Color by “Neum”ber
A Gregorian chant workbook for kids (there’s one for adults too).
Farewell to Alleluia
Kids singing Gregorian chant with puppets. Don’t worry, it’s a non-liturgical setting.
Browsing Illuminated Manuscripts in Switzerland
Thank you internet! Browsing Swiss libraries of medieval manuscripts from home. Life doesn’t get much better than this.
Extending a music lesson
Would you like to help people make the connection between the Latin and the English translations?
Introducing polyphony in a round about way
Canons are a handy way to introduce singing in harmony. Here are some picks from the Choral Public Domain Library.
Interleaving Latin and English on the page
Most books place Latin and English in parallel columns or on facing pages. Let’s look at the less common approach of interverse translations.
Epiphany Proclamations
On Epiphany and calendars – proclaiming dates for 2014 and wondering why Eastern Orthodox dates are different.
Mode 3 Antiphon for the party season
Translating English carols into Latin, always good for a laugh, especially where scarlet nosed deer are concerned.
Trimmings on Advent
Cards, gifts, wreaths, trees and candles. How do you keep Advent?
What passion cannot music raise and quell!
John Dryden’s Song for Saint Cecilia’s Day – in praise of the power of music
Funerals and Last Things
Having stable, familiar, unchanging plans in place can be very reassuring, rather than the pressure to be original and creative.
Tonight, pray Compline for the Holy Souls
After many years, I finally type up the psalms for Compline of All Souls’ Day in Latin and English.
St Teresa’s Dad and Standards
“My father was fond of reading good books and had some in Spanish so that his children might read them too.” – some in Spanish – today we assume our books would be in our native tongue, but not so in St Teresa’s home.
Jump start your rehearsal
Packing more chant into your regular rehearsal.
Pedagogy, propers and psalm tones
While psalm tones are comparatively simple, understanding and singing them is still a learned skill. Here are some psalm toned settings of two upcoming Sundays.
Holy Michael Archangel
Not one, but two hymns that the omniscient Google didn’t know about, in honour of St Michael the Archangel, with sheet music.
The Pope’s interview, context and Latin.
We shouldn’t sing in Latin because it cuts people off. Except O Sanctissima, because everyone knows that one. And maybe Salve Regina. And Tantum Ergo we all know by now. And…
Singing the Divine Office before and after Mass
Singing Terce before and Sext after Sunday Mass and Compline after weeknight Masses. A new book with everything you need according to the Monastic Office with English translations.
Chant antiphon for peace
Gregorian chant is a great resource for transcending cultural differences and joining people in prayer. Here is a simple chant especially for peace.
Making time
Time, time, said old King Tut, is something I have nothing but.