Early Polyphony Study Day in Oxford, 20th Jan

PMMS Study Day
Polyphonic Music of the Late Middle Ages from England and the Continent. Sources, Context and Court Culture

Magdalen College, Oxford - Saturday, 20th January 2018

The 2018 PMMS study day accompanies the exhibition “Fragments of note: the afterlives of medieval manuscripts” at Magdalen College, Oxford, which examines the numerous medieval manuscript fragments held at Magdalen, largely medieval books that have been dismantled in the early modern period and re-used as binding waste or covers. The main exhibition focuses on fragments featuring musical notation and is complemented by a selection of contemporary watercolour, collage, and paper-pulp relief works by fine artist Janet Boulton.

Schola Gregoriana Gregorian Chant Instruction, London

New dates: up to November

Directed by Dr. Peter Wilton, B.Ed (Hons.)  M.Mus

(Editor of chant for the Office of Vespers for Westminster Cathedral Choir)

Discover the profound beauty and infinite variety of this timeless music by learning to sing it.

From 6.30 (after end of Mass) to 8 pm, Mondays 25th September, 9th, 23rd October, 13th and 27th November

At  St. James’s Spanish Place, George Street,  London,  W1U 3QY

(nearest tube station:  Bond Street; click here for a map)

18th December 7 pm:  Party at 26 The Grove, Ealing, W5 5LH

Study will include square notation, pre-stave neumes, interpretation, music for the Mass, daily offices, music for special occasions, psalmody and texts in different languages.

Anyone able to sing in tune is welcome, with or without chant experience.

Cost:  £5 per evening

Enquiries to Mr. Grey Macartney,  26 The Grove, Ealing, W5 5LH

Tel:  020 8840 5832            E-mails:  grey.macartney@gmail.com

Chant Course in Oxford, 11-13 August

SING GREGORIAN CHANT in the Liturgy SCHOLA GREGORIANA

Friday 11th - Sunday 13th August 2017

A weekend of enchanting melody and traditional liturgy in the beautiful surroundings of St.Stephen’s House, Oxford, to commemorate the centenary of the birth of the Founder of the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge, Dr. Mary Berry (1917-2008), and to explore her legacy

Directors: Christopher Hodkinson, Philip Duffy and Fr. Guy Nicholls

The programme includes:

Study of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary and celebration of all eight hours of the Office

New book: Gradual, by Berkely and Scotland

From the Moretus Gradual, 1598

I've just purchased a read an intriguing, short book on the restoration of rare, late-16th century printed Gradual: a collection of chants for the Church's liturgical year. The Gradual in question was beautifully printed in the Spanish Netherlands, using hand-copied monastic chant books as its sources.

The chant notation (shown, left) looks very like that used in the editions most singers use today, though it used five staves and lacks some of the specialised note-shapes (singers will note that there don't seem to be any quilismas or liquescents). Again, it (obviously) doesn't include the editorial marks added by the monks of Solesmes to most modern editions.

Although the melodies are somewhat different from the ones used today, which have been restored by reference to the oldest available manuscripts, they are quite different from the simplified and clunkily-printed chant used immediately before the Solesmes-influenced 1907 Graduale Romanum, upon which later editions have been based, exemplified by the 1870 Pustet edition shown below.

Chant Weekend 2017

At last's year's course, Colin Mawby discussing organ accompanyment.

Gregorian Chant Network Chant Training Weekend:

Led by Christopher Hodkinson and Fr Guy Nichols Cong. Orat.

Friday 31st March to Sunday 2nd April 2017, The Oratory School, nr. Reading, RG8 0PJ

Registration from 4 to 4.45pm; late Registrations 7-7.30

Course ends with lunch on Sunday. 

An intensive chant course running alongside the Catherine's Trust Family Retreat (led this year by Fr Serafino Lanzetta). Singers will be prepared to participate in the liturgies of the Retreat, including Mass Ordinaries and Propers, Chants for Benediction and the Office, as well as discussing chant interpretation and history. All liturgies are according to the usus antiquior (the Traditional Mass). With two chant tutors, the group can be split for some purposes into more and less experienced, so everyone can get the most out of it.

Large discounts available for groups coming from choirs and scholas affiliated to the Gregorian Chant Network: see overleaf.

