I was asked to accompany gregorian chant during masses from september. I have absolutely no idea how to do it. I have listened some examples on youtube, I've seen some sheets with special arrangements. Everybody is doing it in its own way. I know there is no "correct" answer to my question, but still - if you have some tips, some advices about style, registration and harmony rules to give, what to do, what to avoid - I would be so grateful...
Sounds like a - explain the universe in three sentences - job. You must post the results when you have finished. Best of luck with the project
teddy
Normally, Gregorian Chant is best sung un-accompanied, but for the less experienced choral group they probably only need reinforcement of their parts.
In that case I would suggest using a light string stop at 8' pitch along with a soft 4' flute stop, and keep the box closed. Play the voice parts on the manuals only and make sure that the organ is not heard above the voices.
If you detect the voices going flat, add a little more volume or a very subtle 2' flute to the mix, and remove that once they are back on key.
Experiment around a little ... but as a rule, don't be tempted to add that major third to the final open fifth chord of the choir.
Kh ~~.
Administrator
Amateur musicians practice until they get it right ...
Professional musicians practice until they can't get it wrong ...
If you get a chance to rehearse the choir, I would try to get them to feel comfortable singing it a capella. If they are a bit insecure you might only need to provide a simple accompaniment that does not play the melody. I would change cords where the accents fall in the text.
There are some good examples of chant accompaniment in the Episcopal Hymnal 1982. Number 502 for Veni Creator Spiritus might be a good one to look at. Richard Proulx did this arrangement and I think it is a wonderful style to emulate. Number 504 offers another accompaniment to the same chant, this one by Charles Winfred Douglas.
Hope this helps.
Dear Star of the Sea: When they wrote those Gregorian chants, there was no such thing as accompaniment. Furthermore, they were in Latin.
Might as well just improvise on them, as Daniel Roth and surely others are said to do.
It occurs to me that at least one is already cut out for you. The "Dies Irae" has been done in any number of places -- try Berlioz' "Symphonie Fatastique".
Guilmant, Gigout, Tournemire, Cochereu to name but four, have all produced either stunning improvisiations or compositions (or both) on a ton of plainchant - always a good place to start.
At the cathedral where I used to play (and I still utterly hate saying that mainly because of the narcissistic cretin who was responsible and is still there destroying everything decent) ... sorry, where was I? Oh yes ... there were a few congregational uses of plainchant throughout the mass which were accompanied by myself or the (also former) principal organist. In our particular instance, it was mainly a case of following the phrasing and not going too over the top with harmony changes, although a bit of modalism here and there was always welcome. As for improvisations afterwards, well they were always open slather!.
Music is made to transform the states of the soul, for an hour or an instant (J. Alain)
Ah, we musn't forget Durufle - Listen to his Messe Cum Jubilo or Requiem and how Durufle has the organ seamlessly integrated with the vocal parts.
Gregorian chant, is a capella, isn't it?
Yes indeed, me too, I appreciate gregorian chant without any instrument. And I like to use it as improvisation theme. But I'm confused when I have to make an accompaniment. In France, gregorian chant has sometimes been accompanied (since 17th century, my collegue told me!) and the church where I will play they prefer to have a "support" while singing. Every organist does it in his own way. I haven't really heard anything beautiful to reproduce... The less I hear organ, the better it is
maybe a very soft 8' stop supporting the bass line is all that's needed?
When you're accompanying Gregorian chant, you have to watch what is the mode of the composition. This because ancient music was not based upon tonality, but modality. There were 8 modes that can be accompained using minor and major chords together. E.g., a gregorian scale could be: d e f g a b-natural c d. What is it? Neither major neither minor but I would use d-minor chords, but, on Gs and ** I'd play G major, on Es a-minor. Or: g a b c d e f-natural g accompanied with g-major chords but minor ones on As, Ds, Fs. You should also finish in a major chord, expecially if you're finishing with an Amen or Alleluia. If you have gregorian scores to accompany with neumatic notations modes are often written at the beginning of the song; if you have modern notation ones just watch the notes you can see in the score: they simply are the modal scale.
For the registration, try with this simple scheme
If you're playing an Antiphon (Introitus, Offertorium, Communio)
Intonation (Cantor) - till the * : 8' Bourdon
Antiphon (Choir) : add a 4' stop (a flute?)
Psalm (V/): only 8'
Psalm Response (R/) : keep a note (a tenor-related one?) with the pedal (Soubasse 16') to sustain the chant
Gloria Patri (V/)...Sicut erat (R/) as the psalm
Antiphon repeated.
For Mass ordinary: (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus-Benedictus, Agnus Dei, also Ite missa est)
Mass ordinary are often sung "alternatim" with the people.
Intonation (Priest/Cantor): 8' Bourdon
Then alternate 8'+4' / 8'
This does not apply to Kyrie.
Kyrie eleison (Priest): 8' Bourdon
" " (Choir): 8' Diapason/Principal
" " (People): 8' Principal + 4' flute
The same for Christe Eleison and for another Kyrie eleison
The hymns (e.g. Pange Lingua/Veni Creator/...) should be sung by all the choir but, in order not to be monotone, you can alternate a 8' with a 8'+4' in every stanza, but it could be a good idea to sing the Amen with the bigger registration so count the stanza in order to have 8'+4' in the last.
Sequences (e.g. Dies Irae/Veni Sancte/Lauda Sion/Vichtimae Paschali/Stabat Mater) have repeated melodies in their stanzas. Don't repeat two times the melody with the same registration, but be always soft because organ *not should be used* to accompany gregorian chants.
Thank you so much for your help! I'm not here very often, but every time I need some advice I find so good replys here!
Very well explained Serassi1836. Good idea to listen to Organist at Saint Peter's, Notre Dame or other performances..many can be found on youtube and their web sites ( archives etc). I used a little fuller registration when I was playing for Anligcan and catholic churches in my earlier years.
" The essance of reproduction,to feel and re-create that which was felt and impared by the creater,does not exclude- within natural limitations-the assertion of creative power" - Dr. Hugo Goldschmidt.
I wish you the Best for each day, now and always.
Bill
Well, when I play Gregorian I don't have a chorus and not very much people sing it!
Oe trick in that situation is to use stronger registation as if playing a melodic line and chordal back up on second manual.This leads the congregation as well as making them less afraid to sing along. The organist Detra uses this technique with new chants/hymns at times at the National Cathedral. To do this well always sing/chant with it as you play. Just a hint.
I wish you the Best for each day, now and always.
Bill
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