Hiley Plainchant book at Google Books

FYI, parts of David Hiley's Western Plainchant have now been scanned and posted at Google Books. I'm told by friends that this is an indispensable reference - although, my: is it pricey.

Here's an intro from the main page there:

Plainchant is the oldest substantial body of music that has been preserved in any shape or form. It was first written down in Western Europe in the eighth to ninth centuries. Many thousands of chants have been sung at different times or places in a multitude of forms and styles, responding to the differing needs of the church through the ages. This book provides a clear and concise introduction, designed both for those to whom the subject is new and those who require a reference work for advanced study. It begins with an explanation of the liturgies that plainchant was designed to serve. It describes all the chief genres of chant, different types of liturgical book, and plainchant notations. After an exposition of early medieval theoretical writing on plainchant, Hiley provides a historical survey that traces the constantly changing nature of the repertory. He also discusses important musicians and centers of composition. Copiously illustrated with over 200 musical examples, this book highlights the diversity of practice and richness of the chant repertory in the Middle Ages. It will be an indispensable introduction and reference source on this important music for many years to come.

OJN Seasonal Hymnal

A new addition to the "iPublications– Liturgical Aids" page at the website of the (Episcopal) Order of Julian of Norwich: a downloadable PDF file of the OJN Seasonal Hymnal (Advent-Lent): Mostly Gregorian plainchant.

Very exciting! This 9MB file contains texts and chant scores for all these hymns. There are many other PDFs of interest on that page as well, including the entire Daily Office Chantbook and the pointed Psalter.

Taking a (very brief) extra-Advent moment to discuss the Proclamation of Christmas

Fear not; this will just be a short detour out of the season.

After listening to the "Proclamation of Christmas" sound file from the Regina Laudis "The Announcement of Christmas" CD I went (naturally) on a hunt for the Latin text so I could match up the mp3 with the words.

I found it, side-by-side with the English version, at the "Customs of Christmas" page at Fisheaters (a really great little informational site, from - it seems - a lay Catholic perspective):

The Eighth of the Calends of January

The year from the creation of the world, when in the beginning God created heaven and earth, five thousand one hundred and ninety-nine:

From the deluge, the year two thousand nine hundred and fifty-seven:

From the birth of Abraham, the year two thousand and fifteen:

From Moses and the going out of the people of Israel from Egypt, the year one thousand five hundred and ten:

From David's being anointed king, the year one thousand and thirty-two:

In the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel:

In the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad:

From the building of the city of Rome, the year seven hundred and fifty-two:

In the forty-second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus:

The whole world being in peace:

In the sixth age of the world: Jesus Christ, the eternal God, and Son of the eternal Father, wishing to consecrate this world by his most merciful coming, being conceived of the Holy Ghost, and nine months since his conception having passed, In Bethlehem of Juda is born of the Virgin Mary, being made Man:

THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO THE FLESH!

Octavo Kalendas Januarii

Anno a creatione mundi, quando in principio Deus creavit coelum et terram, quinquies millesimo centesimo nonagesimo nono:

A diluvio vero, anno bis millesimo nongentesimo quinquagesimo septimo:

A nativitate Abrahae, anno bis millesimo quintodecimo:

A Moyse et egressu populi Israel de Aegypto, anno millesimo quingentesimo decimo:

Ab unctione David in regem, anno millesimo trigesimo secundo:

Hebdomoda sexagesima quinta juxta Danielis prophetiam:

Olympiade centesima nongentesima quarta:

Ab urbe Roma condita, anno septingentesimo quinquagesimo secundo:

Anno imperii Octaviani Augusti quadragesimo secundo:

toto urbe in pace composito,

sexta mundi aetate, Jesus Christus aeternus Deus, aeternique Patris Filius, mundum volens adventu suo piisimo consecrare, de Spiritu Sancto conceptus, novemque post conceptionem decursus mensibus, in Bethlehem Judae nascitur ex Maria Virgine factus homo:

NATIVITAS DOMINI NOSTRI JESU CHRISTI SECUNDUM CARNEM!

Here is a PDF of the chant in modern musical notation and language, found at the U.S. Catholic Bishops website. They have, BTW, edited the "creation of the world" language; it now reads:

"Today, the twenty-fifth day of December, unknown ages from the time when God created the heavens and the earth and then formed man and woman in his own image....

Which is a good thing, I'd say. Heh. The sisters are singing the other version, though, with the exact counting of years. Sometimes Tradition gets a little bit in the way, don't you think? "Unknown ages" is a much more beautiful and mystical idea, and evokes the immensity and majesty of God in a much more powerful way, too.

Well, anyway. Now (hurriedly) back to our regularly-scheduled celebration of Advent.