A Gregorian Chant Year

SKU: SU.27100010

Nine pieces of varying length based on Gregorian Chants, one for each season of the church year (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent etc.) Written chiefly as service music, several would also serve well as recital material, some meditative and some celebratory.Organ Composed: 2021 Published by: Alan MacMillan.

SKU: GI.G-1003

UPC: 709887078729.

Each CD in this two-volume set, with chants from the 10th to the 17th centuries, contains the best of the Monks of Solesmes—including the Te Deum, Stabat Mater, Ave Maria, chants for the liturgical year from Advent to Pentecost, hymns from the service of compline, chants de- voted to Our Lady and the Blessed Sacrament, as well as the Mass of the Angels. Each piece is taken from the Liber Cantualis and the corresponding reference number in the Cantualis is provided for each track, as well as the respective place in the service and/or litur- gical calendar.

SKU: GI.G-CD-459

In recent years chant has enjoyed a resurgence of interest and popularity. More Sublime Chant is an extension of the highly successful Sublime Chant, delving further into the glorious sounds of our past and once again featuring the voices of The Cathedral Singers under the direction of Richard Proulx. This beautiful recording includes Gregorian, Ambrosian, Mozarabic, and Sarum chants, many being recorded for the very first time! Chants for Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter are included, as are two mass settings. More Sublime Chant also features the complete Office of Compline, sung in English. The chants are realized in proportional, modal, and equalist rhythms, employing organum, drones, tone clusters, and ornamentation. The use of recorders, handbells, and small percussion, combined with the enchanting voices of The Cathedral Singers and the warm acoustics of Chicago's Columbus Hospital Chapel, make this recording yet another must-have for any music lover!  .

SKU: HL.49018386

ISBN 9790001153508. UPC: 841886011977. 7.5x10.75x0.096 inches. Latin.

Herrmann Schroeder (1904-1984), one of the most important church music composers of the 20th century, wrote this Latin mass in 1961, i.e. at the beginning of the Second Vatican Council. The Council marked a turning point in the field of church music: Masses in the respective native languages gained more and more acceptance, Gregorian chant faded into the background, stylistic features of popular music were also taken up in church music. Today, about 50 years after the beginning of the Council, one can see a return to Gregorian chant and polyphonic vocal music, and this is why even works such as Schroeder's Latin Missa melismatica arouse great interest again. The work takes the free intonation of the Gregorian chant as a starting-point and is enriched with wide-spun melodic arcs in elaborate polyphony, according to Schroeder's opinion that Gregorian chant and polyphony are particularly suitable for giving expression to the mysticism and irrationality of religious faith in the liturgy. A demanding work for good choirs, duration ca. 16 minutes.

SKU: PR.466411770

UPC: 680160640850. 9 x 12 inches.

Mississippi I. Father of Waters: born of the Highlands and the Lakes; the Glaciers, the Mountains, and the Prairies. The picture of your birth is clounded in the ice and mists of ancient ages but your spirit remains our life stream. II. The Red Man knew your bountiful gifts and gave thanks to the Great Spirit on your banks. -- The Spanish and French Fathers brought the glory of Christianity to America on Mississippi. But all men, white and dark; -- Indian, Spaniard, and Negro; Bourbon and Yankee, combined to make Mississippi the heart of America. Saga of the Mississippi Harl McDonald Born near Boulder, Colorado, July 27, 1899 Now living in Philadelphia The original suggestion for a symphonic work on the subject of the Mississippi came indirectly from the late Booth Tarkington who saw in it color and movement and atmosphere translatable into the terms of music. In the course of time, by the mysterious processes of composers' chemistry, it took shape as a tone-poem of two sections, one representing the rise of the great stream from its primeval geologic sources, the other the human history of the river. Mr. McDonald devised the following verbal outline of the general scheme of his diptych: I. Father of Waters: born of the Highlands and the Lakes; the Glaciers, the Mountains, and the Prairies. The picture of your birth is clounded in the ice and mists of ancient ages but your spirit remains our life stream. II. The Red Man knew your bountiful gifts and gave thanks to the Great Spirit on your banks. -- The Spanish and French Fathers brought the glory of Christianity to America on Mississippi. But all men, white and dark; -- Indian, Spaniard, and Negro; Bourbon and Yankee, combined to make Mississippi the heart of America. The first of the two movements, beginning molto andante, is vaguel modal to hint at antiquity. It is built upon the conventional two themes, with an episode, poco piu mosso, misterioso, for prehistoric murk and muck. There are various changes of pace and mood. The second, Allegro ma vigorosamente, prefigures an Indian ceremony. A theme presented by flute, clarinet and bassoon is a Canadian Indian fishing call collected by the late J.B. Beck. A later passage of quasi-Gregorian chant identifies the French and Spanish priests who made the great river their highway. The fishing-call is altered in rhythm and harmony to represent Negro field hands and roustabous. A turbulent close brings all these elemts together in the muddy swirling currents of the Mississippi. The work was begun in the summer of 1945, and was revised and completed in the summer of 1947. Harl McDonald, who is the manager of The Philadelphia Orchestra, has concerned himself with music as an art, as a science and as a business in course of his career. He was born on a cattle ranch in the Rockies, but since his was a musical family, his up-bringing combined piano lessons with ranch life. Years of study and professional experience followed in Los Angeles and in Germany. In 1927 he was appointed lecuter in composition at the University of Pennsylvania and he has since then made is home in Philadelphia. In 1933 under a grant of the Rockefeller FOundation he collaborated with physicists in research dealing with the measurement of instrumental and vocal tone, new scale divisions and the resultant harmonies. In that same year he was named head of the University's music faculty and conductor of its choral organizations. In 1939, having been a member of the Board of Directors for five years, he was appointed manager of The Philadelphia Orchestra. He continus to write, but otherwise his entire attention is now devoted to managerial duties. Chief items in the catalogue of his compositions are four symphonies, three orchestra suites, a half-dozen tone-poems, three concertos and considerable quantity of choral music.

