This album includes the moving Gregorian chants and prayers for the night before Jesus' Passion, when he gave the "mandate" to love one another as he has loved us. It includes Ubi caritas and Pange Lingua. This recording reflects the unmatched authenticity which characterizes the exquisitely gracious and moving performances of Gregorian chant by the Monks of Solesmes. "Paraclete Press offers a superb list of outstanding Christian music which is magnificently performed by the monks of Solesmes." (Reviewer's Bookwatch) "Setting the standard for Gregorian performance." (American Record Guide) In the late 19th century Pope Leo XIII charged the Abbey of Solesmes with the restoration and preservation of Gregorian Chant according to the original 10th-11th century manuscripts. The care and zeal with which the monks undertook this mission quickly extended the Abbey's influence beyond Europe.

Requiem Mass (1985) performed by Saint Pierre de Solesmes Abbey Monks' Choir (choir, chorus) / composed by Gregorian Chant, Recorded Sound Requiem Mass (1985)

Spirit of America, the award-winning band from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is proud to present Call to Freedom: The Music of a Great Nation. Featuring works by American composers, from John Philip Sousa to Charles Ives, this CD is a musical tribute to the nation's freedom keepers, and a reminder of the privileges of freedom we enjoy. This collection of patriotic music reflects the gamut of American history and character - from the victories in times of war expressed in Morton Gould's American Salute, to the light-hearted victories of the baseball diamond captured by John Philip Sousa in The National Game. Listeners will thrill to spirited renditions of the Armed Forces marches, and to visions of splendor in Carmen Dragon's America the Beautiful. On the more serious side, the program also includes God of Our Fathers arranged by Claude T. Smith, and Heroes Lost and Fallen by David Gillingham. Spirit of America closes with the beloved march Stars and Stripes Forever, by John Philip Sousa

The program of the two discs (Gregorian Melodies I and II) are similar, offering alternate settings on each disc of the sprinkling of water, the Ordinary of the Mass (two cycles on the first disc, another on the second), Benediction hymns, and the most familiar pieces marking the liturgical year. The final antiphons of Our Lady are sung in the simple (more modern) tone, two on each disc. Sung so superbly as they are here, these two discs are exactly what are needed for those who long to hear the familiar chants again.
—J. F. Weber, Fanfare

Here we have clean, sensibly phrased performances of 29 Gregorian melodies taken from the Liber Cantualis, each with its corresponding number in the Liber and respective place in the service and/or liturgical calendar. This recording contributes and intriguing strain to the debate over historical performance. The Monastic Choir of St. Peter's Abbey in Solesmes sings in a different dimension. Their tone is essentially clean, and their intonation impeccable. The result is a focused, calm, and consistent performance. They sing in a historically authentic mindset. This is a wholly satisfying offering, and a fine supplement to the body of recorded Gregorian chant.
—Kate Grossman, Early Music America

These chants are sung with the warm, pleasant tone so typical of the Solesmes monks with clear Latin diction and with a relaxed, conversational rhythm. With the aid of the Liber Cantualis and this recording it would be an ideal way to each a choir to chant.
—R. Fowells

In the late 19th century Pope Leo XIII charged the Abbey of Solesmes with the restoration and preservation of Gregorian chant according to the original 10th and 11th century manuscript. Today, the Abbey continues to be a vibrant source of this art. This recording of Christmas chants reflects the unmatched authenticity of Gregorian scholarship and performance by the Monks of Solesmes. It includes Introits, Graduals, Alleluias, Offertories, Communions, Responses, Sequences, Hymns, and Tropes from the Midnight Mass and Mass of the Day. "The Choir of the Monks of Solesmes remains a highly respected and widely recognized performing ensemble, with an international following among devotees of Gregorian chant and religious music in general, just as the Abbey occupies a unique place in religious music scholarship and study. "The center from which modern theories of medieval chant performance have emanated is undoubtedly the Abbey of Solesmes in France. " (The Gregorian Association) "Setting the standard for Gregorian performance. " (American Record Guide)

