The Epiphany Communion Song: Vidimus Stellam

COMMUNION • Epiphany from Corpus Christi Watershed on Vimeo.The translation for this chant is built right in to the video above, as you can see:  "We have seen his star in the East, and we have come with our gifts, to worship the Lord."Here's the chant score by itself:The modern form of today's chant propers is exactly like the historical (1962 Missal/Tridentine) ...

Reno, erat Rudolphus

A quick one, before the Christmas season ends.  Listen carefully....(Hint:  "Reno" means "reindeer...

The Epiphany Proclamation 2014

It seems that the Catholic Church has created a new translation of the Epiphany Proclamation, in addition to its creation of a new translation of the Exsultet.In addition, Chant Cafe has posted the score in both modern notation and square notes, plus a very nicely-sung audio file (mp3) (not this year's, though) as a practice recording.  (Saint Meinrad has the score, too.)Here's the new text - I like it better than the old one - from the UCCB's...

"A Renaissance Christmas"

There are some really wonderful songs here, along with readings from Scripture, via Boston Camerata circa 1991.  You can get the CD  here:  http://www.amazon.com/A-Renaissance-Christmas-Boston-Camerata/dp/B000005IXX; only 1 left in stock as I write!Here's the track list:1. Nowell: Dieus Vous Garde2. Gaudete, Gaudete3. Reading: Luke I, 18 - 224. Ecce ancilla Domini: Kyrie Eleison5. E La Don Don6. Two Fantasies on 'Une Jeune Fillette'7....

Carols from King's College Cambridge (2013)

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Personent Hodie: On this day, earth shall ring

We had Personent Hodie  today at the very beautiful Christmas Day Eucharist.  It's another song from the 1582 Piae Cantiones; the melody is 14th Century.   The Latin words date from the 12th Century; the German ones from the 14th.  Sung here by the King's College Choir:Here are the Latin words, with an English translation by Jane M. Joseph below; I'm...

Christmas Day: Divinum mysterium

Here's the beautiful hymn "Of the Father's Love Begotten," sung to the melody Divinum mysterium.  This hymn first appeared in this form in the Piae Cantiones, a collection of hymns and songs from the late medieval period and published in 1582.  Piae Cantiones was compiled by Finnish clergyman Jaakko Suomalainen; it contains several other well-known hymns,...