SKU: GI.G-1056

UPC: 785147005629.

I suppose as artists we are always searching for metaphors that speak directly to the musics we perform to guide us and inspire. The music on this CD pushes our boundaries of what could be considered normal music making and instead moves us into sound worlds that expand what a choral ensemble can produce. This recording, which documents an almost three-year exploration into improvisation in various forms, contains works for choral ensembles that create new sound worlds in and of themselves. We are happy to present to the world a young composer from our midst, Sam Scheibe. His virtuous setting of O magnum mysterium introduces a gifted and deeply insightful compositional voice. Sanctitude is an expansive improvisation combining choir, soprano saxophone, Gregorian chant, Arabic chant, and melodies into a sound world that I hope will document the frontier of a new world of choral performance. The techniques employed in this improvisation are documented in the new text Discovering Choral Improvisation through Chant (GIA, 2020). The CD opens with a three-movement work, The Dreams That Remain by Thomas LaVoy, yet another composer from the Williamson Voices family who has adapted the sound world of this ensemble into a work of beauty and honesty. All of the works on this CD create Auroras of their own that touch us deeply and cover our senses with streamers of light. I thank my friend, James Whitbourn, for conducting on three of the tracks and for crafting the Sanctitude improvisation. Hopefully the sounds on this CD will, as Makoto Fujimara says, bring you outside of yourself, and pull you to look at the [life's] horizon and to see beyond. — James Jordan  .

SKU: GI.G-005790

UPC: 641151057903. Latin, English.

With over six hundred songs ( Lieder.) to his name, Franz Schubert was one fo the most prolific and gifted composers of the genre who ever lived. His wonderful sense of beautiful melody pervades much of his music--symphonic, stage and opera, choral, chamber, and piano solos and duets. A devout Catholic and former Vienna Boys Choir singer, he composed six Latin settings of the Mass as well as settings of the Salve Regina, Tantum Ergo., and numerous other works. Schubert's Antiphons for Palm Sunday., Opus 113, are a set of four easy liturgical motets for a cappella .choir. A singable English translation is provided with the original Latin. The four Gregorian chant compositions for the same Sunday are also provided in Latin and English. Hosanna Filio David .is sung for the blessing of the palms. The responsory In Monte Oliveti .can be sung between the Epistle reading and the Gospel, followed by Pueri Hebraeorum .for the distribution of the palms and Cum Angelis. for the procession of the palms.--Dr. William Tortolano.

SKU: BT.YE0075

Four Double Basses. Eight well-known Christmas carols in a new guise. Score and parts.

The Programme of Christmas Carols was first performed in New Orleans in 1976. In its original version, the players were required to wear Dickensian costume and a seasonal narrative preceded each of the carol arrangements. The texts appear below.

Duration without text: c.20 minutes
Duration with text: c.45 minutes

Introduc tion by Robert Rohe

The introductory text, assembled with the kind assistance of Father Peacock of Loyola University of New Orleans, was designed for use where the receptivity of the audience warrants. So little is known about thebeloved Christmas carols, it is fitting that a brief sketch of the carols' past be used to enhance the familiar music.

If desired, the introductory text may be omitted at the discretion of the performers.

The brief text preceding each carol should be used to acquaint the audience with what to expect, from a quartet that will be playing the unexpected. The text also will pace the program and will extend performance time to around 45 minutes.

In performance, the bass viol quartet of New Orleans wore peaked caps, and turtle necked sweaters to simulate the street performers of Dickens' time. The choice of four string basses for this program was to bring the closest relatives of the true viol into play.

