CRC 2542

Gregorian Chant

Holy Week Easter

The Feast of St. Benedict

Schola Cantorum

Riga

GREGORIAN CHANT

Holy week - Easter - The Feast of St.Benedict

Offertorium: lmproperium lmproperium exspectavit cor meum, et miseriam: e t Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heavi- sustinui qui simul contristaretur, et non fuit, consolantem ness: and 1 looked for some to take pity, but there was me quaesivi, et non inveni. none; and for comforters, but I found none. Et dedemnt in escam meam fel, et in siti mea potaverunt They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they me aceto. gave me vinegar to drink.

V. Salvum me fac, Deus, quoniam intraverunt aquae V. Save me, 0 God; for the waters are come in unto my usque ad animam meam. soul.

Et dederunt ... They gave me...

Veneration of the Cross Ecce lignum Ecce lignum Crucis, in quo salus mundi pependit. Venite This is the wood of the cross, on which hung the Savior ot adoremus. the world. Come, let us worship.

Popule meus Popule meus, quid feci tibi? Aut in quo contristavi te! Responde mihi. V. Quia eduxi te de terra Aegypti: parasti crucem Salvatori tuo. Hagios o Theos. Sanctus Deus. Hagios Ischyros. Sanctus Fortis. Hagios Athanatos, eleison hymas. Sanctus Immortalis, miserere nobis. V. Quia eduxi te per desertum cluadraginta annis, et manna cibavi te, et introduxi in terram satis optimam: parasti krucem Salvatori tuo. Hagios o Them..

My people, what have I done to you! How have I offended you? Answer me! V. I led you out of Egypt, but you led your Savior to the cross. Holy is Gcd! Holy is God! Holy and strong! Holy and strong! Holy ~mmortal One, have mercy on us! Holy immortal One, have mercy on us! V. For forty years I led you safely through the desert, I fed you with manna from heaven, and brought you to a land of plenty, but you led your Savior to the cross. Holy is Gcd! ...

Cmcem tuam Crucem tuam adoramus, Domine: e t sancram resurrec- tionem tuam laudamus et glorificamus: ecce enim propter lignum venit gaudium in univcrso mundo. V. Deus misereatur nostri e t benedicat nobis: illuminet vultum suum super nos, e t misereatur nostri. Crucem tuam adoramus ...

Crux fidelis Crux fidelis inter omnes Arbor una nobilis: Nulla talem silva profert Fronde, flore, germine. Dulce Iignum, dulci clavo. Dulce pondus sustinens.

Pange, lingua, gloriosi Praelium certaminis. Et super Cmcis trophaeo Dic triumphum nobilem: Qualiter Redemptor orbis Immolatus vicerit.

De parentis protoplasti Fraude Factor condolens, Quando pomi noxialis Morte morsu corruit. lpse lignum tunc notavit, Damna ligni ut solveret.

Hoc opus nostrae salutis Ordo depoposcerat, Multiformis proditoris Arte ut artem falleret, Et medelam ferret inde, Hostis unde laeserat.

We venerate Your cross, o Lord, we praise and glorify your holy resurrection. Through the cross You brought joy to the world. V. May God be gracious and bless us; and let H a face shed its light upon us, and have mercy o n us We venerate Your cross...

Faithful Cross! Above all other. One and only noble Tree! None in foliage, none in blossom, None in fruit thy peers may he; Sweetest wood and sweetest iron,Sweetest Weight is hung on thee!

Sing, my tongue, the Savior's glory; Tell his triumph far and wide; Tell aloud the famous story Of His h d y crucified; How upon the cross a victlm, Vanquishing in death, He died.

Eating of the tree forbidden, Man had sunk in Satan's snare. When our pitying Creator did This second tree prepare; Destined, many ages later, That first evil to repair.

Such the order God appointed When for sin He would atone; T o the serpent thus opposing Schemes yet deeper than his own; Thence the remedy procuring, Whence the fatal wound had come

Flecte ramos, arbor alta, Tensa laxa viscera, Et rigor lentescat ille. Quem dedit nativitas: Ut superni membra Regis Miti tendas stipite.

Sola digna tu fuisti Ferre saecli pretium, Atque portum praeparare Nauta mundo naufrago: Quem sacer cmor pemnxit. Fusus Agni corpore.

