiochetti, who sang in the Gregorian chant choir at the first Mass celebrated there.

LATIN IS A BOND OF COMMUNION WITH OUR BISHOPS.
Bishop Peter Moran, the outgoing Bishop of Aberdeen, encouraged the Orkney Schola, our local plainsong choir, from its inception; and on one occasion he celebrated a Latin Mass on a visit to Orkney. Our Bishop-elect, Abbot Hugh Gilbert of Pluscarden, has for many years been abbot of a monastery famous for its tradition of Latin plainsong.

LATIN IS A BOND OF COMMUNION WITH THE PAPACY.
Pope Blessed John XXIII, in a letter of 1962, urged bishops to ‘be on their guard lest anyone, eager for revolutionary changes, writes against the use of Latin in the Liturgy’. Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, just one week ago, wrote of the continuity that has characterised Papal teachings on liturgical music from the time of Pope St Pius X, a century ago, down to the present day, adding: “Paul VI and John Paul II, in the light of the conciliar constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, wished to reaffirm the end of sacred music, namely, ‘the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful’, and the fundamental criteria of tradition, which I limit myself to recalling: the sense of prayer, of dignity and of beauty; the full adherence to the texts and to the liturgical action; the involvement of the assembly and, to that end, legitimate adaptation to the local culture, preserving at the same time the universality of the language; the primacy of Gregorian chant, as supreme model of sacred music, and the wise appreciation of the other expressive forms which are part of the historical-liturgical patrimony of the Church, especially but not only, polyphony; the importance of the ‘schola cantorum’, in particular in the cathedral churches. They are important criteria, which must be considered carefully also today.” (My emphasis.)

THE LITURGICAL USE OF LATIN PLAINSONG IS DESIRED BY THE CHURCH IN OUR TIMES.
• “The use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites. Steps should be taken so that the faithful may be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them.” Second Vatican Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (1963)
• “The Holy Father [Pope Paul VI] has frequently expressed a desire that all the faithful should know at least some Latin Gregorian chants, such as, for example, the Gloria, the Credo, the Sanctus, and the Agnus Dei.” Congregation for Divine Worship, Letter to the Bishops on the Minimum Repertoire of Plain Chant (1974)
• “All other things being equal, Gregorian chant holds pride of place because it is proper to the Roman Liturgy. Since the faithful from different countries come together ever more frequently, it is fitting that they know how to sing together at least some parts of the Ordinary of the Mass in Latin, especially the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer, set to the simpler melodies.” General Instruction of the Roman Missal (2002)

What we are doing by singing parts of the Mass in Latin is not pursuing some reactionary agenda that drags us away from the ‘mainstream’ Church; on the contrary, we are seeking to worship God in a way that reflects, serves and fosters the Church’s unity, inclusiveness and universality.

Congratulations to our Bishop-elect!

2011-06-04T14:16:00.002+01:00

To Bishop Peter Moran, whose resignation has today been accepted by Pope Benedict XVI: Thanks for your care of this diocese (and for your personal encouragement of the Orkney Schola!)

To Abbot Hugh Gilbert OSB, whose election to the see of Aberdeen has also been announced: Please accept our congratulations and best wishes. We look forward to getting to know you better.

Credo III

2011-06-04T13:57:00.000+01:00

Singing the Mass in Scotland

2011-05-29T17:40:00.004+01:00

The new English translation of the Ordo Missae will be used in Scotland from Sunday 4 September. The full translation of the Roman Missal (third edition) will come into use on the first Sunday of Advent (27 November). Naturally, the changes to the texts will necessitate changes in the music we sing at Mass; and this is also a good opportunity for Scottish parishes to review their music programmes, to ensure they correspond with the rules and guidelines which the Missal contains.

Here are some helpful resources:

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, which is the highest legislation governing the celebration of Mass (in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite) in Scotland.

A succinct but useful message from the National Liturgy Commission, for all those involved in the ministry of music.

A page of musical resources on the Roman Missal Scotland website. There isn't much on it yet (and nothing at all in English!), but this page has been updated in the last few days, so it will be worth checking back here regularly.

