Chant School

Propers of the Year: A series of episodes in which we provide instruction and practice for more advanced chanters who are interested in preparing the Gregorian propers for each Sunday of the liturgical year. In this episode, Thomas teaches you the propers from Christmas Mass During the Day Link to Music

Link to Music A few days ago we celebrated the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, one of the great Marian Dogmas of the Catholic Church. In honor of our Immaculate Mother, we learn a hymn from about 200 years before this dogma was officially proclaimed by the Church. Blest guardian of all virgin souls, Portal of bliss to man forgiven, Pure Mother of Almighty God, Thou hope of earth and joy of hea...

Propers of the Year: A series of episodes in which we provide instruction and practice for more advanced chanters who are interested in preparing the Gregorian propers for each Sunday of the liturgical year. Please let us know what you think! In this episode, Thomas teaches you the chants 4th Sunday of Advent (Rorate Sunday). The time for each section is listed below, along with links to PDF's for...

Link to the music Happy Advent! This ancient hymn dates back to the 6th century, and is used at Lauds during Advent. This hymn is so rich with symbolism, please check out this article from friend of Floriani, Fr. Z, who goes DEEP. ALSO: please consider donating to Floriani to help sustain our mission to Revitalize Sacred Music in America! All donations during this season will be MATCHED by a gener...

Propers of the Year: A series of episodes in which we provide instruction and practice for more advanced chanters who are interested in preparing the Gregorian propers for each Sunday of the liturgical year. Please let us know what you think! In this episode, Giorgio sings through the chants for Gaudete Sunday. He sings through chant slowly, highlights difficult sections, and sings through it slow...

Link to Music We conclude the liturgical year and the month of All Souls with the communion antiphon from the Requiem Mass. May light eternal shine upon them, O Lord, with Thy saints forever, for thou art kind.

Propers of the Year: A series of episodes in which we provide instruction and practice for more advanced chanters who are interested in preparing the Gregorian propers for each Sunday of the liturgical year. Please let us know what you think! In this episode, Giorgio sings through each chant slowly, highlights difficult sections, and sings through it slowly again. The time for each section is list...

Link to Music In honor of the feast of the dedication of the Basilicas of Sts. Peter and Paul, here's a hymn in honor of them both! O blessed shepherd Peter, thou to whom was given the power to open heaven, and, opened, to close it, mercifully receive the prayers of thy suppliants, and by thy word unloose the chains of their sins. Illustrious teacher Paul, mould thou our lives, and draw with thee...

Reposted from 2021. Propers of the Year: A series of episodes in which we provide instruction and practice for more advanced chanters who are interested in preparing the Gregorian propers for each Sunday of the liturgical year. In this episode, Giorgio sings through each chant slowly, highlights difficult sections, and sings through it slowly again. At the end of the episode, he sings through all...

Link to Music In this episode we honor the month of all souls and learn the introit for the Requiem Mass. (IV Esdr 2: 34, 35) Eternal rest give to them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. (Ps 64: 2-3) Vs. A hymn, O God, becometh Thee in Sion; and a vow shall be paid to Thee in Jerusalem: O Lord, hear my prayer; all flesh shall come to Thee.

Link to Music In today's episode, we learn a hymn to the Guardian Angels in honor of the Feast of The Archangels. Angel-Guardians of men, spirits and powers we sing, Whom our Father hath sent, aids to our weakly frame, Heavenly friends and guides, help from on high to bring, Lest we fail through the foeman’s wile. He, the spoiler of souls, Angel-traitor of old, Cast in merited wrath out of his hon...

Link to Music In today's episode, we learn the great antiphon from the washing of the feet on Holy Thursday: Ubi Caritas. Where charity and love are, there God is. The love of Christ has gathered us into one. Let us exult, and in Him be joyful. Let us fear and let us love the living God. And from a sincere heart let us love each other (and Him). Where charity and love are, there God is. Therefore,...

Link to Music In honor of the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of Mary, we learn today a hymn or Lauds from this feast. Although this feast dates back to the 12th century in terms of popular devotion -- and even some more formal Church recognition -- it didn't make it onto the General Roman Calendar until 1814. This hymn dates from roughly that era. O God of infinite mercy, grant that we may meditate we...

