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 Holy Thursday

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

Introit: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/15/04/02/12-54-42_0.pdf

Gradual: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/17/04/12/17-19-13_0.pdf

Offertory: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/13/02/09/18-47-32_0.pdf

Communion: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/16/06/21/18-08-35_0.pdf

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 Palm Sunday.

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

Introit: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/15/03/29/03-24-08_0.pdf

Gradual: https://gregobase.selapa.net/chant.php?id=4872

Offertory: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/13/02/09/18-46-33_0.pdf

Communion: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/15/03/29/13-56-41_0.pdf

Musical Score: https://media.musicasacra.com/pdf/exsultet.pdf

In this marathon episode, Thomas teaches you to chant the Exsultet, the proclamation sung at the most exciting, wonderful, marvelous moment in the Liturgical Year -- the beginning of the Easter Vigil. This episode is intended for all those who have the privilege of preparing to sing this chant at the Easter Vigil.

Please be sure to keep the translation with you as you learn this one!

English:

Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven, exult, let Angel ministers of God exult, let the trumpet of salvation sound aloud our mighty King's triumph!

Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her, ablaze with light from her eternal King, let all corners of the earth be glad, knowing an end to gloom and darkness.

Rejoice, let Mother Church also rejoice, arrayed with the lightning of his glory, let this holy building shake with joy, filled with the mighty voices of the peoples.

....

Full Text: https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year-and-calendar/easter/easter-proclamation-exsultet

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 5th Sunday of Lent.

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

Introit: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/pdfs/8825-introit-judica-me-deus-et-discerne-causam-meam/download/

Gradual: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/pdfs/8823-graduale-eripe-me/download/

Offertory: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/pdfs/8821-offertory-confitebor-tibi-domine-toto-corde/download/

Communion: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/21/03/21/00-36-36_0.pdf

Link to the Music: https://tinyurl.com/stabatsolemn

In this episode, Giorgio and Joe sing a less well known, more difficult version of the Stabat Mater, in which there is a new melody every two verses.

Considered by many to be one of the greatest Latin hymns ever written, the Stabat Mater Dolorosa tells the story of the sorrows of Mary during her Son’s passion, and puts the singer in the position of begging to accompany her in those sorrows. Written in the 13th century, likely either by Pope Innocent the III or by a Fransiscan Friar: Jacopo da Todi.

He’s an interesting fellow, who was a very wealthy and successful lawyer, got a reputation for being worldly and greedy, married a pious woman who dedicated her life to penance and prayer for her wicked husband. When she died, Jacopo discovered that she had been wearing a hair-shirt at the time of her death, and he realized it was for his sake. He gave up all his earthly possesions, and joined the Fransiscans and was one of the more…Fransiscan of them…doing all kinds of weird things like crawling around the piazza wearing a saddle, and showing up to his brothers wedding tarred and feathered.

The Stabat Mater is actually one of a pair of hymns that he wrote to the Blessed Mother. The other was almost lost to history, but was rediscovered in the 18th century: Stabat Mater Speciosa – which sings of the birth of Jesus in the same style that the Dolorosa sings of His Passion: from the perspective of Mary, and begging to be admitted to her great joy just as in the Dolorosa we beg to be joined to her great sorrow.

At the Cross her station keeping, Stood the mournful Mother weeping, Close to Jesus to the last:

Through her heart, his sorrow sharing, All his bitter anguish bearing, now at length the sword has pass'd.

Oh, how sad and sore distress'd Was that Mother highly blest Of the sole-begotten One!

Christ above in torment hangs; She beneath beholds the pangs Of her dying glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep, Whelm'd in miseries so deep, Christ's dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain From partaking in her pain, In that Mother's pain untold?

Bruis'd, derided, curs'd, defil'd, She beheld her tender Child All with bloody scourges rent;

For the sins of his own nation, Saw Him hang in desolation, Till His Spirit forth He sent

. O thou Mother! fount of love! Touch my spirit from above, Make my heart with thine accord:

Make me feel as thou hast felt; Make my soul to glow and melt With the love of Christ my Lord.