The music that will appear in the Missal itself, including (if you look carefully down this rather crowded page!) all the responses and acclamations of the Ordo Missae, a simple English Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus and Agnus Dei.

The same music written out in traditional 'square' notation. Thanks to the indefatigable Aristotle Esguerra. The Church Music Association of America has also posted these chants in quadratic notation.

A CD containing all the chants in the Missal. Thanks to the equally indefatigable Jeremy de Satgé.

The website of the Liturgy Commission for our Provincial See of Edinburgh & St Andrews, 'Forth in Praise' (see what they did there?), which has a frequently updated set of links to music for the new Missal.

St Mungo Music, based in the Archdiocese of Glasgow, has a similar page of resources.

If I find other useful resources, I'll add them to this post.

Music for Sunday 5 June

2011-05-24T15:04:00.002+01:00

Kyrie (NB link is to the ninefold version; we'll use the sixfold version, as that's what's in the ALL booklets)

Gloria

Alleluia (I thought we might use the threefold 'alleluia' antiphon from Compline; I'll chant the verse to a psalm-tone)

Credo III

Sanctus

Agnus Dei

... and at some point I want to fit in the hymn 'The head that once was crowned with thorns', partly because its words are very suitable for the Sunday after Ascension Day; and partly because its tune is the wonderful SAINT MAGNUS!

A Requiem Masterclass

2011-05-22T22:26:00.002+01:00

Along with members of the St Magnus Festival Chorus, I've just spent four blissful hours working really hard on the choir parts of Mozart's Requiem. Joseph Cullen was putting the Chorus through its paces in advance of the performance at next month's St Magnus Festival. Mr Cullen is the Director of the London Symphony Chorus and, by the bye, a Gregorian chant expert who's worked with Benedictine monastic choirs in Scotland, England and Italy. As well as his obvious brilliance as a choir conductor, his knowledge and understanding of the Latin text and its plainsong origins provided some real insights into what we were singing. Quote of the day: 'This is not amateur dramatics; this is real life.'

Compline on Thursday

2011-05-15T19:51:00.002+01:00

As mentioned in The Orcadian this week, and on this blog (passim), we will be singing Compline at 9 p.m. on Thursday (19 May) at St Magnus' Cathedral. This is the final event of the Friends of Cathedral Music's National Gathering; but it is free and all are welcome, so please come!

The music of the new Missal

2011-05-14T16:20:00.002+01:00

Coming soon: a double CD which you will want to buy for your parish priest and/or music director. From the Music Makers.

Compline recording

2011-05-14T13:56:00.002+01:00

This recording of Compline for Eastertide is offered as a rehearsal aid for members of the Orkney Schola who will be singing this music at St Magnus' Cathedral on Thursday (19 May) at 9 p.m. - or for any one else who can come along and would like to join in! Music booklets (and translations of the texts) will be available on the evening.
Compline in Eastertide (new rite)

The Catholic Parish in Orkney

2011-05-11T22:50:00.000+01:00

The parish has a website, which can be found here. For the time being (i.e. for as long as we have a resident priest), Sunday Mass in the parish church at Kirkwall is offered at 11 a.m. If you're planning a visit between now and September(and if not, why not?), try to be here for the first Sunday of the month, when an additional Mass is celebrated at the Italian Prisoner-of-War Chapel at 3.30 p.m. At the Italian Chapel, the Ordinary of the Mass is chanted - generally using the evergreen Missa de Angelis. All welcome!

The time is now

2011-05-05T23:36:00.002+01:00

According to the Liturgy Office of the Bishops' Conference of England & Wales, 'Music settings [of the new translation] may be sung in parishes' from Easter 2011. No doubt various settings, some good & some not so good, will be approved & published over the next few months; but the basic musical setting of the ordo missae has already been published - on the ICEL website. So unless I'm being obtuse, Catholics in England & Wales need never sing the old translation ever again.

Please tell me this applies in Scotland as well!

'Basic Chant' books

2011-05-05T23:04:00.003+01:00

This is not a recommendation, as I haven't seen any of their books, but I was interested to come across Frog Music Publications, and their list of books aimed at people starting to learn Gregorian chant. Are they any good? Do leave a comment if you've used any of these titles. And is this the only publisher that prints a music manuscript book with four-line staves?