Fees

LMS members: £10 discount

£195 per person

£120 each for 2 people from the same choir or schola

£90 each for 3 or more people from the same choir or schola

   

Download an application form or book online: www.stcatherinestrust.org

Outside procession at last year's Family Retreat and Chant Course.

Support the work of the LMS by becoming an 'Anniversary Supporter'.

Does anyone want a harmonium?

A (more or less) working harmonium is Holy Trinity Church, Hethe, Oxfordshire is available for anyone who wants it. (Contact details here.)

Contact the parish to see it or collect it.

Holy Trinity is a lovely church, which thanks to an enterprising former Parish Priest has a very interesting 18th century chamber organ (in need of some restoration). For some reason it also has this harmonium, which takes up a good deal of space in the tiny choir loft.

Someone: give it a home!

Young Catholic Adults Douai Retreat & Schola Gregoriana

Young Catholic Adults and Schola Gregoriana Retreat

Douai Abbey  28^th to 30^th October

          For some years Associates of the Schola have been joining with the YCA on a weekend retreat, usually in the autumn at Douai Abbey.  The YCA is a group which promotes the spirit of orthodoxy with charity; it has a deliberately  non-divisive outlook, and uses the Church’s devotional heritage in order to aid souls.  It promotes celebration of Masses in the Extraordinary Form, Adoration, the Rosary, and other devotions. The YCA aims to promote a spirit of beauty and reverence in the Sacred Liturgy.  This aim accords with the similar aim of the Schola to proclaim the word of God through the divinely inspired music of the chant.  At these retreats the Schola leads the singing at Mass and the daily Offices, and encourages YCA members to join in rehearsals.  The lecture programmes of the YCA and Schola rehearsals are linked and timed to allow members of either organisation to attend both. Each day ends with a social gathering at which old friendships are renewed and new ones made.

          At the outset Christopher Hodkinson distributed music books covering the entire weekend, as usual beautifully prepared with translations alongside the Latin, coupled with full rubrics. On the Friday evening we sang Compline of the Feast of SS. Simon and Jude, ending with a Procession and Aspersion with Holy Water during the singing of the solemn Salve Regina.  Next morning we sang the Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday (EF) at a High Mass in the parish church according to the Roman rite. Later in the morning rain curtailed the Marian Procession in the Abbey grounds in honour of Our Lady of Fatima. That evening we sang First Vespers of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King, and after supper Compline in the Abbey Church sung with the Community.  On Sunday morning the Missa Cantata for the same Feast was celebrated in the parish church by Fr. Thomas Crean, the Chaplain to the YCA, according to the Dominican rite.

          Douai Abbey is a splendid venue for these very successful retreats.  Food and accommodation are excellent, and participants benefit from the peaceful atmosphere of the Abbey and the beautiful surrounding country. Everyone left hoping for a repeat visit next year.

Grey Macartney

Altare Dei: a new magazine on Catholic liturgy

This is a new venture which I am pleased to bring to the attention of my readers. The first edition of this magazine includes both an intereview wuith and music by Colin Mawby, one of the Latin Mass Society's Patrons. You can buy and download it here.

1) Altare Dei will present in English featured articles not only from people in the anglosaxon world, but also from Europe, theologians and liturgists that will be translated, sometimes for the first time in English.

2) The cost is around 7 US dollars, but if you consider only the musicla insert will cost much more than that if bought separately.

3) The musical insert has, in this issue 12 pages of music, 6 original pieces from contemporary very good Church composer. Only for that Altare Dei would be a must. 

4) You can download the pdf right away, no shipping fees.

A ruby anniversary for Mgr Gordon Read

Monsignor Gordon Read of Brentwood Diocese this year celebrates the 40th anniversary of his priestly ordination. As the National Chaplain of the Latin Mass Society, we made a little presentation to him at our annual get-together of Local Representatives in London.

November chant courses in Scotland

1. Introductory workshop on liturgical plainsong at St Mary’s Cathedral, Aberdeen, on the afternoon of Saturday 12 November. The workshop is led by Benjamin Saunders, Diocesan Director of Music in Leeds diocese, who will also talk about the wonderful work he’s been doing to promote singing, especially among children, in Leeds and Bradford. Full details, including how to reserve a place, here: http://www.dioceseofaberdeen.org/archives/8341.