Aequa Patri Filioque, Incllto Paraclito, Sempiterna sit beatae Trinitati gloria, Cuius alma nos redemit Atque servat gratia. Amen

Graduale: Christus factus est Christus factus est pro nobis obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem cmcis. V. Propter quod et Deus exaltavit illum, et dedit illi nomen, quod est super omne nomen. Christus factus est pro nobis ...

Introitus: Resurrexi Resurrexi, et adhuc tecum sum, alleluia: posuisti super me manum tuam, allelu~a: mirabilis facta est scientia tua, alleluia, alleluia. V. Domine, probasti me et cognovisti me : tu cognovisti sessionem meam, et resurrectionem meam. Resurrexi ...

Lofty tree, bend down thy branches, To embrace thy sacred load; Oh, relax the native tension Of that all too rigid wood; Gently, gently bear the members Of thy dying King and God.

Tree, which solely wast found worthy The world's Victim to sustain. Harbor from the raging tempest! Ark, that saved the world again! Tree, with sacred blood anolnted Of the Lamb for sinners slain.

Blessing, honor, everlasting, To the immortal Deity; To the Father, Son, and Spirit, Equal praises ever be; Glory through the earth and heaven To Trinity in Unity. Amen.

Christ became obedient for us even to death, dying on the cross. V. Therefore God raised him on high and gave him the name above all other names. Christ became obedient ...

1 arose, and am still with you, alleluia; You rest your hand upon me, alleluia; Your knowledge 1s too wonderful, alleluia, alleluia. V. 0 Lord, you have probed me and you know me; you now when 1 sit and when 1 stand. l arose...

Kyrie Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison.

Gloria Gloria in excelsis Deo. Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite lesu Christe. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris.

Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis

Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nos- tram. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis. Quoniam tu solus sanctus. Tu solus Dominu. Tu solus Altissimus, lesu Christe. Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.

Graduale: Haec dies Haec dies, quam fecit Dominus: exsultemus, et laetemur in ea. V. Confitemini Domino, quoniam bonus: quoniam in saeculum misericordia eius. Haec dies ...

Alleluia: Pascha nostrum Alleluia, alleluia. V. Pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus. Alleluia.

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will. We praise thee, we bless thee, we adore thee, we glorify thee. We give thee thanks for thy great glory. 0 Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father almighty. The only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. 0 Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father.

Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Who takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Who sitrest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy upon us. For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord. Thou only, o Jesus Christ, art most h~gh, together w ~ t h the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God, the Father. Amen.

This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it. V. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mer- cyendures forever. This is the day ...

Alleluia, alleluia. V. Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed. Alleluia.

Sequentia: Victimae paschali laudes Victimae paschali laudes immolent Christiani. Agnus redemit oves: Christus innocens Patr~ reconciliavit peccatores.

Mors et vita duello conflixere mirando: dux vitae mortu- us, regnat vivus. Dic nobis Maria, quid vidisti in via?

Sepulcmm Christi viventis: et gloriam vidi resurgentls.

Angelicas testes, sudarium, et vestes.

Surrexit Christus spes mea: praecedet suos in Galilaeam.

Scimus Christum surrexisse a mortuis vere: tu nobis victor Rex, rniserere.

Offertorium: Terra tremuit Terra tremuit et quievit, dum resurgeret in iudicio Deus, alleluia. V. Notus in ludea Deus: in Israel magnum nomen eius. allelu~a. Durn resurgeret ...

Sanctus Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domlni. Hosanna in excelsis.

Agnus Dei Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: rniserere nobis.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis.

To the Paschal Victim let Christians offer their praises. The lamb has redeemed the sheep: Christ, the sinless one, has reconciled sinners to the Father.

Death and life have engaged in a wondrous conflict: the slain leader of life reigns alive! Tell us Mary, what did you see on your way!

1 saw the sepulchre of the living Christ and the glory of Him rising. And I saw the angelic witnesses, the napkin, and the linen clothes. Christ my hope has risen: he shall go before his own into Galilee. We know that Christ has truly risen from the dead: 0 thou, Victor, King, have mercy upon us.

The earth feared and was silent, when God arose for judg- ment, alleluia. V. God is renowned in Juda; in lsrael great is his name, alleluia. When God arose ...