Gregorian chant, Orkney, and the Royal Wedding

2011-04-29T23:45:00.002+01:00

Naturally, there is a connection between all three. Before the ceremony in Westminster Abbey this morning, 'Veni Creator Spiritus' by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies was played on the organ. He, of course, lives in Orkney, and from the title I assume the piece (which I must admit I don't know) was based on the plainsong hymn-tune. Chant motifs are an inspiration for many of the composer's works. His lovely 'Farewell to Stromness' was also played, in its orchestral version. The same piece was played at the wedding of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Rothesay; and - by 'Max' himself at the piano in St Magnus' Cathedral - at the funeral Mass of George Mackay Brown.

Surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia!

2011-04-23T23:54:00.002+01:00

Tomorrow is postponed

2011-04-19T11:26:00.002+01:00

No, this is not a follow-on from the previous post!
I've just been told that the retreat day at Haughland House, scheduled for Wednesday 20 April, has been - I was going to say 'cancelled owing to lack of interest', but in fact there has been interest; unfortunately the timing was not very good for the people who wanted to come, so I'll let you know when we've arranged another date.

The Grinch who stole St Magnus' Day?

2011-04-19T11:08:00.007+01:00

[Post removed]

Tonight

2011-04-14T11:32:00.003+01:00

Don't forget to go along to St Magnus' Cathedral at 7 p.m. this evening (Thursday 14 April) to hear us singing the thirteenth-century wedding song 'Ex te lux oritur', followed by a lecture from Prof. Magnus Fladmark. It's free!

[Update: This went very successfully, and all the singers are to be heartily congratulated. People have been coming up to me in the street to say how much they loved hearing this song in the Cathedral.]

Ex te lux oritur

2011-03-27T18:10:00.003+01:00

Having decided to streamline the performance on 14 April - we're now singing just 'Ex te lux oritur', I'm reposting the links to the recordings. There are two commercial recordings of the wedding song 'Ex te lux oritur'.
On CD: Paul Hillier's recording
For download: Paul Rendall's recording
Hillier
On spotify, search for 'Orkney Wedding Song' to find the Rendall recording.

Finally, here is my own recording. It has the advantage that this is the edition that we're actually singing from (both the commercial recordings are very slightly different), but it has the disadvantage that something (not sure what) went wrong with the recording process itself. In fact I sound like I'm singing in the bath - with my head under the water. But it's the best I can do just now, and I hope this will help a little bit until I can resolve the technical issues.
Ex te lux oritur (poor recording)

Haughland House retreat

2011-03-26T15:43:00.002Z

Here are the details of the forthcoming day retreat at Haughland House, Shapinsay.

Haughland House Retreat Centre Shapinsay SC036313

Altars of the World

Sacred Places
Wednesday April 20 10.30-4.30 ( 9.34 ferry from Kirkwall 4.45 back)

With Ben Whitworth who will lead us in some Gregorian Chanting and share his thoughts on sacred places. Meditation and discussion

Shared lunch, donations appreciated.

Contact Lesley on 711750 or Email lesleymckeown@hotmail.com to book a place and transport from the ferry and back.

www.orkneyretreat.org.uk

New recordings (apologies for quality)

2011-03-21T18:13:00.003Z

I've been asked to put up new recordings of the two pieces we're singing on 14 April, to reflect the slight tweaking we've had to do to make them more singable. So here you go. WARNING: Although I'm using a microphone which has always behaved in the past, and the latest version of Audacity, something is not quite right with the recording of these. In fact I sound like I'm singing in the bath - with my head under the water. But it's the best I can do just now, and I hope this will help a little bit until I can get some better recordings done.
Comitis (poor recording)
Ex te lux oritur (poor recording)

In prospect

2011-03-07T17:51:00.002Z

Just a quick summary of what is coming up in the next few months:

Sunday 3 April, 3.30 p.m. The first of the Italian Chapel Masses this year. I am pleased to say that Fr Peter Kelly has asked us to sing the Ordinary of the Mass, as we did last year. The other dates are 1 May, 5 June, 3 July, 7 August, 4 September and 16 October.

