The Restoration of Gregorian Chant : Solesmes and the Vatican Edition

This book presents for the first time in English the fully documented history of the Gregorian chant restoration which culminated in the publication of the Vatican Edition ordered by Pope Pius X at the dawn of the twentieth century. It is based upon archival documents in the Abbey of St. Pierre de Solesmes. The ecclesia orans, the Praying Church, has always regarded genuine church music as an integral part of prayer and of solemn public worship as a whole. Sacred music is not intended to beautify and decorate worship. Rather, taking shape from the depths of the Church's interior life, sacred music bears the imprint of that divine beauty which never grows old—and which is far more sublime than all mere artistic or historical intentions. Gregorian chant, the Catholic Church's very own music, is proper to the Roman liturgy, but during the course of its long history it has experienced periods of ascendancy and of decline. A century ago, Pope Pius X called for a restoration of the sacred melodies, and the result was the Vatican Edition. This book describes in careful, vivid detail the strenuous efforts of personalities like Dom Joseph Pothier, Dom Andre Mocquereau, Fr. Angelo de Santi, and Peter Wagner to carry out the wishes of the Pope. The attentive reader will not fail to note that many of the questions so fervidly debated long ago are still current and topical today. The original French edition, Histoire de la restauration du chant grégorien , was published by the Abbey of Solesmes in 1969. Robert A. Skeris's new introduction to this edition illuminates the current discussion with documentation including the Preface to the Vatican Gradual and the "Last Will and Testament" written by Dom Eugene Cardine. Publisher's description: This book presents for the first time in English the fully documented history of the Gregorian chant restoration which culminated in the publication of the Vatican Edition ordered by Pope Pius X at the dawn of the twentieth century. It is based upon archival documents in the Abbey of St. Pierre de Solesmes. The ecclesia orans, the Praying Church, has always regarded genuine church music as an integral part of prayer and of solemn public worship as a whole. Sacred music is not intended to beautify and decorate worship. Rather, taking shape from the depths of the Church's interior life, sacred music bears the imprint of that divine beauty which never grows old--and which is far more sublime than all mere artistic or historical intentions. Gregorian chant, the Catholic Church's very own music, is proper to the Roman liturgy, but during the course of its long history it has experienced periods of ascendancy and of decline. A century ago, Pope Pius X called for a restoration of the sacred melodies, and the result was the Vatican Edition. This book describes in careful, vivid detail the strenuous efforts of personalities like Dom Joseph Pothier, Dom Andre Mocquereau, Fr. Angelo de Santi, and Peter Wagner to carry out the wishes of the Pope. The attentive reader will not fail to note that many of the questions so fervidly debated long ago are still current and topical today. The original French edition, Histoire de la restauration du chant grǧorien, was published by the Abbey of Solesmes in 1969. Robert A. Skeris's new introduction to this edition illuminates the current discussion with documentation including the Preface to the Vatican Gradual and the "Last Will and Testament" written by Dom Eugene Cardine. Dom Pierre Combe, O.S.B., (1913-1993) was a monk and archivist of the Abbey of Solesmes. +Theodore Marier, world renowned scholar and composer, was Justine Bayard Ward Professor and Director of the Center for Ward Studies at The Catholic University of America. William Skinner, a former student of Dr. Marier's, is a professional translator and interpreter.

Gregorian chant, the Catholic Church's very own music, is proper to the Roman liturgy, but during the course of its long history it has experienced periods of ascendancy and decline. A century ago, Pope Pius X called for a restoration of the sacred melodies, and the result was the Vatican Edition. This book presents for the first time in English the fully documented history of the Gregorian chant restoration. The original French edition was published by the Abbey of Solesmes in 1969.

This book describes in careful, vivid detail the strenuous efforts of personalities like Dom Joseph Pothier, Dom Andre Mocquereau, Fr. Angelo de Santi, and Peter Wagner to carry out the wishes of the pope. The attentive reader will not fail to note that many of the questions so fervidly debated long ago are still current and topical today. Robert A. Skeris's new introduction to this edition illuminates the current discussion with documentation including the Preface to the Vatican Gradual and the Last Will and Testament written by Dom Eugene Cardine.

The Restoration of Gregorian Chant is a multicultural icon . . . a historical exploration laden with intrigues, opinions, Episcopal approvals, memorandums, circulars, Congresses, verbatims, Vatican Commissions, copyrights, and Pontifical documents. Dom Combe's compelling sense of purpose is an incredible window of reason and energy, an oeuvre that clearly resonates the immortal Gregorian Chant.—Peter J. Basch, American Organist

An engrossing story—replete with documentation but hardly without controversy and intrigue—of how the modern chant books came to be produced. It is essential to understanding the versions of chant we singtoday.—William Mahrt, Stanford University

Contents Introduction Translators’ Note The Restoration of Gregorian Chant Foreword List of Plates One. The Gregorian Reform at Solesmes I. Dom Guéranger’s Rationale II. Period of Preparation III. The First Publications Two. The Vatican Edition A. Preliminaries of the Gregorian Reform under Leo XIII I. Dom André Mocquereau and the Paléographie Musicale II. Father de Santi and Monsignor Carlo Respighi B. The Work of St. Pius X III. The New Legislation of Pius X IV. The Meetings of the Commission Held in 1904 V. The Meetings of the Commission Held in 1905 VI. The Vatican Commission from 1905 to 1913 Conclusion Appendix I: Resolutions of the Arezzo Congress Appendix II: Briefs Addressed to Dom Pothier Appendix III: The 1893 Votum of Cardinal Sarto Appendix IV: Translation of the Original Italian Text of the Documents Relating to the Origins of the Vatican Commission Appendix V: Bibliography Plates 4-11 Index More than a hundred years have passed since a young monk methodically began studying the elements of Gregorian chant and copying old manuscripts, by order of Dom Gueranger.