Holy, Holy. Holy, Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: dona nobis pacem.

Communio: Pascha nostrum Pascha nostrum immolatus esc Chr~stus, alleluia: icaque epulemur in arymis sinceritatis et veritatis, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. V. Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus: quoniam in saeculum misericordia eius. Pascha nostrum ...

Introitus: 0 s iusti 0 s iusti meditabitur sapientiam, e t lingua eius loquetur iudicium: lex Dei eius in corde ipsius.

V. Noli aemulari in malignantibus: neque relaveris facientes iniquitatem.

0 s iusti meditabitur ...

Graduale: Domine praevenisti Domine, praevenisti eum in benedictionibus dulcedinis: posuisti in capite eius coronam de lapide pretioso. V. Vitam petiit, et tribuisti ei longitudinem dierum in saeculum saeculi. Domine, praevenisti ...

Alleluia: lustus ut palma Alleluia, alleluia. V. lustus ut palma florebit, et s ~ c u t cedrus multipli- cabitur.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed, alleluia: therefore let us keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. V. Give thanks to the Lord; for he is good: for h ~ s mercy endures forever. Christ our Passover ...

The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment, the law of his God is in his heart. V. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

The mouth of the r~ghteous ...

For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. V. He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever. For thou preventest ...

Alleluia, alleluia. V. The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar.

Alleluia. Alleluia.

Sequentia: Laeta dies Laeta dies magni ducis, dona ferens novae lucis, hodie recolitur. Charis datur piae menti, corde sonet in ardenti quidquid foris promitur. Hunc per callem Orientis admiremur ascendentis patriar- chae speciem. Amplum semen magnae prolis illum fecit instar solis, Abrahae persirnilem. Corvum cernis ministrantem, hinc Eliam latitantem specu nosce parvulo. Elisaeus dignoscatur, cum securis revocatur de torrentis alveo. Illum loseph candor morum, Illum lacob futurorum mens effecit conscia. Ipse memor suae gentis, nos perducat in manentis semper Christi gaudia. Amen.

Offertorium: Desiderium Desiderium animae eius tribuisti ei, Domine, et voluntate labiorum eius non fraudasti eum: posuisti in capite eius coronam de lapide pretioso. V. Vitam petiit et tribuisti ei, Domine. Et voluntate ... V. Laetificabis eum in gaudio cum vultu tuo. Posuisti in capite ...

Communio: Fidelis servus Fidelis sewus et prudens, quem constituit Dominus supet familiam suam: ut det illis in tempore tritici mensuram.

V. Beatus vir, qui timet Dominum: in mandatis eius cupit nimis. Fidelis servus... V. Potens in terra erit semen eius: generatio rectorum benedicetur. Fidelis servus ...

Let us praise our holy leader, as his joyous feast-day brings us gifts of new and wondrous light. Heart and voice accord together, as we show by outward homage, eager zeal and ardent love. We recall the pathway eastward of Saint Benedict our father to the realm of endless day. As the stars of countless number are his children down the ages like to Abraham himself. Faithful raven did his bidding, as the crows once fed Elijah hidden in his lowly cave. He was also like Elisha who an axehead swiftly rescued from the river Jordan's bed. Joseph he portrayed in virtue, and surpassed great Jacob's foresight in his gift of prophecy. Mindful ever of his children may he bring us all hereafter to Christ's everlasting joy. Amen.

Thou hast given him his heart's desire, o Lord, and hast not withholden the request of his lips, thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. V. He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, o Lord. And hast not... V. I will be glad and rejoice in thee. Thou settest a crown...

He is the faithful and wise servant that his Lord will put in charge, to run the household and give the other servants their share of the food at the right time. V. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. He is the faithful ... V. His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.

f i e texts of the Chants for Christian worship according to the Roman rite were probably kid down as early as the 6th or 7th century. The oldest manuscripts in which these texts are completely documented for us date from the end of the 8th century. And it is precisely in this period, beoueen 760 and 800, that they appear to have taken on that tonal shape which was later called "Gregorian chant" in honor of the great Pope Gregory I (died 604). These melodies were first written down from the beginning of the 10th century onwards with signs which corresponded in their form to the movements of the person leading the group of cantors and which were 'therefore called "neumes" from the Greek "neuma", meaning a gesture or sign. It is thanks to these signs that we today are able to fill the songs of the Gregorian chant again with the life that was in them from the beginning. The scholarly study of the signs shows that these melodies owe their origin not to a primarily musical

ire to formulate but that rather in them texts took on tricate and artistic melodic formulation which had

ady been being passed on musically through the cen- s, from generation to generation.