2. Gregorian Chant Weekend at the St. Ninian Institute, Dundee, 19-20 November: see the poster below for details (click on the picture to make it full size). The Institute is very happy to provide overnight accommodation for participants who may need it - the rate is £30 per person, per night on a B&B basis.  Lunch will be provided as part of the course.

Chant Training at Ealing Abbey, London

EALING ABBEY LAY PLAINCHANT CHOIR

Chant from the Gregorian Missal and other sources is learnt and sung each week, and at a Mass in the Abbey Church one Sunday each month as well as a Mass at a local care home monthly.  Beginners able to sing in tune and experienced singers are welcome.

6.40 – 8 pm every Wednesday in the Bulbeck Room, Ealing Abbey, Marchwood Crescent, W5 2DZ

Enquiries:  Fr. Peter Burns, OSB  020 8862 2100 / ealingabbeypottery@gmail.com

Chant training: now at Spanish Place, London

Updated: these classes have moved from Farm Street to Spanish Place.

Schola Gregoriana
Gregorian Chant Instruction
Directed by Dr. Peter Wilton, B.Ed (Hons.)  M.Mus
(Editor of chant for the Office of Vespers for Westminster Cathedral Choir)

Discover the profound beauty and infinite variety of this timeless music by learning to sing it.

From 6.30 to 8 pm on Tuesdays:
October  25th
November  8th,  22nd,  29th
December  13th ( at 26 The Grove, Ealing, W5 5LH)

At  St. James’s Spanish Place,    George Street,  London,  W1
(nearest tube station:  Bond Street)

Study will include square notation, pre-stave neumes, interpretation, music for the Mass, daily offices, music for special occasions, psalmody and texts in different languages.

Anyone able to sing in tune is welcome, with or without chant experience.

Cost:  £5 per evening
Enquiries to Mr. Grey Macartney,  26 The Grove, Ealing, W5 5LH
Tel:  020 8840 5832            E-mails:  grey.macartney@gmail.com

Dominican Rite Compline in York, 21-27 August

As part of the Yorkshire Medieval Churches (Church Explorers) Festival 2016, and to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the Dominican order, the Rudgate Schola are going to be singing Compline by candlelight using the old Dominican Rite (with its processions) each evening from Sunday 21st August to Friday 26th August at 8.30pm. On the final day, 27th August, they shall sing Vespers using the Roman Rite (Extraordinary Form) at 3.30pm and conclude with Dominican Compline at 8pm.

The venue for all of this is St Mary's Church (the oldest in York), Bishophill Junior, York YO1 6EN.

Chant Conference in Toronto, August 11-14, 2016

As about a quarter of this blog's page-views come from North America, I think it worth mentioning this forthcoming event in Canada.

Prof. William Renwick writes:

It is going to be a wonderful time, focusing on practical chant singing, but also with a series of lectures on chant in honour of the late Dr. Andrew Hughes, who did so much to further research in Gregorian Chant.  Our guest clinician is Adam Bartlett, who will also be directing the chant for the Sunday mass.  There will also be sung offices each day, a banquet, and a concert.  All events are at the beautiful St. Augustine's Seminary.
Please go to
http://www.gregorian.ca/wp/index.php/colloquium-2016/for full program information, registration, and accommodation.

I would add that the line-up of speakers looks most impressive.

Successful GCN Chant Weekend

After a gap of two years, we were able to organise a residential Chant Weekend again this year, in parallel with the St Catherine's Trust Family Retreat.



It was led by Colin Mawby and Chris Hodkinson; a dozen singers attended. As usual, the singers on the course were able to accompany the liturgies of the event, three Masses, Vespers and Benediction, two Complines, and a procession of thanksgiving: which, in accordance with tradition, started with the Te Deum and concluded with the Canticle of Zachary.



So there was plenty of live, liturgical singing, with an appreciative congregation, as well as practice, theoretical discussion, and a session on organ accompaniment of chant.



The Family Retreat was also very successful, and the combined event attracted more than 90 people. The Retreat was led by two yound priests from the community on Papa Stronsay in the Orkneys, the Sons of the Holy Redeemer: Fr Magdala Marie F.SS.R and Fr Jean Marie F.SS.R.. Both the Retreat and the Chant course were sponsored by the Latin Mass Society.