Friday, February 10, 2006

A chantin' we will go ...

So, the parish is sending a group to the chant workshop in Alabama. Eight people signed up, possibly nine. I'm pumped! It will be a quick trip --- 5 hour drive to Auburn, stay overnight and drive back Saturday night after the Vigil Mass.

And just as this was being finalized, my order from Cantica Nova finally arrived (it was backordered), a nice new print of the Graduale Simplex from Libreria Editrice Vaticana, with a supplement with the English translation of the praenotanda, and a CD on learning Gregorian Chant. Woo hoo!

As some of y'all know, my first introduction to Catholic liturgy were these dusty old Tridentine Missals lying around in the library of St. Xavier's in Bombay. And this one Manual of Gregorian Chant, an English translation of a Solesmes work dating from around 1910 or thereabouts, that I managed to borrow, month after month, for two years, from the library ... after which, it vanished into the shadowy corners of Br. Dominic's domain, never to emerge again. While in my possession, I taught myself the delightfully simple four-stave (neumes) notation, and cast several chants to memory. A few still remain, such as the Carthusian version of the Salve Regina, the Asperges, and the entire (simple version) of the Te Deum.

I don't think that Gregorian Chant is going to make a huge comeback anytime soon, or displace the Haugen-Haas Complex (you know, like the Military-Industrial Complex beloved of leftish thinking :-)). But anything that helps with the revival of this neglected heritage of the Latin Rite is awesome.

Cannot wait! :-)

[I must say that I will probably be burnt at the stake in all kinds of circles, since I actually do like some Haugen-Haas stuff. Can't win 'em all ... :-)]

2 comments:

Jennifer said...

They say that the best Catholics are converts. You make me wish that I was a convert. I happened upon your blog just by clicking the Next Blog button. I'm glad that I did. For the past 10 years I have used being a Catholic living in the South (VA) as an excuse to not go to Mass. South Carolina is even further South. My excuse is gone. Hopefully some of your inspiration will rub off on me. Thanks!

Jennifer

Fr. Gaurav Shroff said...

Jennifer -- thanks for stopping by -- no such things as coincidences, eh? :)

I do hope you can connect back with the sacramental life of the Church -- I have a feeling you'll find it makes a huge difference! If you drop me an email, I can do some research on parishes in your area.

Yes, there's the whole zeal of the convert thing -- but all you cradle Catholics have so much going. You've had this all your life! :)

Blessings and prayers for your journey.

[And I know of one loyal reader who's from the Dogwood state ... :) He may have some suggestions too!]