“The success of Gregorian chant in the past century, and the centered richness of prayer it brings to all of us, is almost singularly due to the herculean efforts of the Benedictine Monks of Solesmes, France.”
—New Liturgical Movement

“The music is exceptionally inviting, engaging listeners’ ears with beauty and elevating their thoughts no matter what their spiritual or religious beliefs and doctrines may be.”
—TransCentury Communications
“The most famous and ‘authentic’ recordings of Gregorian chant for generations have been those made by the Solesmes monks.”      
—The Boston Globe

“The success of Gregorian chant in the past century, and the centered richness of prayer it brings to all of us, is almost singularly due to the herculean efforts of the Benedictine Monks of Solesmes, France.”
—New Liturgical Movement

“The most famous and ‘authentic’ recordings of Gregorian chant for generations have been those made by the Solesmes monks.”      
—The Boston Globe

“The music is utterly magnificent and the singing of this great choir is thrilling beyond words…it’s better to starve to this music than to live without it.”       
—Classic CD

The program of the two discs (Gregorian Melodies I and II) are similar, offering alternate settings on each disc of the sprinkling of water, the Ordinary of the Mass (two cycles on the first disc, another on the second), Benediction hymns, and the most familiar pieces marking the liturgical year. The final antiphons of Our Lady are sung in the simple (more modern) tone, two on each disc. Sung so superbly as they are here, these two discs are exactly what are needed for those who long to hear the familiar chants again.
—J. F. Weber, Fanfare

Here we have clean, sensibly phrased performances of 29 Gregorian melodies taken from the Liber Cantualis, each with its corresponding number in the Liber and respective place in the service and/or liturgical calendar. This recording contributes and intriguing strain to the debate over historical performance. The Monastic Choir of St. Peter's Abbey in Solesmes sings in a different dimension. Their tone is essentially clean, and their intonation impeccable. The result is a focused, calm, and consistent performance. They sing in a historically authentic mindset. This is a wholly satisfying offering, and a fine supplement to the body of recorded Gregorian chant.
—Kate Grossman, Early Music America

This collection, under the direction of Solesmes' new Chantmaster reflects the new, graceful chanting developed over the past several years by Dom Gagne. The fact that the melodies are drawn from the Liber Cantualis and that they are beautifully performed make them a valuable teaching aid.
—Charles Chapman

"This disc is a marvelous evocation of Holy Thursday's Tenebrae and foot-washing ceremonies, important for understanding the evolution of chant interpretation at the home base of chant restoration. Some of the antiphons have never been recorded before." 
—J. F. Weber,  Fanfare

“The most famous and ‘authentic’ recordings of Gregorian chant for generations have been those made by the Solesmes monks.”      
—The Boston Globe

“The music is utterly magnificent and the singing of this great choir is thrilling beyond words…it’s better to starve to this music than to live without it.”       
—Classic CD

Since 1833, the research and study of Gregorian Chant by the Monks of the Abbey of St. Peter in Solesmes, France, has focused on making this sung form of prayer the finest possible offering for God, to whom it is addressed six times a day at the Abbey. In ‘Christmas- The Night Office Vigils’ we hear the beautiful Gregorian chants of Vigils that the monks sing to celebrate the birth of Jesus at the same time of night he was born in Bethlehem. In ‘Christmas- Midnight Mass and Mass of the Day’ the monks include Introits, Graduals, Alleluias, Offertories, Communions, Responses, Sequences, Hymns, and Tropes from the Midnight Mass and the Mass of the Day. Previous releases by the Monks of the Abbey of St. Peter in Solesmes have been well received. “Paraclete Press offers a superb list of outstanding Christian music which is magnificently performed by the monks of Solesmes. Each of these highly recommended exceptional recordings is flawlessly produced and showcases centuries of devotions, chants, celebrations, and the glorification of God.” (Bookwatch)

“The most famous and ‘authentic’ recordings of Gregorian chant for generations have been those made by the Solesmes monks.”      
—The Boston Globe

