Chant School

Propers of the Year: A series of episodes in which we provide instruction and practice for more advanced chanters who are interested in preparing the Gregorian propers for each Sunday of the liturgical year.

In this episode, Thomas teaches you the chants for the 2nd Sunday of Lent.

Links to PDF's for each chant (courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed):

Introit: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/11/03/11/20-06-05_0.pdf

Gradual: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/16/02/13/23-18-53_0.pdf

Offertory: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/16/02/21/14-05-40_0.pdf

Communion: (Tridentine: "Intellige...") https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/16/06/20/18-43-26_0.pdf

(Novus Ordo: "Visionem..."

https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/11/03/12/00-45-26_0.pdf)

https://tinyurl.com/AveReginaCaelrumSolemn

In this (advanced) episode, learn the SOLEMN TONE of the Marian antiphon for the season from the Presentation to Easter.

A new liturgical season, a new Marian antiphon! This antiphon dates back to around the year 1200, possibly earlier if, as it has been suggested, it was composed by our old friend Herman the Cripple: the author of Salve Regina and Alma Redemptoris mater, two of the other Marian antiphons (also of Veni Sancte Spiritus…the dude was prolific).

Herman was born a cripple and with a cleft palate and a paralytic disease so that he had great difficulty moving and could barely speak. His parents left him in a Benedictine monastery as they couldn’t take care of him, and he eventually joined the order at the age of 20. He didn’t actually write hymns until much later in his life. First he wrote on history, mathematics, astronomy, and music theory. Finally, when he lost his sight soon before his death, he turned his hand to hymns, and didn’t do too shabbily.

Ave, Regina caelorum,

Ave, Domina Angelorum:

Salve, radix, salve, porta

Ex qua mundo lux est orta:

Gaude, Virgo gloriosa,

Super omnes speciosa,

Vale, o valde decora,

Et pro nobis Christum exora.

Hail, O Queen of Heaven.

Hail, O Lady of Angels

Hail! thou root, hail! thou gate

From whom unto the world a light has arisen:

Rejoice, O glorious Virgin,

Lovely beyond all others,

Farewell, most beautiful maiden,

And pray for us to Christ.

Propers of the Year: A series of episodes in which we provide instruction and practice for more advanced chanters who are interested in preparing the Gregorian propers for each Sunday of the liturgical year.

In this episode, Thomas teaches you the chants for the 1st Sunday of Lent.

Links to PDF's for each chant (courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed):

Introit: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/11/03/03/14-43-47_0.pdf

Gradual: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/11/03/03/21-42-27_0.pdf

Offertory: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/11/03/04/00-08-46_0.pdf

Communion: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/11/03/04/00-28-38_0.pdf

https://tinyurl.com/ASolisOrtus

A poem written more than 1500 years ago, this is one of the oldest known Catholic hymns. It recounts the story of Jesus from his Birth through his Ascension. Each of the 23 verses begins with the next letter of the Roman alphabet. This kind of poem is called an abecedarius, and it’s a type of acrostic. The earliest known abecedaria are from the Bible, and if you attend Tenebrae during Holy Week you’ll hear the Lamentations of Jeremiah, in which each letter of the alphabet is actually sung before the corresponding line, just to highlight this fact, which is pretty cool.

The first 7 verses are used as a hymn for Lauds during Christmas season, and another 4 verses (Hostes Herodies Impie) are sung at Epiphany.

The whole poem is too long to fit into this description, so here's a link to the lyrics --

https://tinyurl.com/ASolisOrtusText

https://tinyurl.com/TotaPulchra

Although this hymn to Mary does date back to the 4th century (shortly after the life of St. Valentine) it has never been a Valentine's Day Poem...until today. In this Valentine's Day episode, we learn this extremely simple, very ancient ode to Mary -- completely beautiful, unstained by original sin, the joy of Israel, glory of Jerusalem, our advocate and our Mother.

Tota pulchra es, Maria. Et macula originalis non est in Te. Tu gloria Ierusalem. Tu laetitia Israel. Tu honorificentia populi nostri. Tu advocata peccatorum. O Maria, O Maria. Virgo prudentissima. Mater clementissima. Ora pro nobis. Intercede pro nobis. Ad Dominum Iesum Christum.

You are all beautiful, Mary, and the original stain is not in you. You are the glory of Jerusalem, you are the joy of Israel, you give honour to our people. You are an advocate of sinners. O Mary, Virgin most prudent, Mother most merciful. Pray for us, Plead for us, To the Lord Jesus Christ.

https://tinyurl.com/orbisfactor

Welcome to our new series: Ordinary Chanting. In this series, we will learn all of the common chant Mass settings of the Ordinary of the Mass: the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, as well as some Credo's and Ite Missa Est's.

We begin with Mass XI, Orbis Factor, because it is commonly used throughout the year, and is not intended for any particular feast or season.

https://tinyurl.com/avereginacaelorum

A new liturgical season, a new Marian antiphon! This antiphon dates back to around the year 1200, possibly earlier if, as it has been suggested, it was composed by our old friend Herman the Cripple: the author of Salve Regina and Alma Redemptoris mater, two of the other Marian antiphons (also of Veni Sancte Spiritus…the dude was prolific).

Herman was born a cripple and with a cleft palate and a paralytic disease so that he had great difficulty moving and could barely speak. His parents left him in a Benedictine monastery as they couldn’t take care of him, and he eventually joined the order at the age of 20. He didn’t actually write hymns until much later in his life. First he wrote on history, mathematics, astronomy, and music theory. Finally, when he lost his sight soon before his death, he turned his hand to hymns, and didn’t do too shabbily.

