Gregorian Chant
July 26, 2007 by ken88
St. Gregory the Great
Gregorian Chant, which is, consequently the Chant proper to the Roman Church, the only chant she has inherited from the ancient fathers, which she has jealously guarded for centuries in her liturgical codices, which she directly proposes to the faithful as her own, which she prescribes exclusively for some parts of the liturgy, and which the most recent studies have so happily restored to their integrity and purity. On these grounds Gregorian Chant has always been regarded as the supreme model for sacred music, so that it is fully legitimate to lay down the following rule: the more closely a composition for church approaches in its movement, inspiration and savor the Gregorian form, the more sacred and liturgical it becomes; and the more out of harmony it is with that supreme model, the less worthy it is of the temple. (St. Pius X)
Fabulous pictures!
Thanks Jackie
Ken,
Have you discovered Vultus Christi yet? Here is what Father Mark says about Gregorian Chant:
>>Dom Gregory suggests too that there is an analogy between plainchant and the icon. The icon is to the eyes what plainchant is to the ears. In a monastery one expects to find — what shall I call it? — the ear purified and refined through a kind of fasting so as to hear the “still, small voice” that Elijah recognized on Horeb. “And when Elijah heard it, he covered his face with a mantle, and coming forth stood in the entering in of the cave” (3 K 19:13). The austerity of the traditional chant of the Church — its poverty, its chastity, its uncompromising obedience to the Word — makes it increasingly foreign to our culture and, paradoxically, increasingly attractive to young people challenged by the radicality of life for God alone.<<
I like that…plainchant is purification for the ears…an auditory fasting from things that tickle.
In these photos there is the choir of the cathedral of Milain. This is Ambrosian chant not gregorian. These images were made in the pontifical mass celebrated by Paul VI (card. Montini - archibishop of Milain), so there was an Ambrosian Pontifical. This is a different rite from roman.
Thanks Ambrosius.
I hope I have used a right English because I’m Italian… If you want to listen to some Ambrosian Chant I have some CDs… I’m from Milain!
Ambrosius- Your English was good enough to get your point across.