The Textbook of Gregorian Chant According to the Solesmes Method

by Dom Gregory Sunol, G.M. Durnford (Translator)

1930. By compressing the Solesmes teaching within the narrow limits of a general textbook, Dom Sunol has rendered good service of the Gregorian cause. It was prepared under the direct supervision of the Solesmes Benedictine Fathers at Quarr Abbey, who supplied invaluable help on almost every page, mainly in the direction of ensuring greater accuracy, clearing up obscure passages, simplifying technical points and generally making the book more accessible to the ordinary student of plainsong.

242 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1929

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a frustrating book for its apparent purpose of teaching Gregorian chant. It has gaps everywhere that an instructor would have to fill; the relationship of course would presumably be that the instructor is teaching a program of his own and this book is merely a secondary tool, not a primary text that he is "teaching out of."

What's really fascinating, and depressing, is the collection of papal and episcopal documents at the end from the early 20th century starting from Pius X's stern and demanding instruction to reform and revert ecclesial music to a state where plainsong chant dominates and a few other late medieval and Renaissance styles are tolerated. It's just surreal to read this in 2023. A century ago Pius XI could still say the reform was going on, of course with laggards and recusants and excuse-makers, but still going on. Obviously this movement collapsed completely. It would be of passing interest to learn more details about its collapse before and after Vatican II and the advent of the Novus Ordo.

This idea was surely too extreme. Liturgical music surely does not need to be this restrictive. However, I have to admit that I think we have lost all idea what we're doing in liturgical music. I would appreciate being saturated in an environment like Solesmes and learning this unquestionably authentic Christian music at a deep level. Sadly, chant done badly (which this book warns us against frequently) is a real and depressing thing. Chant that the congregation cannot possibly join in singing because it's too melismatic and ornamented and tedious and wandering is very much also a real thing. I note that our authors comment that the real golden age of chant was prior to 1000 AD or so, and so even by Aquinas' time the bloom was already starting to pass and chant was beginning to slide into decadence. Unfortunately I hear a lot of what I suspect to be that style of decadent chant.

I want to get out some of my old chant cassettes or CDs from the 20th century now.

[Elisabeth pifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monks of Solemes are the authority on the performance and interpetation of Gregorian chant. This book also includes ideas for lesson plans for teaching scholas.