Thursday 14 April, 7 p.m. As a curtain-raiser to the public lecture in St Magnus' Cathedral by Prof. M. Fladmark, the Orkney Schola will sing two medieval chants associated with Orkney: the wedding song 'Ex te lux oritur' and the sequence in honour of St Magnus 'Comitis generosi'. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SING THESE PIECES, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

Wednesday 20 April, times t.b.a. There will be a day retreat at Haughland House, Shapinsay, on the theme of Sacred Places. I will be teaching participants a few simple chants appropriate to that theme and to the season. No experience needed!

Thursday 19 May, 9 p.m. Compline will be sung in St Magnus' Cathedral, as part of the National Gathering of the Friends of Cathedral Music.

Residential Chant Course

2011-03-07T17:48:00.003Z

There are still some places available on the Chant course being held from 8th to 10th April at the Oratory School near Reading. The course will be led by Colin Mawby, the distinguished former director of music at Westminster Cathedral. Application forms can be downloaded here.

Recordings

2011-01-30T10:17:00.003Z

There are several recordings of the wedding song 'Ex te lux oritur'.
On CD: Paul Hillier's recording
For download: Paul Rendall's recording
Hillier
On spotify, search for 'Orkney Wedding Song' to find the Rendall recording

There is, on the other hand, only one recording of the sequence 'Comitis generosi' that I'm aware of - the one I just made, which is here:
Comitis generosi
I think I went a bit sharp in verse 7a, but otherwise this is pretty accurate - if a bit wobbly in places. I might post an improved version at some point.

One final link: this is not very useful for learning the chant, but it is quite good fun. The Edinburgh ensemble Gaïta have recorded an instrumental version of 'Ex te lux oritur': click on the track title on this page to hear a sample.

Come Saturday

2011-01-27T17:55:00.002Z

It just occurs to me that amid all the information I loaded into my last post, some people may have missed the most important immediate point, viz. there is a practice on Saturday (29 Jan) at my house from 10 a.m. until noon, looking at the two pieces we are planning to sing in the Cathedral on 14 April. Don't worry if you haven't sung with us for a while - or at all! - as we're all learning this material from scratch so you won't be at a disadvantage.

And after that there won't be a rehearsal until 26 February (though I will post some resources online in the meantime).

That's all, thanks!

Ben

2011 plans

2011-01-18T19:30:00.001Z

Plans for 2011 are now coming into focus, so here are two dates for your diary:

Thursday 14 April, 7 p.m. St Magnus Cathedral – the Orkney Schola will be singing two medieval chants associated with Orkney, as a curtain-raiser to the public lecture by Professor Magnus Fladmark at the beginning of the Inaugural St Magnus Conference (http://bit.ly/gulRek) organised by the Centre for Nordic Studies.

Thursday 19 May, 9 p.m. (venue t.b.a.) – we will sing Compline, with the presence of the Friends of Cathedral Music ( http://www.fcm.org.uk/ ), who are visiting Orkney as part of their National Gathering.

I hope that all the regular Schola singers, and anyone else who would like an opportunity to sing this wonderful music, will be able to come to rehearsals at my house on the following Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. until noon:

January 22 (this Saturday!), 29
February 26
March 5, 12, 19, 26
April 2, 9, 16
May 7, 14

It has not been possible to organise a chant course this spring; but there will be an evening class (Gregorian Chant for Beginners), probably in Kirkwall, starting in the autumn.

St Magnus Conference

2010-12-26T10:38:00.002Z

Perhaps some kind person gave you a 2011 calendar or diary for Christmas. Good: here is a date to put in it. On the evening of Thursday 14 April, Professor Magnus Fladmark will be giving a lecture in St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall. His talk will be prefaced by a (short) performance of medieval chant associated with Orkney, given by the Orkney Schola. More details can be found on the UHI Centre for Nordic Studies website.

Carol Service

2010-12-12T21:08:00.001Z

The parish of Our Lady & St Joseph, Junction Road, Kirkwall, will be holding its Advent carol service in the parish church at 7 p.m. tomorrow (Monday 13 December). All are welcome!

