Chant: Tenebrae Factea Sunt; Alleluia

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Decades before the "chant" phenomenon shook the classical charts, the London Choir of the Carmelite Priory released this solemn disc of prayers and hymns. The 1961 sonics add a slight recording hiss to the CD, but the performances are still memorable and every bit as impressive as the more famous Benedictine monk recording. As part of the Penguin Classics series of music, liner notes by author Kathleen Norris (Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith) explain her love for this music. Chant aficionados won't be disappointed. --Jason Verlinde

Tracks:

Recordare
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Meditation: Recordare I. - Mother Dolores Hart
Ave Maria
Beatam Me Dicent/Magnificat
Hodie Christus Natus Est
Accipiens Simeon/Nunc Dimittis
Non Invenientes Jesum/Benedictus
Ave Regina Caelorum
Meditation: Recordare II. - Mother Dolores Hart
In Monte Oliveti
Lamentation
O Vos Omnes
Crux Fidelis
Tenebrae Factae Sunt
Christus Factus Est
Regina Caeli
Meditation: Recordare III. - Mother Dolores Hart
Haec Dies
Pascha Nostrum
Victimae Paschali Laudes
Viri Galilaei
Veni Sancte Spiritus
Assumpta Est Maria
Signum Magnum
Salve Regina
Collect And Final Blessing

Customer Reviews:

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR STUDY OF LIVING GREGORIAN CHANT.......2007-02-27

Although Gregorian Chant is very carefully tied to particular times and seasons, and therefore recordings of the living chant always feels odd out of season and captured and pinned on display, like fascinating irridescent butterfly wings on cotton under glass, please play this disk and live and breathe a little easier, in peace and in rhythm and in unity.

Gracefully directed by Dr. Marier, this recording wonderfully captures the greatest living Gregorian choir fully active in the United States of America, at the Abbey of Regina Laudis, which daily and nightly maintains the true cycle of Gregorian chant, completely, in the living of the Rule of Saint Benedict with all of the liturgical hours fully chanted as ever through the centuries, per saeculum saeculi. The best way, then, to experience in union this true and living and breathing chant is to spend as much time as possible on retreat at the Abbey in still rural Bethlehem, Connecticut. Lacking that ability, live with this disk, and let it play day and night until it becomes a part of your bones and you sing with it without yet quite knowing it.

I strongly recommend this disk for anyone who fully and deeply wants to know Gregorian Chant, as chanted by a contemplative community of devoted and committed women in America. Hear also their recording, also with Mr. Marier, of the Festal Celebrations of the Virgin Martyrs and Our Lady of Sorrows, which includes the founding Abbess Mother Benedict's blessing.

Please note in particular the most important Marian hymns are included on this disk, for anyone seriously interested in learning the most important Gregorian Marian tones. FOr instance you find here a solemn version of the Magnificat, the greatest hymn of Mary directly from the Gospel of Saint Luke, which is chanted every day at Vespers without exception by any monastic choir worthy of the name. We also may find here Regina coeli and the wonderful seasonal hymn, Salve Regina. Please look closely at the play list and you find nearly every traditional Marian hymn you can recall. Within this collection are scriptural meditations beautifully read by Mother Dolores Hart, an actress who was on her way to becoming the next Grace Kelly (who had then abdicated her throne to take on the throne of Monaco) but entered Regina Laudis monastery instead, filling its readings with the depths of her trained and restrained and profoundly emotional voicings. We are very fortunate she is so well recorded here, and regret she never made at the height of her powers an audiobook of the entire Holy Bible, or at least the Psalms, or Gospels . . .

In other words, what more can you possibly ask for?

Please note the photograph on this product, the Mysteries in the Life of Jesus, Son of Mary, is of the new Abbess, Mother David, who is currently directing the choir in a fresh recording of the hymns of Christmas, a new recording which may be available come Christmas of this year. In the mystery of Bethlehem, that will be well worth adding to your music library, for anyone serious about studying the true Gregorian chant as it is lived and breathed daily by this now too rare and precious choir.

Please also see the soon-to-be-released biography of Mother Benedict from Ignatious Press. Let us learn to cherish our American saints and study from them how to live in peace and loving Catholic community in this quadrant of the hemisphere.

Please see all of the Abbey's rare recordings at their website.

