Chant School

PDF of the the antiphons: https://tinyurl.com/thegreatantiphons The SIXTH in a seven-day series in which we learn the "O Antiphons." These beautiful chants date back to the 8th century, and are traditionally sung on the last 7 days leading up to Christmas, during Vespers just before the Magnificat. Latin: O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et sal...

PDF of the the antiphons: https://tinyurl.com/thegreatantiphons The FIFTH in a seven-day series in which we learn the "O Antiphons." These beautiful chants date back to the 8th century, and are traditionally sung on the last 7 days leading up to Christmas, during Vespers just before the Magnificat. Latin: O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris,...

PDF of the the antiphons: https://tinyurl.com/thegreatantiphons The FOURTH in a seven-day series in which we learn the "O Antiphons." These beautiful chants date back to the 8th century, and are traditionally sung on the last 7 days leading up to Christmas, during Vespers just before the Magnificat. Latin: O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel; qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aper...

PDF of the the antiphons: https://tinyurl.com/thegreatantiphons The THIRD in a seven-day series in which we learn the "O Antiphons." These beautiful chants date back to the 8th century, and are traditionally sung on the last 7 days leading up to Christmas, during Vespers just before the Magnificat. Latin: O radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem Gente...

PDF of the the antiphons: https://tinyurl.com/thegreatantiphons The SECOND in a seven-day series in which we learn the "O Antiphons." These beautiful chants date back to the 8th century, and are traditionally sung on the last 7 days leading up to Christmas, during Vespers just before the Magnificat. Latin: O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina lege...

PDF of the the antiphons: https://tinyurl.com/thegreatantiphons The first in a seven-day series in which we learn the "O Antiphons." These beautiful chants date back to the 8th century, and are traditionally sung on the last 7 days leading up to Christmas, during Vespers just before the Magnificat. O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter suaviterque...

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...

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: https://tinyurl.com/nasceturprote Although Veni, Veni, Emmanuel as a whole only dates back to the 17th century, its origins are much more ancient. This hymn, perhaps the best known Advent hymn of all time, is a combination of the O Antiphons which are at least 1200 years old. Based on prophecies about Jesus from Isaiah all the way through Zachariah, these antiphons were sung before...

Link to the music: https://tinyurl.com/conditoralme This is one of the most ancient hymns we've sung so far, dating back to the 7th century! It was revised over 1000 years later because it didn't follow the rules for Latin poetry, and to remove a single Greek word: hagie ( holy). Although the translation is usually rendered: Creator of the stars of night, siderum is not precisely the same as the m...

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 the propers for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Click below for PDF's of the chants: Introit (1:15): https://tinyu...

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 sheet music: https://tinyurl.com/adorote 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...

Link to sheet music: https://tinyurl.com/almaredemptorissolemn As promised, here is a bonus episode for the adventurous who want to learn the solemn tone of the Alma Redemptoris Mater. As you'll see, it is much more difficult to sing than the simple tone, but it is proportionally more fulfilling to sing and to hear! In fact, this may very well be the most beautiful chant ever written....enjoy! LAT...

Link to the sheet music: https://tinyurl.com/almaredemptorismater Happy New Year and welcome to one of our favorite musical Liturgical Seasons – ADVENT. It’s not just because Christmas is around the corner and we’re brushing up on our favorite Christmas chants and carols: there is beautiful music for Advent as well, full of yearning for the Incarnation and rejoicing in the “Yes” of our Blessed Mot...

Propers of the Year: A new 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. At the end of the episode, he...

Link to sheet music: https://tinyurl.com/tesaeculorum Learn to sing Te Saeculorum Principem. We’re coming up on the end of the liturgical year, and we want to teach you this lovely hymn for the Solemnity of Christ the King. Now this feast is only 100 years old, so this is not technically an ancient chant of the church, but its beautiful poetry and marvelous melody recommend it us. This chant is fr...

Learn to sing Salve Regina. This beautiful Marian Antiphon is traditionally sung after the Rosary and after Night Prayer during Ordinary time. Mary has also revealed in visions that this is one of her favorites! Link to sheet music: https://tinyurl.com/simpletonesalveregina Lyrics and Translation Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiæ, vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus exsules filii...

Learn to sing Jesu Dulcis Memoria (Chant link: https://tinyurl.com/jesudulcis ). A hymn used in the liturgy of the hours on the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux, with 53 verses! Thankfully the melody repeats... Link to lyrics and translation: https://tinyurl.com/JesuDulcisLyrics

Learn to sing the Ave Verum (Chant link: https://tinyurl.com/corpusnatum ), one of the greatest Eucharistic hymns from the Middle Ages. It was long traditional to sing this hymn during the elevation of the Eucharist, and it has since been set by many of the most prominent polyphonic composers -- Byrd, Mozart, to name a few. This chant predates them all and was their inspiration. Ave, verum corpus...

Learn to sing the Ave Maria. Although this text has been set many times over the years, the original Gregorian melody is evocative and beautiful. Link to the chant: https://tinyurl.com/kwkedkw Ave, María, grátia plena, Dóminus tecum. Benedicta tu in muliéribus, et benedíctus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta María, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen. Hail M...

Learn to sing the Ave Maris Stella . Link to PDF: https://tinyurl.com/2uenz5v5 Ave, maris stella,Dei mater alma, atque semper virgo, felix cœli porta. Hail, star of the sea, Nurturing Mother of God, And ever Virgin, Happy gate of Heaven. (Link to full lyrics and translation: https://tinyurl.com/hailstarofthesea )