History and development of the Christmas Carol

The celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ has been observed for nearly 2,000 years, through the ritual of the Christian Church, with part of that ritual being devoted to celebration in song. In those early days, church music was sung only, no musical instruments taking part in the service.

The type of song used by the church had the name 'plain-song'. It was a single line of melody, plain and unadorned, sung by one or more voices. By the year 1660 A.D., it had developed a second name, 'The Gregorian Chant', after Pope Gregory, who encouraged the use.

SKU: LO.70-2456S

ISBN 9780787779153.

Feat uring eight organ pieces, these compositions draw upon hymn tunes rooted in Gregorian chant, the ancient song of the Christian church. Each piece preserves the established melody, often with words derived from the original chant, and spans the church year from Advent to Pentecost. Christopher J. Hoh's unique and creative style breathes fresh life into these timeless melodies.

SKU: HL.49045437

ISBN 9790001162715. UPC: 841886029088. 9.0x12.0x0.168 inches.

On the occasion of the quincentenary of Reformation Day in 2017, the composer Enjott Schneider thoroughly studied Martin Luther the individual and all his contradictions. The result is a brilliant, demanding organ symphony which is perfect for concerts on the subject of Reformation and Martin Luther.The composer describes the five movements of the symphony as follows:'1st movement:Wir glauben all an einen Gott with its quintuplet-like beginning is very Gregorian in style, outlining the range of Lutheran emotionalism between the Middle Ages and the modern era. The irrationality of faith ultimately has priority over any thought and evidence. At the beginning of the movement, sounds of knocking on wood remind of the nailing of the Ninety-Five Theses to the doors of churches in Wittenberg. The chorale melody sometimes hides with an almost rough medieval saltarello, referring to Luther's robustness and vitality with which he knew to carry away even common people.2nd movement:In 1530, the electoral prince of Saxony presented to Luther at Coburg Castle the golden signet ring with the Luther rose which became the symbol of his theology of grace. A white heart with black cross is fixed on a five-petalled rose. To him, white is the colour of angels and ghosts, black stands for the pain of crucification: The just shall live by faith, but by faith in the Crucified. But the fact that the rose and the heart are the dominating symbols shows how Catholic Marian piety remained an ingredient of Luther's spirituality throughout his life. In line with the dominant five-petal structure of the rose, this movement was composed, to a large extent, in accordance with the floating, lyrical rhythm in 5/8 time.3rd movement:The omnipresence of death and dying - from the plague and war to the never-ending dangers of daily life - was an essential part of the world view of that time. Fears ensued that might heighten into the grotesque, e.g. in the pictures of Hieronymus Bosch. The Danse macabre was a popular motif in those years. Luther's chorale Mitten wir im Leben sind / mit dem Tod umfangen from 1524 (Enchiridion from Erfurt) is based on the Gregorian chant Media vita in morte sumus created in France around 750 and, with its idea of transience, inspired a simplistic air.4th movement:The famous confession delivered at the Diet of Worms in 1521, I stand here and can say no more. God help me. Amen, are not Luther's words but the version later used as text for a pamphlet. However, it represents quite plainly the straightforwardness and inevitability of his mission. Musically, it was made into a perpetuum mobile, i.e. a dogged, ostinato and never-ending musical air.5th movement:The Mighty Fortress, on the other hand, is one of the great symbols of Martin Luther which, with its shining C major key, embodies the Protestant ideology and willful nature of the Reformation unlike any other song. Heinrich Heine called it the Marseille anthem of the Reformation, Friedrich Engels the Marseillaise of the Peasants' Wars. This disputability is not thought through to the end but rather interrupted: With a jubilant birdcall version of the melody, the finale shows a rather chamber-music-like side of the ideals of freedom of Christians.'.

SKU: XC.HRMG2351

UPC: 785147109655.

Requi em is a powerfully appealing, tender exploration of love and loss. Grounded in tradition while incorporating a present-day harmonic language, two Gregorian Chant motives are interwoven throughout the lush harmonies and soaring melodies. The level of difficulty is within the reach of many choirs and most orchestral players, making it an attractive choice for church or concert hall. A new translation of the traditional text makes it possible to perform the work entirely in English or entirely in Latin. Available accompaniments for piano, organ only, organ and winds, or chamber orchestra. Whether your choir sings a major work twice a year or is looking to try a multi-movement work for the first time, it is an excellent choice for the worship space or concert hall. The work has a flexible duration (28-40 min.) depending on the inclusions optional solo and a cappella movements. 40 min. – Complete – All movements - 34 min. – Without Solo Movements (5 And 9) - 33 min. – Without Unaccompanied Movements (2 and 7) - 28 min. – Without Unaccompanied or Solo Movements (1,3,4,6,9, 10 only) There are 3 accompaniment options: Piano/Organ only; Organ and Winds (5 players + org.); Chamber Orch. (13-20 players).