Excellent recording of Gregorian Chants.......2002-04-09

I bought this recording a few weeks ago and it has quickly become a favourite. While Gregorian Chant has become popular, especially with the recordings of Santo Domingo de Silos, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that Gregorian Chant is sung prayer. In hearing the nuns of the Abbey of Regina Laudis sing, you understand that this is something that they experience each day. It is a beautiful recording and is accompanied by beautiful meditations on the life of Jesus read by Mother Dolores Hart, O.S.B.

Hic est Chorus - Liturgical Music from the Cathedrals of the Kingdom of Galicia from medieval codices to the classical romantic period

Average customer rating:

Hic est Chorus - Liturgical Music from the Cathedrals of the Kingdom of Galicia from medieval codices to the classical romantic period

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Chants | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0001BKAAS
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Average customer rating:

The Essential Gregorian Chant

Manufacturer: Cala
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Chants | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000FDEE
Release Date: 2006-11-20

Tracks:

Advent: Rorate Caeli Desuper
Advent: O Sapientia
Advent: Ave Maria
Advent: Christe, Redemptor Omnium
Christmas: Puer Natus Est Nobis
Christmas: Videunt Omnes & Alleluia, Dies Sanctificatus
Christmas: Verbum Caro Factum Est
Christmas: Hodie Christus Natus Est
The Days After Christmas: Hostis Herodes
The Days After Christmas: Reges Tharsis
The Days After Christmas: Lumen Ad Relevationem Gentium
The Days After Christmas: Adorna Thalamum Tuum
Lent: Emendemus In Melius
Lent: Attende Domine
Lent: Tibi Domine Derelictus Est Pauper
Lent: Vexilla Regis Prodeunt
Lent: Nos Autem Gloriari Oportet
Lent: Ubi Caritas
Lent: Tenebrae Factae Sunt
Lent: Ecce Lignum Crucis
Easter: Victimae Paschali Laudes
Easter: Salve, Feste Dies

Average customer rating:

Historically accurate recording hints at Gregorian Chant's timeless appeal

O Magnum Mysterium

Manufacturer: Discant
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Chants | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0007WQGWW
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Customer Reviews:

Historically accurate recording hints at Gregorian Chant's timeless appeal.......2007-03-24

The continued popularity of Gregorian Chant (or plainchant) owes much to the 1994 re-release of "Chant" by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos. But its enduring legacy dates back to the dawn of the 9th century and the codification of church-approved plainchants under the aegis of Charlemagne - perhaps even earlier, if their attributed authorship by Pope Gregory the Great around the year 600 is genuine. These monophonic chants, simple and serene, possess a mysterious and otherworldly beauty, which extends their appeal far beyond their intended purpose as worship music.

"O Magnum Mysterium" presents a collection of chant from Catalan manuscripts of the 9th through 12th centuries. Catalan notation could not indicate variations in pitch, and eventually was supplanted by more versatile notational methods. Though the adherence to Catalan notation enhances the historical accuracy of this recording, it also places melodic restraints upon music already lacking in harmony or rhythmic variation. The individual chants are satisfying enough, but there isn't enough diversity in the collection as a whole to compensate for the limitations imposed by the original notation.

The performances by Schola Gregoriana de Barcelona are fine throughout; one would like to hear them tackle something with greater variety in pitch. The recording effectively captures the natural church echo so crucial to plainchant's hypnotic appeal.

While "O Magnum Mysterium" might not generate as much enthusiasm for Gregorian chant as "Chant" did, it should still instill feelings of peace and tranquility in the casual listener. Scholars of early music will better appreciate this disc for its rigorous historical approach.

Average customer rating:

Chant: Tenebrae Factea Sunt; Alleluia

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Chants | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B00001P4RA
Release Date: 1999-09-28

Tracks:

Responsories
Hymns
Antiphons
Gospel Tone
Laudes seu Acclamationes
Gradual : Flores apparuerunt
Alleluia - Communions
Antiphon - Ave verum Corpus
Antiphonal Psalmody
Marian Antiphons

Amazon.com

Decades before the "chant" phenomenon shook the classical charts, the London Choir of the Carmelite Priory released this solemn disc of prayers and hymns. The 1961 sonics add a slight recording hiss to the CD, but the performances are still memorable and every bit as impressive as the more famous Benedictine monk recording. As part of the Penguin Classics series of music, liner notes by author Kathleen Norris (Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith) explain her love for this music. Chant aficionados won't be disappointed. --Jason Verlinde