Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Chants for Vespers Now Published by Solesmes

For those wanting to chant Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours, the chants for Sundays and Major Feasts has finally been published. It is published under the title Antiphonale Romanum II, as it is the first in a series providing music for the Roman Office. Solesmes has released the edition. The following is a google translation of the page from their website (apologies for not providing my own, as I am not very proficient in French):

Vespers Sing Sunday in Gregorian chant, and according to the present liturgy is finally possible, nearly thirty years after the publication of Liturgy Horarum.

The Antiphonale Romanum II is a book of 800 pages of paper bible, the usual format of books of Gregorian chant at Solesmes. The volume is adorned with a beautiful cover skai marble, an elegant dark red, reinforced backs, and two favorites, touge and gold.

The book contains all the elements necessary to singing of Vespers for Sundays and festivals of the year. That is to say, hymns, antiphons, psalms and hymns, readings, short-responses, prayers of intercession and the concluding prayers. At the end of the book, a chapter explains in detail the rules of song from each of these genres.

The book follows the provisions of the Liturgy of the Hours, by using the wealth of content Gregorian chant in medieval manuscripts and the later tradition. The proposed melodies are edited in accordance with the requirements of the critical current musicology.

These melodies are presented in their pastoral edition is tailored to the needs of amateur choirs: all the verses of hymns are noted, and pointed to the letterpress each verse adaptation of the psalm tones.

In accordance with the wishes of Vatican II (Sacrosanctum Concilium n. 100) is by editing the volume of Vespers for Sundays and festivals that began publication of Antiphonale Romanum.


I greet this with great enthusiasm, and hope everybody else does, as well.

1 comment:

  1. Personally I prefer to use the French Heures Grégoriennes (dual language Latin/French), recently published by the Community of St. Martin at Candé in conjunction with Solesmes, which contains, in 3 volumes, all the new Roman Offices with full Gregorian Chant, with however the exception of the Office of Readings. I think however it is slightly simplified, which I for one, being a non-professional musician, greatly appreciate.

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