St. Basil’s School of Gregorian Chant presents a special three-day chant journey of the soul with chant scholar, author, and composer Fr. Columba Kelly, OSB of St. Meinrad Archabbey, Indiana.
The workshop, held at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, begins with a session open to the public on Wednesday, February 15th, at 7pm. It concludes that Saturday evening.
For more information about the program, please visit www.gregorianchantschool.org or view the flyer here.
The Theme of the Workshop is Restoration of the Propers of the Mass –
The Seminar begins Wednesday evening with an open-to-the-public-address by Fr Columba in Jones Hall from 7.00-9.00 pm. The public are invited for this event, and Fr Culumba’s address will again be very educational, useful, and informative by weaving the fascinating journey of chant throughout history, from murky first centuries, to the questionable involvement of Gregory himself, to Charlemange, Middle Ages, Renaissance, XIX. century, and our own day.
The three days of classes will address the mass propers and their role in everyone’s liturgy. These are the propers of the Graduale Romanum, which can be sung with equal power in Latin or in English, to the Gregorian chant music or to more modern composition. Much of the chant for the English we will be doing is brand new chang, composed by Fr Columba for this workshop mass.
You will learn about the repertory of Proper Chants and their place in the liturgy, and how they can, if one wishes, be combined with hymns and other music. You will, though, experience their unique contribution to the mass, to which they are part and parcel, and to which they would resore a rich repertory of scripture to the mass, a repertory which belongs to, is a part of, the mass, but for various reasons was allowed to fall by the wayside 40 years ago. Our starting point is GIRM, which states first, and state plainly that the prefered musical embroidery of the mass are the propers from the Roman Gradual, whether Latin or English or to other music. So the thrust of this workshop will be one of education as to how the propers may be used, encouraging musician to restore these ancient chants with are part and parcel of the Roman rite. While other music is purely ancilliary, extrinsic to the rite, the propers and a integral part of the mass.
Fr Columba is one of the worlds greatest authorities on Gregorian chant, and has studied and taught it for sixty years. He not only teaches old chant, but composes new chant which is superb in its relationship to the words be expressed. His examples and insight will bring you into experiencing chant as the living tradition that it is.
Do plan to attend this workshop sponsored by St Basil’s School of Gregorian Chant and experience mass in a greater richness that you can take home to your parish.
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For further information contact our website at
http://www.gregorianchantschool.org, or view the flyer at the linck given at top, before the ‘comments’.
Also, E-Mail: notes@gregorianchantschool.org
Tel.:713-376-0289, or 713-526-1248
Facsimile: 281-858-5016
Lowell Davis –
Executive Director
M. Jackson Osborn –
Choirmaster and Lecturer in Chant Studies
” … they would restore a rich repertory of scripture to the mass, a repertory which belongs to, is a part of, the mass, … ”
If only some chant musicians would resist the temptation to caricature. Modern hymnody and contemporary songs have already restored a repertory of Scripture beyond the psalms and Gospels. One might say that thanks to the St Louis Jesuits and their successors we have a repertory that preconciliar chant advocates could not deliver to the people.
” … but for various reasons was allowed to fall by the wayside 40 years ago.”
More like 400. Or 1700.
“Our starting point is GIRM, which states first, and state plainly that the prefered musical embroidery of the mass are the propers from the Roman Gradual, whether Latin or English or to other music.”
Not quite right on a few fronts. GIRM states first a dialogue between music ministry and people. Music is also more than embroidery. It’s not about singing at the Mass. Singing the Mass means that music is part of the fabric of liturgy itself. It’s not a frilly periphery designated to musical specialists.
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