Posted on 09/04/2005 7:32:18 AM PDT by ninenot
For about $20.00, (shipping included,) I purchased Bill Tortolano's little book on Gregorian Chant. The publisher, GIA, suggested that it contained "everything you need to know" about the topic, in the utilitarian sense--that is, one could, after reading the book and with some preparation, actually sing and/or train and conduct singers in the use of Chant.
That's true. It's an easy, short read, and contains all the technical gobbledygook one needs; for that purpose, it's worth the money. Tortolano also includes a number of common Chants for the Mass, a few hymns, a Latin pronunciation guide, the Psalm-tones, etc.--enough to get you started.
He also provides some historical information about the history of various elements of the Chant--the Introit, Kyrie, Gloria, Gradual, etc., etc., which is interesting--but which does not necessarily comport with what others have said on the topic. For example, he states that the Introit was introduced around 422-432. Well, maybe. Other sources state that the Entrance procession was accompanied by a sung Psalm before those dates. It's entirely possible that the Introit, as known today, was emplaced in the early 420's--but he does not mention the "earlier version."
Tortolano does indicate that 'some' Chant is word-painting, and uses the Communio of Holy Thursday (Pater, si non potest) as an example--it is an excellent choice. However, he short-shrifts the concept. Even though he uses the Puer Natus Introit of Christmas Eve as an example of 'easy' Chant (true,) he does not mention that the piece clearly depicts a 'lullaby' rhythmic and melodic concept. While he points out that the Communio of Christmas Eve, In Splendoribus, word-paints the cooing of the doves, he does not mention the open-fourth trumpet calls of the Communio of Pentecost, Factus Est Repente.
Tortolano also off-handedly dismisses the Dies Irae as a 'Chant no longer used.' He's right, of course--but what he does NOT mention is that it is perfectly licit TO use the Dies Irae.
Perhaps most controversial is Tortolano's endorsement of English translations using Chant melodies. It's true that there have been a few serendipitous Anglicizations; but the "Anglicize" project has been the cause of many bloody fights (Schuler v. Schmitt--a spectacular 10-rounder, e.g.) It's dangerous territory, not in the least because English and Latin are very different languages--but also because inevitably, accurate translations which fit the melodic arsis/thesis of Chant are rare.
All-in-all, the book is worth the money for purchase. It's better for its purposes than the ultra-compact technical breakdown fashioned by Paul Salamunovich, an eminent practitioner. (Paul's work fits into two 8 1/2 X 11 pages.) If you take all Tortolano's obiter dicta as Gospel, however, you'll miss a great deal.
Tortolano also appends a long list of additional resources. It is an outstanding list, although there are many highly-educated Church musicians and musicologists who question some elements of the Dom Cardine theories; a couple of Cardine works are cited.
One could buy this and give it to the Parish choir-director as a hint; assuming that they have some intellectual curiosity and an interest in history before 1965, you could have a parish which "cum Angelis canere" glorifies God and sanctifies and edifies the Faithful.
(GIA: G-6471, 7404 S Mason, Chicago, 60638 ISBN 1-57999-539-X, www.giamusic.com)
Of interest to some.
They don't make music like that anymore. Properly sung by people of faith, those chants can shake the walls.
I'm going to an RC church every week now with my Catholic wife and our 4 kids (it's a long story).
Anyway, they just built a new church, and, for the first time have hymnals, real ones. I'm a hymn-singing Congregationalist, by birth, and an Episcopal church refugee of late.
Anyway, the entry hymn today was called "Sing a New Church".
Now, the lyrics were horrible (what's wrong with the old church?), but the worst part is that the music is the music to "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing", one of my all-time top ten hymns.
"Prone to wander/Lord I Feel It/Prone to Leave the God I Love/Here's My Heart, Lord, Take and Seal It/Seal It for Thy Courts Above"
Who decides to erase the beautiful words and replace them with a slam against their own Church?
If you want to have new hymns, get your own music!
Seriously, who decides what goes in a Catholic hymnal?
MY soul doth magnify the Lord, * and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded * the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth * all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me; * and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him * throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with his arm; * he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, * and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; * and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel; * as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son * and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be *
World without end, Amen.