SKU: HL.14018993

ISBN 9788759850978. 7.25x10.25x0.061 inches. Latin.

This set of three motets for unaccompanied male choir sets the Latin words for the De Profundis, Ave Maria and Laudate and manifests Lewkovitch's fascination both with chant and with modality.Contemporary Danish composer, conductor and Organist Bernhard Lewkovitch has followed a rare path among modern composers. From 1947 he was Organist at St Ansgars Kirches and later remained connected with the Catholic Church by working as an Organist. Clearly he is inspired by the Catholic liturgy and sees his great output of ecclesiastical music as a vocation and a great responsibility. For many years his work by inspired by Gregorian chant and was composed in church modes, then inthe mid 1950's he began to expand into modern bitonality and polytonality, culminating in Il cantico delle creature in 1962/3 in which there was no conventional notation and no fixed pitch. After that, Lewkovitch had somewhat of a hiatus, later returning again to the inspirations of the mid1950's.

SKU: LO.70-2155S

ISBN 9780787763558.

Rich ard J. Clark has chosen some of his favorite plainchant melodies and created approachable organ settings of varied character. These melodies are among the most well-known plainchants, and they appear in hymnals of many denominations. These pieces will provide service-playing material for several seasons of the church year and Communion or a suite for recital use.

SKU: FZ.50529

12.5 x 14 cm inches.

Anne Fuzeau Classique propose to discover our facsimiles' music in CD. Regis Allard, historical organ of Saint Michel de Bolbec (Calvados). Mass in the 8th tone for organ - Gaspard Corrette. Processional of the Royal Abbey of Chelles - Guillaume Gabriel Nivers. Romano-Monasticum Gradual - Guillaume Gabriel Nivers. Divine Office for use by the Ursuline Ladies of Dijon - Charles Derey. Improvised verses on the organ, Regis Alard.
Alternating with Nivers's 'musical plainchant', Corrette's Mass sounds like a homage of the organ to itself, as it gracefully takes on the role of preacher of the Divine Cult.
Regis Allard was trained by Andre Isoir and Michel Chapuis (for several years he had private lessons with the latter) as well as at the Schola Cantorum in Paris, where he graduated. He devotes himself exclusively to the interpretation of early music and participates in numerous events centred on historic instruments in France, Spain, Holland and northern Germany. He was a prize winner in the International Competition of French Music in Toulouse. His first disk, with pieces by Heinrich Scheidemann on the Arp Schnitger organ in the Stade church in northern Germany, received a Choc from Le Monde de la Musique. His latest recording, J. S. Bach's Art of the Fugue under the Hortus label performed on the new instrument of the church Saint Louis en l'isle in Paris, received critical praise.
Ad Limina This group of women cantors, all trained in the Conservatory, themselves music teachers, choir directors, soloists, come from either side of the French-Swiss border, whence the name Ad Limina, which means 'at the border'.
This ensemble pursues a novel exploration of the paths of religious music, from the baroque period to our day, with emphasis on Gregorian plainchant and European music from the 19th century to contemporary creation.

SKU: HL.14029581

ISBN 9780711952287.

Salv ador Segui Perez (1939-2004) was a Spanish musician, academic and composer, who studied in Spain, Italy and France. For many years he was the professor of music theory, and later director, at the Valencia conservatory. Teoria Musical - Volume 2 is suitable for any musician of grade 4 or 5 standard, and covers all aspects of musical theory, including the following: musical syntax, acoustic theory, sound production, instrumental families and ensembles, keys and scales (including tetrachords and modulations), intervals, enharmonics, and more! There are also sections on various eras of musical history, from ancient Greece and the Gregorian chants of the Middle Ages, to modernatonal music and electronic music. A comprehensive volume, this book is ideal for any inquisitive music student.

SKU: BT.WH32021

English.

This is the 2013 version (reduced strings) of Per Nørgård's Remembering Child - Viola concerto No. 1 (1986) - Two Movements for Viola Solo (or Cello solo) and Chamber Orchestra. Programme Note: The title refers to the original meaning of the word remembering: Making whole. The work should not be considered as a sort of requiem for Samantha Smith - the late 13 years old fighter for nuclear disarmament - but as an evocation of the childish, creative forces in all people, young and old. Therefore the work applies thematic material of a certain dawning quality, including two Gregorian chants, appearing intertwined in the beginning of the 2. movement. And therefore the workalso may be considered as a tribute to the still living child-heretics, fighting against the global lunacy of grown-up, such as Eamon Burke, the Australian boy, continuing, independently, the work of Samantha. REMBERING CHILD was commissioned by St. Paul Chamber Ochestra and dedicated to Pincas Zuckerman, soloist at the premiere performance (Sept. 12, 1986). Per Nørgård.