Happy feast of the Nativity of Our Blessed Mother! Today we learn a hymn from Vespers on the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary Immaculate. As the first verse says, literally: "The supreme teacher of faith [the Pope] solemnly affirms that Mary is free from all stain." This happened in 1854, and the hymn refers to St. Bernadette, who lived after this proclamation, so this hymn isn't older than the mi...

Link to the Music An epic hymn to the Maker of the World, this is from the Sarum Rite, which developed in Salisbury Cathedral in the 11th century. This hymn is also the origin of Mass XI, Missa Orbis Factor, which we learned way back in episode 28. 1. Maker of the world, King eternal, have mercy upon us. 2. O immense source of pity, have mercy upon us. 3. Drive off all our evils, have mercy upon u...

Link to music (courtesy of CCWatershed) St. Thomas Aquinas was a theologian, a philosopher, and one of the greatest intellects of all time. He is known as the Angelic Doctor of the Church. But did you know he is also regarded as one of the greatest Catholic poets of all time? And he only wrote 5 poems – 38 stanzas of poetry. In 1264, Pope Urban IV established the Solemnity of The Body of Christ, a...

Sheet music (courtesy of CCWatershed) Today we learn Mass IX, Cum Jubilo, which is for Marian Feasts. You're challenge is to learn this Gregorian Mass, and introduce it to your parish!

Link to Music In this episode, we learn the Sub Tuum Praesidium , the oldest existing hymn to Mary as "Theotokos" or "God-Bearer." Although the church didn't definitively teach that Mary was the Mother of God until the council of Ephesus in 431, this hymn predates that council by at least 150 years! We fly to thy protection, O Holy Mother of God; Do not despise our petitions in our necessities, bu...

Link to music In today's episode, we learn In Paradisum , the antiphon traditionally sung at the end of a requiem Mass as the body of the deceased is taken out of the church to be buried. May the Angels lead you into paradise; and on your arrival, may the Martyrs receive you and introduce into the holy city of Jerusalem. May you be welcomed by the choirs of Angels; and together with Lazarus, who w...

Link to Music (courtesy of CCWatershed) In today's episode, we learn the antiphon Asperges me, Domine , which accompanies the ritual sprinkling that takes place before every High Mass except during Paschaltide. Dating back to the 10th century, this beautiful, short antiphon can help to prepare those who sing it to fully participate in Holy Mass. We encourage you to learn this antiphon and then sin...

Music for Cor Arca Legem Continens From the Encyclopedia: An office hymn that was historically used for Lauds on the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Usually dated as an 18th-century composition, it is the work of an unknown author who is thought to have written also the hymns for Vespers and Matins of the same feast. In a series of types or figures, rather than in a fully developed allegory, stanzas on...

Link to the music A hymn to St. John the Baptist, written by Paul the Deacon in the 8th century. You may never have heard of this hymn, unless you’ve studied music history or theory, as it’s not particularly well-known or popular, but it is actually extraordinarily influential. In this episode, you'll learn about the origin of SOLFEGE, which of course culminated in 1956, when Rogers and Hammerstei...

Link to the music Happy Solemnity of Corpus Christi! We present another one of St. Thomas's amazing hymns for this solemnity - Sacris Solemniis. St. Thomas Aquinas was a theologian, a philosopher, and one of the greatest intellects of all time. He is known as the Angelic Doctor of the Church. But did you know he is also regarded as one of the greatest Catholic poets of all time? And he only wrote...

Link to Music St. Thomas Aquinas was a theologian, a philosopher, and one of the greatest intellects of all time. He is known as the Angelic Doctor of the Church. But did you know he is also regarded as one of the greatest Catholic poets of all time? And he only wrote 5 poems – 38 stanzas of poetry. In 1264, Pope Urban IV established the Solemnity of The Body of Christ, and asked St. Thomas Aquina...

Link to music Happy Pentecost! Veni Creator Spiritus is one of the most popular, widely used hymns to the Holy Spirit in the Church. It has been translated into a number of English hymns ( Come Holy Ghost, Creator Blest; Creator Spirit, by Whose Aid, to name a few). Today, we'll learn the original Gregorian Chant -- of course! And be sure to sing this one on Pentecost to get a Plenary Indulgence -...