Peregrinus

2010-12-09T20:18:00.005Z

Shortly before my family set off on our recent pilgrimage to Rome, Pope Benedict XVI issued his Apostolic Exhortation 'Verbum Domini', which among many other things said this about music in the liturgy: "Preference should be given to songs which are of clear biblical inspiration and which express, through the harmony of music and words, the beauty of God’s word. We would do well to make the most of those songs handed down to us by the Church’s tradition which respect this criterion. I think in particular of the importance of Gregorian chant." I thought it would be interesting to see whether the liturgical celebrations we attended in Rome and on the road corresponded with this principle.

On the last Sunday in October (the feast of Christ the King) and the following day (All Saints), I was at high Mass at Santa Trinita dei Pellegrini, the beautiful Baroque church near the Piazza Farnese which belongs to the personal parish erected by the Diocese of Rome for Catholics attached to the traditional Latin Mass - which is exactly what was on offer both mornings. The dialogue parts of the Mass were chanted in Latin, with most people making the responses 'con brio'; the ordinary was sung to Renaissance polyphonic settings by a small but very able four-part choir; the plainsong propers were executed by a solo cantor whose fine voice was matched by his sensitivity to the Latin text and to the particular musicality of Gregorian chant.

Three days later, it was my privilege to assist at the Papal Mass in St Peter's Basilica for the repose of the souls of the cardinals and bishops who had died in the previous year (Cardinals Mayer and Poggi were mentioned by name in the Pope's homily). Again we had the Latin dialogues, but the international congregation was not quite 'una voce' in its responses; the very devout American couple next to me were able to join in with only one word of the Mass: 'Amen'. This is surely a regrettable state of affairs. The ordinary was sung to one of the faburden settings (based on plainsong) by the outgoing Maestro of the Sistine Chapel Choir, Fr Liberto. This seemed a missed opportunity. The choral elaboration of the chants makes it impossible for the people to join in; yet this frankly banal setting was hardly inspirational. Why not go the whole hog and have glorious polyphony, as at Santa Trinita? The indications are that the new Maestro, Fr Palombella, is more inclined to avail himself of the riches of the Roman polyphonic tradition. As for the propers of the Mass for the Dead, these were largely replaced by 'other suitable songs' - all we heard were the introit 'Requiem aeternam' and the communion verse 'Lux aeterna'. One wonders what the celebrant made of it all?

Back in London, we went to a 12 noon Sunday Mass in a busy London parish church: exactly the sort of place where you would not have expected to hear a single note of Gregorian chant even ten years ago. But I'm glad to report that the excellent cantor sang the offertory and communion antiphons from the choir loft. This was, indeed, a genuine sung Mass, with most of the dialogues being chanted in the current English translations. We even had a sung Eucharistic Prayer, something of a rare bird at the best of times!

The following Sunday saw us in York, where the 6.30 p.m. Mass at English Martyrs is now celebrated in the extraordinary form every week. On this occasion it was a Missa cantata, and when I went up to the loft to greet the choir I was quickly pressganged into singing the ordinary, the full proper and one or two extra bits! Not that they needed me; the choir was half a dozen men strong, with a very good organist on hand as well.

So that's what I did on my holi- ahem! - on my pilgrimage. Generally very satisfactory, I feel. I'll post again on some interesting CDs, books & exhibitions than also fell in my way while we were 'sooth'.

No practice on 4 December either

2010-12-01T23:30:00.002Z

Owing to the continuing poor driving conditions, as well as the pressure of less interesting things that unfortunately do need to be done, I will not be able to host a practice this coming Saturday either.

This is turning into a blog of despond with all these cancellations, so I will try to post something more upbeat in the next few days about the chant I heard (both liturgically & on CD) while I was away.

NO PRACTICE ON 27 NOVEMBER

2010-11-26T17:06:00.002Z

The scheduled rehearsal on Saturday 27 November will not go ahead, since we cannot guarantee having a drive that you can actually drive up if this weather continues.

10 December

2010-10-23T14:43:00.006+01:00

I regret to say that the event on 10 December has been cancelled.