So Gregorian chant is fundamentally the utterance of words to notes. Preaching the word of God in the liturgy and submersion in the word of God are the basis and aim of its melodies. It is thanks to the dynamic nature of the Gospel in the liturgy as well as to the dynamic response of people from differing backgrounds that the composers gave Gregorian chants a freely developing rhythm which is, thus, able to take individual account of the emotional state and the requirements of the respective text. While the Gregorian chant is liturgical music and, ulti- mately, only to be understood and appreciated in the context of the liturgy, it is nevertheless quite indepen-

dently a cultural asset of great artistic order. Thanks to the beauty, harmony and power of expression of its melodies blossoming from the Latin text, the Gregorian chant is considered the most perfect monodic music of the Occident. "Europe's teacher" is just one of the hon- orary titles that the world of music has given Gregorian chant. Indeed, it is not only the cradle of the history and culture of music of the entire Western world but it has also determined and influenced it to the present day. Thus, in the field of music, any creative artist or art histo- rian cannot possibly ignore the Gregorian chant when reflecting upon the origins of music.

SCHOLA CANTORUM RIGA

Schola Cantorum Riga was established in 1995 as a group for authentic interperation of Gregorian chant and since t f m has developed a wide repertoire.The group has grown out of the wadition of Gregorian weeks in Latvia.

The choir is often invited to sing in various churches and m many other musical centres of Latvia. Several successful pro- jects h a w been carried out m Riga Dome Cathedral.

In 1997, 1998 and 2000 Schola Cantorum Riga made a con- cert tours to Germany and Belgium where it took part in sev- eral services and experienced great response by listeners in concerts.

Guntars Pranis (b . 1971) is the founder and artistic leader of Schola Cantorum Riga. Currently he is a teacher of Gregorian chant, himnology, lirhurgy and choir conductingat the htvian Music Academy. He has also acted as artistic director of many gregorian weeks and courses in Latvia and Estonia.

Gregorian Chant Holy Wee k-Eas ter-The Feas t of St . Benedict Schola Cantorum Riga

Holy Week Sekct Chants

1. Palm Sunday Offertorium: lmpmperium

2. Good Friday Veneration of the Cross 12.11 Ecce lignum 12.21 Popule meus 12.31 Cmcem tuam [2.4] Crux fidelis

3. Graduale: Chnstus factus est

12. Agnus Dei 1 1 :28 13. Communio: Pascha nostrum 3:07

Easter Mass durmg the day 4. Inwiw: Resurrexi 3:20 5. Kyriel 1:19 6. Gloria 1 3:20 7. Graduale: Haec dies 3:20 8. Alleluia: Pascha nostrum 2:37 9. Sequentia: Victimae paschali laudes 2:40

10. Offertorium: Terra uemuit 3:43 11. SanctusI 1:18

449 The Feast ofSt.Benedict TkPro~ofrheMass

16:26 14. lnuoitus: 0 s iusti 15. Graduale: Domine praevenisti 16. Alleluia: lustus ut palma 17. Sequentia: Laeta dies 18. Offertorium: Desiderium

3:04 19. Communio: Fidelis senrus

Total Duration:

S c M CrmtoMn Riga Soloists

Liga Omla (1,3,7,8,15,17) lnta Godina (10) Aigars Reinis (2,4,13,14.17,19) Guntars Pranis (16,18).

Direction: Guntars Pranis

CRC 2542

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Recorded March 27-31,2000 in St. Savior's Church, Riga, Latvia. Engineered by Normunds Slava. Executive Producer: Victor E. Sachse. Cover: Neroccio di Bartolomeo di Benedetto de'Landi (Siena, 1447-1500): The Virgin and Child between St. John the Baptist and St. Anthony.

@J O 2001 Centaur Records, Inc.