Holy Mother! pierce me through; In my heart each wound renew Of my Saviour crucified:

Let me share with thee His pain, Who for all my sins was slain, Who for me in torments died.

Let me mingle tears with thee, Mourning Him who mourn'd for me, All the days that I may live:

By the Cross with thee to stay; There with thee to weep and pray; Is all I ask of thee to give.

Virgin of all virgins blest!, Listen to my fond request: Let me share thy grief divine;

Let me, to my latest breath, In my body bear the death Of that dying Son of thine.

Wounded with his every wound, Steep my soul till it hath swoon'd, In His very blood away;

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, Lest in flames I burn and die, In his awful Judgment day.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, Be Thy Mother my defence, Be Thy Cross my victory;

While my body here decays, May my soul thy goodness praise, Safe in Paradise with Thee.

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 4th Sunday of Lent.

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

Introit: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/pdfs/9999-pdf-fourth-4th-sunday-lent-year/download/

Gradual: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/pdfs/9996-fourth-4th-sunday-lent-year-new-translation/download/

Offertory: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/pdfs/9987-fourth-4th-sunday-lent/download/

Communion: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/pdfs/8833-jerusalem-quae-aedificatur-ut-civitas/download/

https://tinyurl.com/agniparthenedhespina

In honor of the Solemnity of the Annunciation, Giorgio, Thomas, and Joe teach you the hymn Agni Parthene, a marvelous hymn from the Orthodox tradition to Mary the Theotokos, or God-bearer.

O Virgin pure, immaculate, O Lady Theotokos, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! O fleece bedewed with every grace, O Virgin Queen and Mother, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! More radiant than the rays of sun, and higher than the heavens, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! O joy of virgin es, superior to angels, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! O brighter than the firmament, and purer than the sun's light, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! More holy than the multitude of all the heavenly armies, O rejoice, Bride unwedded!

O Ever-Virgin Mary, of all the world the Lady, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! O Bride all-pure, immaculate, O Lady Panagia, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! O Mary Bride and Queen of all, the cause of our rejoicing, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! O noble maiden, gracious Queen, supremely holy Mother, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! More honored than the Cherubim, beyond compare more glorious, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! Than the unbodied Seraphim, transcending the angelic Thrones, O rejoice, Bride unwedded!

Rejoice, the song of Cherubim, rejoice, the hymn of Angels, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! Rejoice, the ode of Seraphim, the joy of the Archangels, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! Rejoice, O peace and happiness, and haven of salvation, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! O sacred chamber of the Word, the flower of incorruption, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! Rejoice, delightful paradise of blessed life eternal, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! Rejoice, O sacred Queen of life, and fount of immortality, O rejoice, Bride unwedded!

I supplicate you, Lady, now, I fervently entreat you, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! O Queen of all, I earnestly implore and seek your favor, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! O gracious maiden, spotless one, O Lady Panagia, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! I call upon you ardently, O holy, hallowed temple, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! O help me and deliver me, protect me from the enemy, O rejoice, Bride unwedded! And make me an inheritor of blessed life eternal. O rejoice, Bride unwedded!

Music: https://tinyurl.com/massxvii

In this episode, Giorgio and Joe teach Mass XVII, traditionally used on Sunday during Advent and Lent.

Link to the music: https://tinyurl.com/stabatmaterdolorosa

Considered by many to be one of the greatest Latin hymns ever written, the Stabat Mater Dolorosa tells the story of the sorrows of Mary during her Son’s passion, and puts the singer in the position of begging to accompany her in those sorrows. Written in the 13th century, likely either by Pope Innocent the III or by a Fransiscan Friar: Jacopo da Todi.

He’s an interesting fellow, who was a very wealthy and successful lawyer, got a reputation for being worldly and greedy, married a pious woman who dedicated her life to penance and prayer for her wicked husband. When she died, Jacopo discovered that she had been wearing a hair-shirt at the time of her death, and he realized it was for his sake. He gave up all his earthly possesions, and joined the Fransiscans and was one of the more…Fransiscan of them…doing all kinds of weird things like crawling around the piazza wearing a saddle, and showing up to his brothers wedding tarred and feathered.

