The Solesmes Episema and Contemplation
Are we even singing the Solesmes rhythm at all?
“Is it not true that prohibiting or suspecting the extraordinary form can only be inspired by the demon who desires our suffocation and spiritual death?” —The Vatican’s chief liturgist from 2014-2021; interview with Edw. Pentin (23-Sep-2019)
Dr. Charles Weaver is on the faculty of the Juilliard School, and serves as organist and director of music at St. Mary’s Church in Norwalk, Connecticut. His research interests include the history of music theory and the theory of plainchant rhythm. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and four children.—Read full biography (with photographs).
What can medieval and renaissance music pedagogy offer to us now?
What happened to all that polyphony once Catholicism became illegal?
This can seem like a dry topic, but it actually often deals with practical issues faced by every choirmaster who wants to promote plainchant.
A look at Dom Pothier’s performance instructions for a communion antiphon reveals a great deal of complexity in this pre-Mocquereau interpretive approach.
This summer, there are several interesting graduate-level courses on offer at St. Joseph’s Seminary in New York.
Occasionally the Solesmes rhythmic markings are surprising, as in one of tomorrow’s alleluias. Can we make sense of this?
Today’s communion antiphon is a masterpiece of musical exegesis.
The early history of Solesmes plainchant research provides a historical parallel for responding to current Vatican liturgical rules.
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Announcing an opportunity for graduate-level summer study in sacred music.
Two of our authors offer thoughts about the meaning of the liturgy within the context of our daily lives.
What if we take medieval music pedagogy seriously? Do its methods have anything to offer us today?
My personal encounter with him left a strong impression, which I will share here.
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When faced with restrictions on the size of the choir, history suggests that we can adapt music for smaller groups, including groups with only one singer.
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