Review: A Gregorian Chant Handbook

Blogspot: Dad29 ^ | 9/4/05 | Dad29

[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)

[ninenot]

Good to know that there's a source. We used Xerox machines, but didn't have more than (about) 20 pieces from the St. Greg in common use.

[AnAmericanMother]

Neumann Press is sort of a shoestring operation.

They had a higher demand than they anticipated, they said, so we had to wait for our forty copies.

But we did get a quantity discount!

[Siobhan]

I am in awe of Lancelot Andrewes,Jeremy Taylor.

And this General Thanksgiving (now attributed to Edward Reynolds) may be one of the most beautiful in Christendom:

Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we thine unworthy servants
do give thee most humble and hearty thanks
for all thy goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all men.
We bless thee for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for thine inestimable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we beseech thee,
give us that due sense of all thy mercies,
that our hearts may be unfaignedly thankful;
and that we show forth thy praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up our selves to thy service,
and by walking before thee
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with thee and the Holy Spirit,
be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen.

The good news is that it is now an approved prayer of the Roman Catholic Church through The Book of Divine Worship.

[AnAmericanMother]

The good old General Thanksgiving out of Morning Prayer in the '28 book, followed by the Prayer of St. Chrysostom:

ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests;
Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.

[Jim Noble]

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood

What else is there to say?

[Siobhan]

WYD and papal events always remind me of this too.

[AnAmericanMother]

Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer's praise!
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!

My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’Tis life, and health, and peace.

He speaks, and, listening to His voice,
New life the dead receive,
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
The humble poor believe.

Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Savior come,
And leap, ye lame, for joy.

Glory to God, and praise and love
Be ever, ever given,
By saints below and saints above,
The church in earth and heaven.

- another Methodist hymn, this time by Charles Wesley.

[ELS]

A Gregorian Chant Master Class (although the title says "Master Class," it is actually an introduction. It includes a CD with sung examples of the topics discussed in the book.)

A couple of excerpts from the biographical sketch of Dr. Marier (if you click on the book cover above, there is a link to this bio):

"Through his decades-long study and collaboration with the monks of the Abbey of St. Pierre de Solesmes, France, and his own prodigious scholarship, Dr. Marier grew to be one of the most respected figures of the American liturgical movement of the 1940's and 50's, and over the course of the next fifty years came to be regarded as one of the world's experts in the field of chant studies and practice."

"From his experience of directing and instructing scores of chant choirs in both Europe and America, as well as his work with Mrs. Justine Ward in teaching chant to children, he developed an effective approach to the teaching of Gregorian chant which has not been surpassed."

[Siobhan]

EXCELLENT, dear ELS! If I remember correctly part of the fruit of Dr. Marier's work can be heard in the Nuns of the Abbey of Regina Laudis. Also, this brings to mind our need to pray for Mother Delores Hart who is suffering even as she continues to serve her glorious Lord. (Painful burning neuropathy in her feet...)

[Siobhan]

Actually that is an Anglican hymn by Charles Wesley the Anglican....

[AnAmericanMother]

True - Charles and John (or "the Chuck and Jack Show" as my father in law (a PK - Preacher's Kid) used to call them) never wanted to leave the Episcopal Church. They were trying to reform it.

. . . I too never wanted to leave the Episcopal Church, but they left me high and dry, and the Catholics very kindly took me in . . .

[Siobhan]

And we are so blessed to have you and all the good Episcopalians who have entered in -- even in spite of some of what they find in their local Catholic parishes.

[AnAmericanMother]

Well, WE're all right, as you know . . . we've got an ironclad old-fashioned Irish monsignor in charge, and a choirmaster who is Palestrina's soul-mate. Plus our new man aboard is a young black man who is built like a fullback and preaches like an angel . . . < g >

[Siobhan]

There is no doubt that "God loves you" with the pastoral and liturgical leadership you have in your parish. A light to enlighten the Gentiles!

[Siobhan]

Yes! You are the person from Cantica Nova, aren't you. You need to be on this thread!

[ELS]

Abbey of Regina Laudis

Yes! The link I provided above is to the Web site created for the Abbey. I have both CD's the nuns and Dr. Marier created. They are wonderful.

A year or two ago, I went up to the abbey to listen to them chant Vespers. Their voices are angelic.

[ninenot]

Ted was also one of the few Knights-Commander of St. Gregory in the USA. Roger Wagner was another, Paul Salamunovich IS one--maybe the last one living here.

[Tadhg Séamus]

Because I am an oncoming train of Irish outrage, I go straight to priests with hymns like that and demand they never be used again because they are violations of Catholic magisterial teaching and they do violence to the Christian musical patrimony of America.

Siobhan, I need you on my team. Could you come to my parish, please?

[Siobhan]

Thanks a thousand million! My prayers from afar are with your team.

[Aristotle721]

I'm not the person from Cantica Nova - I don't think he has an account here. A good resource, though.

I propose we transcend the hymn-based argument in favor of psalmody, which not only is the most preferred by the Church*, but also brings us closer to the Jewish synagogue service upon which all Christian liturgies derive, more or less.

I'm an unrepentant proponent for the High Mass, by the way. You know, the Mass that was rarely sung before Vatican II, therefore rarely loved (although ardently so by a few) and rarely missed (as a lot of todays liturgies are basically Low Mass with hymns - not that there's anything fundamentally wrong with that, with the Eucharist being confected and all - but the High Mass is supposed to be normative on a Sunday. And the High Mass calls for psalmody rather than hymnody.

* Prooftexting? You got it.

• A Musical Journey through the General Instruction of the Roman Missal - US adaptations
  • Introit/Entrance Chant
  • Offertory/Preparation
  • Communion
  • GIRM Orthopraxis - different styles, closer compliance
  • GIRM Orthopraxis: Using Gregorian chant and vernacular homophony together - an illustration of its richness
• Pastoral reasons why antiphons take precedence over hymns
• Why not following explicit Vatican II musical directives can be expensive for a parish
• De Musica Sacra (1958) and the call for psalmody at Mass