I do believe that it is quite possible to learn chant mainly by ear. Isn't that what the monks did for a thousand years?
Therefore, I will begin an experiment in a week and a half that will hopefully begin to be the standard by recording the communion antiphons every week, and those who wish to sing them may learn them and practice before Mass.
I don't know how it will go; however, it does seem to me that one just has to listen to something a hundred times and then one will be able to sing it perfectly!
I will provide my choir with the recordings, and the sheet music, either from photocopies of Communio, or if this works out, then from the actual book, or even thinking really far ahead to the Gregorian Missal! (to incorporate this to other parts of the Mass!)
[which, by the way, Fr. G just told me that he is in the process of obtaining for me a Liber Usualis! yay! omg!]
Feel free to criticize my style of interpretation, it certainly is NOT "old Solemnes," but I do not know how to read the St. Gall neumes or whatever, so it is my attempt at combining them! I try to incorporate bits that I learned in my year of singing in a schola with someone who was basing her interpretation off the St. Gall manuscripts (think: Graduale Triplex.)
(we will save the old neumes for another summer...)
here it is:
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=c83b2d83e15dbdf67069484bded33bcd016b0442a9d49e80
4 comments:
Dear Mara,
Almost (?) the entire Gregorian propers for Sundays are recorded here:
http://www.christusrex.org/www2/cantgreg/index_eng.html
In case that is of use to you.
yeah...except I HATE how they do the Old Solemnes style, especially with that silly thing where they sustain the note for a beat every time before they sing the ascending three note thing (sorry I just know how to sing chant, not what all the neumes are called!)
I think you’re thinking of a quilisma?
I’ve not gotten into the nitty-gritty of what notes are held for exactly how long and sung with this or that shading.
...which is my way of saying, “uhh...I do it that way, too...”
Maybe your next post can be why you so dislike holding the first note of a quilisma.
On a separate note, I like your voice.
Mara-
It is totally possible to learn anything by ear...that is how us second-tier musicians who can't read a note of music have to learn everything!
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