This one sings very nicely with the chant straight out of the Liber. I've even sung it once, just for fun.
I know that hymn and hate it. We sing the words that belong to "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing". The folks who print the missalette seem to have the urge to change a word or two here and there, but it's mostly the same. But we have a very orthodox/old fashioned parish. Our choirmaster uses the St. Gregory Hymnal . . . and you don't get more old fashioned than that.
Prowling around in even a modern hymnal, though, should yield up some old standards. Find out who's choosing the music and beg them for some older hymns. (Some folks in our parish - usually the old retired hippies - like the yucky modern stuff, and our choirmaster DOES oblige them periodically. He rolls his eyes, but they can't see that from downstairs . . . )
If you're going to use English translation, try going with an English liturgy that has been under development for 500 years, rather than one that had a first draft in 1965?
Although it was the scholarship and tremendous grasp of English as a spoken language among the English divines of the 16th and 17th centuries that pretty much developed that liturgy whole.
I'm pretty much in awe of Cranmer, his assistants, and the committee that produced the Authorized Version (probably the only decent thing every produced by a committee.)
There are only 2 Catholic Hymnals worth having in the pews in the United States. The best is the St. Michael Hymnal published by St. Boniface Parish I think. The second best (with some real deficiencies) is the Adoremus Hymnal. Everything else should be scrapped including G.I.A.'s RitualScreed.
All IMHO.
Now the Anglican Use Roman Catholics in the US use a couple of sources but their base is the grand 1940 Hymnal of the Episcopal Church which was produced under the watchful eye of that great Anglo-Catholic the Rev. Canon Charles Winifred Douglas. I learned to play the organ by playing through that Hymnal and hold it in highest regard.
The one in our church is published by Oregon Catholic Press, but there is no intro to explain who put it together, or how.
But all that aside, hang in there Jim. Every suffering no matter how small offered up to God can become something glorious in his hands. Ask for the prayers of St. Cecelia and St. Gregory the Great for the music in your wife's parish. Those two saints' intercessions are great helps.
I can't believe I typed "hims" instead of "hymns"....
Living in Oregon I claim no attachment to OCP.
But I do think that they need to know that we want more orthodox hymmns, less Hass, Hurd, Schuette, etc. and more Gregorian chant.
The will never know unless we let them know!!!!!
Here is the link to the "Contact Us" page (email and 800#:
Let'em have it!
http://www.ocp.org/en/about/contact.php
The will never know unless we let them know!!!!!
They will never know unless we let them know!!!!!
Well done, love. Well done!
I have already contacted them about the ugly art on the front of the missalettes and songbooks. There is so much beautiful Catholic art that they could publish a really wonderful cover! (That would be a start!)
This is an excellent hymnal. Has an English and a Latin section . . . the English section is perhaps a bit heavy on the old treacley hymns, but then the Episcopal 1940 hymnal has a bunch of those too, just the hokey Protestant ones instead of the hokey Catholic ones. The Latin section is above reproach . . . just about all the liturgically appropriate chants and polyphony a choir would need for any service you can think of. Plus a complete choral Mass.
It's not true that all bad Catholic music comes from Oregon Catholic Press, but most of it does.
See if you can find a parish that uses Leaflet Missal, or better yet the St. Michael or Collegeville hymnals. We took my wife's Presbyterian aunt to a parish near that uses Collegeville, and she said afterwards, "I loved the hymns ... knew them all."
Forgot: Adoremus Hymnal is good also.
Also, the 2 editions of the St. Basil's Hymnal contained marvellous music which I would use from time to time. The St. Pius X Hymnal (Having nothing to do with the SSPX) had many great settings. The setting in the St. Pius X Hymnal of "Hail, Holy Joseph, Hail" is the best festal and congregational setting one could find.
I did forget one contemporary hymnal of note -- by the nuns in Summit, New Jersey. I recall it being entitled "The Summit Hymnal" Before my latest sojourn I left that with my daughter-in-law.
Isn't there someone on FreeRepublic from CanticaNova? Theirs is a great online resource (hope I recall that name correctly).
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