The Gregorian Modes

By (author) Monks of Solesmes

$43.95

ISBN: 9782852742209
Trim size: 0 x 0 inches
Weight: 14 ounces.
Publication Date: N/A
Product ID: 4085
Format: Hardcover

This is one of the most important writings about Gregorian chant and makes clear the role of the modes in the study of chant. Beautifully organized and written by Dom Daniel Saulnier, a Benedictine monk at the Abbey of Solesmes, France, the book is divided into two parts: Modality, which describes the history and evolution of the modes, and The Gregorian Octoechos (the system of eight modes in which Gregorian chant fits) that is a comprehensive study of each of the modes. Based on studies undertaken by Dom Jean Claire (1920-2006) and Father Jean Jeanneteau ((1908-1992), The Gregorian Modes uses charts and numerous musical examples (all of which are referenced by a handy index) to underscore all of Dom Saulnier’s explanations, making what seems difficult into an accessible and useful volume. This is ideal for both the scholar and student of chant alike.

Author Bio

Since the refounding of the monastery of St. Peter of Solesmes in 1833 under Dom Prosper Gueranger, this Benedictine monastery on the River Sarthe in western France has set the world standard both for the performance of Gregorian chant and the authenticity of the music itself. Commissioned by Pope Pius X to research the role of chant in liturgy and to edit books on chant that reflect this research, Solesmes enjoys an enviable reputation. Its work in liturgical reform and in the current revival of Gregorian chant has been likened to that of the great abbey of Cluny in the Middle Ages. These recordings incorporate new understandings of ancient manuscripts and represent a distillation of nearly 200 years of scholarship in the chant: musical paleography, semiology, and modality. The groundbreaking work by the monks of Solesmes has contributed to today’s resurgence of interest in Gregorian chant as the foundation of Western music.