Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Chant on Down the Highway

Well... the family is on a road trip. We drove a bit more than 7 hours yesterday... A good portion of that time was spent listening to two chant CD's. One was a CD I burned so that I could listen well to the music they sang in San Diego at Winter Chant Intensive. The Epiphany propers were wonderful. I especially liked the Gradual. Hear them for yourself at Mary Jane Ballou's site. Click on "Music" and Look for "Mass in San Diego".

Just going on memory, I'd say the chapel at Loyola in Chicago must have had a bit more 'live' acoustics than the church in San Diego... the singing was lovely.

The other CD we listened to was a CD sent to me by the Monks at Clear Creek in Oklahoma. It is the Christmas chant CD that was recorded at Fontgombault (don't know if I spelled it correctly). I have sung several of the chants on that CD and found myself singing or humming along. Especially the Viderunt omnes was familiar, since our schola here sang it as a seasonal Communion chant for the entire Christmas season. Another particular favorite is the Christmas Day Introit -- Puer natus. I just love the opening words...

Tomorrow morning I hope to attend Mass at the Poor Clare monastery here. I brought my Graduale Romanum along this time and also my recorder. I am hoping I can record their singing. If I receive permission from the sisters, I hope to post the recordings later. There is a beautiful, clear, almost ethereal sound to their singing.

It is crisp and clear here in southern New Mexico... all is well.

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