Ave, Regina caelorum,

Ave, Domina Angelorum:

Salve, radix, salve, porta

Ex qua mundo lux est orta:

Gaude, Virgo gloriosa,

Super omnes speciosa,

Vale, o valde decora,

Et pro nobis Christum exora.

Hail, O Queen of Heaven.

Hail, O Lady of Angels

Hail! thou root, hail! thou gate

From whom unto the world a light has arisen:

Rejoice, O glorious Virgin,

Lovely beyond all others,

Farewell, most beautiful maiden,

And pray for us to Christ.

https://tinyurl.com/lumenad

Happy Feast of the Presentation of Jesus, Candlemas, Purification/Churching of Mary! In this bonus episode, you'll learn a simple version of the Canticle of Simeon that is traditionally sung during the Mass for the feast, but can also be sung at night prayer throughout the year.

And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And inspired by the Spirit[b] he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel.”

(Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace:Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuumQuod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum:Lumen ad revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.)

And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,

“Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.”

https://tinyurl.com/oluxbeata

This short hymn is attributed to St. Ambrose in the 4th Century. St. Ambrose, a Roman Governor suddenly elected Bishop, is one of the Doctors of the Church. He is perhaps best known for helping to convert and baptize St. Augustine.

St. Ambrose has been called “The Father of Church Hymnody,” and the hymns of St. Ambrose are some of the oldest, if not the oldest complete Latin Hymns we have today. There are only four hymns which are universally accepted as being from Ambrose’s pen, as they are ascribed to him by his contemporary and friend, St. Augustine. But this beautiful little gem is generally attributed to him as well.

Shout-out to Sarah for requesting this hymn!

O LUX beata Trinitas,

et principalis Unitas,

iam sol recedit igneus,

infunde lumen cordibus.

Te mane laudum carmine,

te deprecemur vespere:

te nostra supplex gloria

per cuncta laudet saecula.

Deo Patri sit gloria,

eiusque soli Filio,

cum Spiritu Paraclito,

et nunc, et in perpetuum.

O TRINITY of blessed Light,

O Unity of sovereign might,

as now the fiery sun departs,

shed Thou Thy beams within our hearts.

To Thee our morning song of praise,

to Thee our evening prayer we raise;

Thee may our glory evermore

in lowly reverence adore.

All laud to God the Father be;

all praise, Eternal Son, to Thee;

all glory, as is ever meet,

to God the Holy Paraclete.

https://tinyurl.com/verbumsupernumprodiens

St. Thomas Aquinas was a theologian, a philosopher, and one of the greatest intellects of all time. He is known as the Angelic Doctor of the Church. But did you know he is also regarded as one of the greatest Catholic poets of all time? And he only wrote 5 poems – 38 stanzas of poetry.

In 1264, Pope Urban IV established the Solemnity of The Body of Christ, and asked St. Thomas Aquinas to write the texts for the Mass and the Divine Office for this new feast. Although St. Thomas was known for his scholarly – not poetical – work, he produced five of the best, known, best loved hymns in history:

1. Adoro Te Devote

2. Sacris Solemniis (Known for the final two verses: “Panis angelicus…”)

3. Verbum Supernum Prodiens (Known for the final two verses: “O salutaris hostia…”)

4. Pange Lingua (Known for the final two verses: “Tantum ergo…”)

5. Lauda Sion (Known for its final verses: “Ecce panis angelorum…”)

This hymn, Verbum Supernum Prodiens provides the hymn traditionally sung at the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: “O Salutaris Hostia.” The setting, if you will, of this hymn is the Last Supper. Christ had reached the “eventide” of his life, the culmination of his ministry before his Passion was to institute the Eucharist for his disciples, and then his church. Before he was given over to evil men, he gave himself to his disciples. As we mentioned, this hymn was produced as part of the divine office for the new feast of Corpus Christi, but it would serve very well to be sung during Holy Week around Holy Thursday.

The heavenly Word proceeding forth,

Yet leaving not his Father's side,

And going to His work on Earth,

Has reached at length life's eventide.

By false disciple to be given

To foemen for His blood athirst,

Himself, the living bread from heaven,

He gave to his disciples first.

In twofold form of sacrament,

He gave His flesh, He gave His blood,

That man, of soul and body blent,

Might wholly feed on mystic food.

In birth man's fellow-man was He,

His meat while sitting at the board;

He died, our ransomer to be,

He reigns to be our great reward.

O SAVING VICTIM, opening wide

The gate of heaven to man below;

Our foes press hard on every side,

Thine aid supply, Thy strength bestow.

All praise and thanks to thee ascend

For evermore, blessed One in Three;

O grant us life that shall not end,

In our true native land with Thee.

1. Verbum supernum prodiens,

Nec Patris linquens dexteram,

Ad opus suum exiens,

Venit ad vitæ vesperam.

2. In mortem a discipulo

Suis tradendus æmulis,

Prius in vitæ ferculo

Se tradidit discipulis.

3. Quibus sub bina specie

Carnem dedit et sanguinem;

Ut duplicis substantiæ

Totum cibaret hominem.

4. Se nascens dedit socium,

Convescens in edulium,

Se moriens in pretium,

Se regnans dat in præmium.

5. O SALUTARIS HOSTIA,

Quæ cæli pandis ostium,

Bella premunt hostilia;

Da robur, fer auxilium.

6. Uni trinoque Domino

Sit sempiterna gloria:

Qui vitam sine termino

Nobis donet in patria.