The 'Royal Oak' Mass

2010-10-13T22:41:00.003+01:00

Here are some videos & links for the music that will be sung on Sunday at the Italian Chapel (see the current Scottish Catholic Observer for an interesting article about the chapel):

Opening hymn: Eternal Father

Kyrie
Under 'Kyrie B', click on 'Mp3#1'

Offertory hymn: Hail Queen of Heaven (sung by some old Redemptorists!)

Sanctus
Click on 'Mp3#1'

Agnus Dei
Under 'Agnus Dei B', click on 'Mp3#1'

In Paradisum

... and while you've got your calendar out

2010-10-08T20:41:00.002+01:00

Please note: the Royal Oak Mass at the Italian Chapel will be celebrated at 3.30 p.m. on Sunday 17 October (not on the 10th as previously stated on this blog).

Mark your calendar now!

2010-10-05T20:51:00.002+01:00

This is just a quick note to say that on the evening of Friday 10 December, I shall be giving a lecture - illustrated, with help from the Orkney Schola, by some examples of Gregorian chant. Since the evening is being hosted by the Friends of Orkney Ferals, and is their winter fund-raising event, it is fitting that the lecture will be concerned with someone who loved cats and Gregorian chant - no, not Pope Benedict. The provisional title is: 'The Song of Peace: George Mackay Brown and Gregorian Chant'.

Gregorian Chant for the Papal Visit

2010-09-15T23:12:00.003+01:00

Pope Benedict XVI's love of Gregorian chant is well known. During his visit to the UK, which begins in a few hours, listen out for these chants at the Papal liturgies:

Thursday 16 September, Mass at Bellahouston Park, Glasgow - Kyrie (Missa de Angelis); Ave verum Corpus; Ecce Panis Angelorum
Saturday 18 September, Mass at Westminster Cathedral - Introit: Dignus est Agnus; Credo III; Communio: Unus militum lancea
Same day, Vigil at Hyde Park - Tantum ergo
Sunday 19 September, Beatification Mass at Cofton Park, Birmingham - Introit: Sacerdos et Pontifex; Kyrie (Missa 'Orbis Factor'); Credo III

In addition, many of the traditional chanted responses will sung in English or Latin, and some of the choral music at the Masses is closely based on plainsong (e.g. Duruflé's 'Ubi Caritas').

Music booklets for the Divine Office

2010-09-14T23:27:00.003+01:00

This is an astonishing gift. If you want to sing the Liturgy of the Hours in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, Mr Van Roode has made it possible.

In Paradisum/Chorus angelorum

2010-09-11T20:02:00.004+01:00

At this morning's schola practice, we had a look at the Mass for the Dead, since our next Mass at the Italian Chapel will be on 10 October, for the repose of the souls of all who died in the sinking of the battleship Royal Oak on 14 October 1939. We made a start with the two chants - always sung together - which traditionally accompany the removal of the coffin from the church at the end of a funeral Mass: 'In Paradisum' and 'Chorus angelorum'. They are beautiful chants, but they contain one or two pitfalls for the unwary singer, so I said I would look for an online recording for people to listen to. I didn't have to look far. This afternoon I received an email inviting me to buy this CD. Click on the link, and listen to the sample: it happens to be 'In Paradisum' and 'Chorus angelorum'.

Desert Wisdom Retreat

2010-08-16T12:16:00.002+01:00

Haughland House Retreat Centre, Shapinsay (SC036313)

Desert Wisdom: “Every single day make a fresh beginning”

Saturday August 28 10.30-4.30 (9.45 ferry from Kirkwall 4.45 back)

Ben Whitworth will share his experiences of Monastic traditions, his knowledge of the Desert fathers and he will also teach us some Gregorian Chants.

An informative, relaxing and Creative retreat.
£15 plus shared lunch
To Book a place Contact Haughland House

A new online resource for learning the Mass

2010-07-02T15:12:00.003+01:00

I've just added a link on the sidebar under 'Chant Links' to a very useful site that was pointed out to me by a Schola member. Under the patronage of the Jesuit martyr St Antoine Daniel, Corpus Christi Watershed Productions have created some brilliant resources for learning the chant of the Mass Ordinary (Kyrie, Gloria, &c.) Click on the link & have a look at what's there - it's pretty easy to navigate I think, and you can find both scores to print off and recordings to listen to. Pending my own foray into MP3 recordings (the delay now is caused by technological problems!), I recommend this site especially to Schola members who are trying to learn Mass XI for the Italian Chapel Masses.