The Stabat Mater is actually one of a pair of hymns that he wrote to the Blessed Mother. The other was almost lost to history, but was rediscovered in the 18th century: Stabat Mater Speciosa – which sings of the birth of Jesus in the same style that the Dolorosa sings of His Passion: from the perspective of Mary, and begging to be admitted to her great joy just as in the Dolorosa we beg to be joined to her great sorrow.

At the Cross her station keeping, Stood the mournful Mother weeping, Close to Jesus to the last:

Through her heart, his sorrow sharing, All his bitter anguish bearing, now at length the sword has pass'd.

Oh, how sad and sore distress'd Was that Mother highly blest Of the sole-begotten One!

Christ above in torment hangs; She beneath beholds the pangs Of her dying glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep, Whelm'd in miseries so deep, Christ's dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain From partaking in her pain, In that Mother's pain untold?

Bruis'd, derided, curs'd, defil'd, She beheld her tender Child All with bloody scourges rent;

For the sins of his own nation, Saw Him hang in desolation, Till His Spirit forth He sent

. O thou Mother! fount of love! Touch my spirit from above, Make my heart with thine accord:

Make me feel as thou hast felt; Make my soul to glow and melt With the love of Christ my Lord.

Holy Mother! pierce me through; In my heart each wound renew Of my Saviour crucified:

Let me share with thee His pain, Who for all my sins was slain, Who for me in torments died.

Let me mingle tears with thee, Mourning Him who mourn'd for me, All the days that I may live:

By the Cross with thee to stay; There with thee to weep and pray; Is all I ask of thee to give.

Virgin of all virgins blest!, Listen to my fond request: Let me share thy grief divine;

Let me, to my latest breath, In my body bear the death Of that dying Son of thine.

Wounded with his every wound, Steep my soul till it hath swoon'd, In His very blood away;

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, Lest in flames I burn and die, In his awful Judgment day.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, Be Thy Mother my defence, Be Thy Cross my victory;

While my body here decays, May my soul thy goodness praise, Safe in Paradise with Thee.

Link to the music: https://tinyurl.com/tejoseph

There are not many ancient hymns to St. Joseph in the West.

This hymn is probably about 400 years old, and is sung at Vespers on the Feast of St. Joseph, March 19th. There has been a reinvigoration of devotion to St. Joseph in recent years, helped of course by the Year of St. Joseph which just ended. March 19th has been celebrated as the feast of St. Joseph for over 1000 years (although only universally in the Roman Rite since the 1500’s).

1. Let the hosts of heaven celebrate you, Joseph, Let all the choirs of Christendom resound you who, famous for your merits, was joined to the glorious Virgin in chaste wedlock.

2. When your betrothed became great with precious seed, amazement and doubt made you anxious. It is by the breath of the divine Spirit, an Angel tells you, that the son has been conceived.

3. You did embrace the new-born Lord, and to the furthest Egypt coasts you followed Him in exile, Lost in Jerusalem, you sought and found Him, mixing joy with tears.

4. After death most are blest by a loving destiny and, when they have won the palm, they are welcomed into glory. But you, while you lived, like the saints above, were with God, blest more than others by this wondrous lot.

5. Spare us, highest Trinity, as we pray, Grant that through Joseph's merits we may rise to heaven, So that at last we may offer perpetually our grateful songs.

Te, Joseph, celebrent agmina caelitum Te cuncti resonent christiadum chori Qui clarus meritis junctus et inclytae Casto foedere Virgini.

2. Almo cum tumidam germine conjugem admirans dubio tangeris anxius, afflatu superi flaminis angelus conceptum puerum docet.

3. Tu natum Dominum stringis ad dexteras, Aegipti profugum tu sequeris plagas: amissum Solymis qaeris et invenis, miscens gaudia fletibus.

4. Post mortem reliquos sors pia consecrat, Palmanque emeritos gloria suscipit: Tu vivens, superis par, frueris Deo Mira sorte beatior.

5. Nobis Summa Trias parce precantibus: da Joseph meritis sidera scandere, ut tandem liceat nos tibi perpetim, gratum promere canticum.