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Extollens vocem ("A woman called out")
This is the Antiphon upon Magnificat at Vespers for the Third Sunday of Lent. The singers are the "Grup de Cant gregorià de l'Ateneu de Sant Just Desvern, Director Ramon Moragas."The text is taken...
View ArticleHoly Saturday: Recessit Pastor Noster ("Our Shepherd is Departed")
From the YouTube link: "Paweł Łukaszewski's haunting Recessit Pastor Noster is sung in Ely Cathedral's medieval Lady Chapel to great effect."Recessit Pastor Noster is the fourth Tenebrae Responsory for...
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The Pentecost Offertory: Confirma Hoc Deus ("Stablish the thing, O God")
This version is sung by Cantarte Regensburg:The text is taken from Psalm 67:29b-30 (Vulgate):Confirma hoc Deus, quod operatus es in nobis;A templo tuo quod est in Jerusalem, tibi offerent Reges...
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St. John the Baptist, June 24: De Ventre Matris Meae ("From my mother’s womb")
De Ventre Matris Meae is the Introit for the Feast of St. John Baptist, June 24. It's sung here by Schola Sanctae Sunnivae & Hartkeriana.The text comes from Isaiah 49; here's the Latin, along with...
View ArticleOffice Antiphons for the Feast of St. Mary, August 15
This year, while investigating First Vespers of The Feast of St. Mary (August 15), I made an interesting discovery: the Office Propers for this Feast are quite different between the Roman Breviary...
View ArticleBeth Gazo: Bo'utho of Mor Yakub; Eight Modes
From the Youtube page:In this video you can listen to 7 out of the Eight Modes of chanting the Boutho of Mor Yakub as per the Beth Gazo (Ekkara Canon). In addition to these eight modes there is also a...
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The All Saints' Alleluia: Venite ad me, omnes ("Come to me, all ye who labor")
Here is this Alleluia, sung by the Koninklijk Sint Ceciliakoor Turnhout - The Royal St. Cecilia Choir of Turnhout. Turnhout is a city in the Flemish province of Antwerp, in Belgium.The text is the...
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An All Saints' Day Matins Responsory: Audivi vocem de caelo ("I heard a voice...
While searching for something recently (I don't remember what!), I came across this beautiful Taverner composition. CPDL describes it as the "8th responsory at Matins on All Saints. Source of text is...
View ArticleAnglican Chant XXXIV: Psalm 43, Give Sentence with me (Turle)
A nice Anglican Chant tune from Turle:Here's the Psalm text from the Coverdale Psalter:1 Give sentence with me, O God, and defend my cause against the ungodly people * O deliver me from the deceitful...
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An Advent I Responsory: Aspiciebam
This beautiful chant is the 2nd Responsory at Matins of Advent 1 Sunday:This is the text, an apocalyptic passage from Daniel 7:13-14:R. Aspiciébam in visu noctis, et ecce in núbibus cæli Fílius hóminis...
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A Christmas Responsory: Hodie nobis caelorum Rex
Here's the beautiful 1st Responsory of Christmas Matins; I believe the singers are the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge, directed by Mary Berry, and that the recording comes from this CD. They are...
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The Introit for St. Stephen: Etenim sederunt ("Princes met and talked against...
Etenim sederunt is the Introit for the Feast of St. Stephen, December 26. Here it's sung by the Benedictine Nuns of Saint-Michel de Kergonan.The text comes from various parts of Psalm [118/]119; here...
View ArticleFor the feast of St. Thomas Becket: In Rama sonat gemitus ("The sound of...
Here's something quite interesting for this feast day. It's a 12th century anonymous composition found in a French manuscript; its subject is Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury who was...
View ArticleThe Sixth Day of Christmas: The Cherry Tree Carol
Here's this old carol, sung just recently by the Choir of Ely Cathedral:From the YouTube page:"The cherry tree carol" is a 13th-century English traditional carol, appearing here in a world premiere...
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The sung Gospel at Epiphany Matins: Factum Est Autem ("Now it came to pass")
This is a very interesting and unique chant sung before the singing of the Gospel at Epiphany Matins, after the ninth responsory, almost at the end of the Office. As far as I can tell, the video below...
View ArticleThe sung Gospel at Christmas Matins: Liber Generationis ("The book of...
In doing some reading after posting my last post, The sung Gospel at Epiphany Matins: Factum Est Autem ("Now it came to pass"), I found that the corresponding genealogy from Matthew is sung at the end...
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An Epiphany Responsory: Illuminare, illuminare Jerusalem ("Shine, shine...
While we're still in Epiphany season - one of my favorite seasons of the year - I wanted to post another Epiphany chant. This is the first responsory of Epiphany Day Matins in the Sarum Breviary; it's...
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"A Short Responsory" for Lent: Illumina oculos ("Lighten my eyes")
Here's something interesting, for Lent: a "short responsory" that comes from Medieval Hungary. It's beautifully sung here by the Schola Hungarica:The text is taken from Psalm 12/(13):4-5/(3-4), and...
View ArticleBenedicite, omnia opera Domini: The Lauds Canticle (for Pentecost)
Benedicite, omnia opera Domini is the Lauds Canticle for Sundays and Feast Days. This version uses the Pentecost antiphon, Fontes, et omnia. It's sung by the Schola Liturgiczna, Wyższego Seminarium...
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More about Veni Redemptor Gentium ("Come, Savior of the Nations")
This beautiful hymn was appointed for First Vespers of Christmas in the Sarum Breviary (although sung to a different melody), and is today used in the Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Hours at the Office...
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An Advent Responsory: Ecce Dies Veniunt ("Behold, the days come")
Ecce Dies Veniunt is the ninth responsory at Mattins on the First Sunday of Advent in the Roman Breivary. But it's sung at First Vespers on the First Sunday of Advent in the Sarum Breviary. Either...
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A Responsory for the Feast of St. Thomas Becket: Iacet granum oppressum palea...
Iacet granum oppressum palea is the Third Responsory at Matins in the Sarum Breviary for the Feast of St. Thomas Becket, December 29. But it is also used, sometimes in procession, at the end of (what...
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An Epiphany Responsory: In columbae specie ("In the form of a dove")
In columbae specie is the ninth responsory of Epiphany Matins in the Sarum Breviary; in the Roman Breviary, it's used as the second responsory. It's sung here beautifully by the Schola Hungarica, with...
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The Gradual for the Baptism of Our Lord: Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel...
The singers here are the Benedictine Monks of Saint-Benoît-du-Lac.This chant was originally appointed for "The Sunday Within the Octave of the Epiphany." It's gorgeously melismatic and extravagant,...
View ArticleGregorian Chant repertoire recorded at monstery; chants to be posted online
From The Guardian, April 9, 2020:Benedictine nuns release Gregorian chants to help ease coronavirus isolationA monastery of Benedictine nuns living in seclusion in southern France has opened its doors...
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