A friend points out that the same people are also posting copious resources for singing Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

Salve splendor!

2010-06-24T22:40:00.002+01:00

The Inchcolm New Music Ensemble does exactly what it says on the tin. The group is based at Heriot Watt University (not the other place that I mentioned in error in yesterday's post), and it commissions and plays new music for instrumental ensemble and choir, with the interesting twist that all the music is based on or inspired by the chants contained in the fragmentary Inchcolm Antiphoner. In this evening's concert, I was particularly struck by an instrumental 'study' by the group's director Steve King, in which he conjured playfully with the soundscape of the chant 'Pater Columba', while dramatically re-enacting the providential delivery of the Inchcolm monks from English attack! Although the choir tackled the chant itself at a slower pace than I would have been tempted to try, the female voices were beautifully blended, and their unhurried delivery exploited the Cathedral's acoustics to the full. Very effectively, one passage was underscored by a drone in the male voices - an idea the late Richard Proulx used to good effect in some of his recordings.
In the unlikely event that you are reading this post on Westray on Friday 25 June, I urge you to go to the performance at Noltland Castle this afternoon!

St Magnus Festival

2010-06-23T22:52:00.002+01:00

As always, the St Magnus Festival has brought some great music to Orkney. I have just come from the wonderful set at St Magnus' Kirk, Birsay, by I Fagiolini. They sang a wide range of material, from Monteverdi to Flanders & Swann. The highlight for me was William Cornyshe's setting (c. 1510) of a poem by John Skelton (Woefully Arrayed), spoken by our Lord on the Cross. To hear it sung in front of that fine, simple crucifixion window was an intense experience.

More directly chant-related is the concert I'll be going to tomorrow evening. At 7.30 pm in St Magnus' Cathedral, Kirkwall, the Inchcolm New Music Ensemble from Edinburgh University will be performing new works inspired by the chant contained in the medieval Inchcolm Antiphoner. Lots of modern composers have been drawn to incorporating plainsong in their work - I hope you all spotted the quotation of psalm tone 8G in that Philip Moore anthem in last week's Choral Evensong! - & the results can be intriguing, so I look forward to tomorrow evening. I will report back to you!

Mass XI (Orbis Factor)

2010-06-16T14:33:00.003+01:00

I had set aside time this afternoon to make some recordings of Mass XI for the use of Schola members. However, as my jaw is still numb from an unexpected visit to the dentist, here are some that some one else prepared earlier!

Click on this link. It should take you to a youtube playlist with the whole of Mass XI, with Credo I. We'll start by learning the Kyrie, Sanctus & Agnus Dei, & then think about adding the Gloria & Creed at a later date, perhaps. I've also added the Pater noster, since it was so moving to see that footage of it being sung by a crowd of thousands in St Peter's Square last week.

Masses in the Italian Chapel

2010-06-13T21:48:00.002+01:00

At the invitation of our parish priest, Fr John Allen, a small group is now leading the singing at the monthly Masses at Orkney's Italian Chapel on the tiny island of Lamb Holm. These Masses are celebrated at 3.30 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month in the summer, i.e. until September. There is also a Mass in October for the souls of those who died when the battleship Royal Oak was torpedoed by U-47 on 14 October 1939 not far from Lamb Holm.

We began last Sunday with the Kyrie, Sanctus & Agnus Dei from Mass VIII (Missa de Angelis). Next month, we plan to sing parts of Mass XI (Orbis Factor). If you would like to join the schola for some or all of these Masses, please get in touch with me.

Summer in the Islands

2010-05-25T00:06:00.002+01:00

Are you interested in singing Gregorian chant on one Sunday afternoon a month between now & October (+ some rehearsals, which I have not yet scheduled)? If so, even if you haven't sung, or haven't sung chant, or haven't sung with the Orkney Schola before now, then please let me know!

A comment on this post may be the easiest way to do this - don't worry, I won't publish comments that include contact details!

More on the chant course

2010-04-17T22:24:00.001+01:00

There is a full report on the blog of the Gregorian Chant Network.