Singing Gregorian Chant Rhythm and Solfeggio - now available.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    I'm pleased to announce the release of another book, this is the section of two chapters that was added to A Beginner's Guide to Reading Gregorian Chant Notation that made it into: A Beginner's Guide to Singing Gregorian Chant Notation, Rhythm and Solfeggio.

    I need to offer special thanks to all the staff at the Colloquium. I had begun work on this addition to the book before I attended, but being there solidified a lot of ideas and made this easy to finish.

    Some people read chant and do not want to be seen carrying a book that says "BEGINNER'S" on it, so I made the decision to offer these Rhythm and Solfeggio sections as a separate book. It has a GORGEOUS cover, due to the use of a illuminated manuscript of chant that Francis Koerber had put together and sent to this group earlier this year.

    Thank you, Francis, you are a man of many talents.

    You can see the front of the cover at www.basicchant.com, to see the rest of the cover, buy the book! You may buy all my books on amazon.com and they offer great deals and free shipping at times. This afternoon I also got word that J.W. Pepper will be carrying my books in their library and college division.

    In closing, I dedicated these two books to the people that helped make them possible, the Staff and All Members of the Church Music Association of America, you who all helped so much to make this possible.
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    Noel, I wonder if you make the disclaimer somewhere in the book that this is a guide for reading from Solesmes notation, according to the Solesmes method.
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,369
    The question arises, which Solesmes method? The 'Classic Solemn Method' is not only not the one being taught at Solesmes now - it is repudiated there. We do indeed need a primer of chant reflecting Current scholarship at Solesmes and elsewhere. Is this the one?
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    No, not at all. This is not a Primer on the Solesmes method for a variety of reasons including that I am singularly not qualified to write such a thing. I agree that it would be of interest.

    Incantu, if you can tell me which pages imply or say that this is a guide to reading Solesmes, I'd immediately revise it. Let me know.

    This is a guide to understanding what a singer might come across when singing using chant books in use in the US.

    While it points out what the ictus looks like and may mean, it very clearly tells singers to do two things when wondering about the ictus: Ask questions and follow the conductor.

    If it is not possible to do one or the other, ALWAYS FOLLOW THE CONDUCTOR.

    It does mention that while holds may appear on marked neumes, other holds may be inserted by the conductor and when that happens, SING THE HOLDS.

    There are samples of chant that display the ictus and those that do not and that was intentional. Possibly you saw a sample page with icti?

    Does this help?

    Does anyone disagree with the advice to ALWAYS FOLLOW THE CONDUCTOR?
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