“The music is utterly magnificent and the singing of this great choir is thrilling beyond words…it’s better to starve to this music than to live without it.”       
—Classic CD

“Supremely ethereal.”        
—USA Today

In the Gregorian Anthology, we hear Chants from the principal seasons of the entire liturgical year. This anthology of Gregorian chants is of great interest as the contents are in liturgical order, following the principal seasons (Christmas, Holy Week, Easter, and Marian Feasts) representing the entire liturgical year. The beautiful Gregorian chant illumunates the liturgical texts, inviting the listener to contemplate the life of Christ and the foundation of the church. This overview will provide more enjoyment for the experienced listener while making a splendid introduction to the beauty of Gregorian chant for the novice. Throughout the anthology the unique interpretive insights that are the hallmark of Solesmes' recordings are carefully preserved."This anthology has gathered together some of the greatest gems of the Gregorian repertory and ordered them according to their liturgical order in the principle seasons and themes of the church year. They are sung with great vitality and a deep feeling for the religious meaning of the texts. Through their voices these chants become a truly inspired proclamation of Christian faith." (Fr. Columba Kelly, OSB, St. Meinrad Archabbey) "Singing beautifully arched musical lines, the monks' choir of the Abbey of Saint Peter of Solesmes presents a recording of chants with excellent intonation and splendid pacing. A sound that felicitously blends lightness and vigor makes this recording of chants the very best of all the ones I have heard. The performance of well sung familiar chants (such as Pange ligua and Victimae paschali) with very rarely heard ones (such as the trope Ecce nomen Domini and the sequence Salve dies) is an added bonus." (Johannes Somary, Founder of Amor Artis)

The monks of Solesmes have selected a sampling of the "best" Gregorian chants, including Antiphons for Lauds of Martyrs at Eastertide, Kyrie IX and Gloria IX in the Gregorian Sampler. . . .This anthology has gathered together some of the greatest gems of the Gregorian repertory and ordered them according to their liturgical order in the principle seasons and themes of the church year. They are sung with great vitality and a deep feeling for the religious meaning of the texts. Through their voices these chants become a truly inspired proclamation of Christian faith."
—Fr. Columba Kelly, OSB, St. Meinrad Archabbey
"Singing beautifully arched musical lines, the monks' choir of the Abbey of Saint Peter of Solesmes presents a recording of chants with excellent intonation and splendid pacing. A sound that felicitously blends lightness and vigor makes this recording of chants the very best of all the ones I have heard. The performance of well sung familiar chants (such as Pange ligua and Victimae paschali) with very rarely heard ones (such as the trope Ecce nomen Domini and the sequence Salve dies) is an added bonus."
—Johannes Somary, Founder of Amor Artis

Since 1833, the research and study of Gregorian Chant by the Monks of the Abbey of St. Peter in Solesmes, France, has focused on making this sung form of prayer the finest possible offering for God, to whom it is addressed six times a day at the Abbey. These recordings include Introits, Graduals, Alleluias, Sequences, Offertories, Communions, and Hymns from Easter Mass and the Mass for the First Sunday after Easter as well as a Hymn from the Masses of Eastertide and the seven Antiphons of the Resurrection according to the Gospels. “Paraclete Press offers a superb list of outstanding Christian music which is magnificently performed by the monks of Solesmes. Each of these highly recommended exceptional recordings is flawlessly produced and showcases centuries of devotions, chants, celebrations, and the glorification of God.” (Reviewer’s Bookwatch)

“The most famous and ‘authentic’ recordings of Gregorian chant for generations have been those made by the Solesmes monks.”      
—The Boston Globe
“The music is utterly magnificent and the singing of this great choir is thrilling beyond words…it’s better to starve to this music than to live without it.”       
—Classic CD
“Supremely ethereal.”        
—USA Today

Known throughout the world as the leading masters of Gregorian chant, the monks of Solesmes present a 2-album set that includes “Learning about Gregorian Chant” and “Gregorian Chant Rediscovered”. “Learning About Gregorian Chant” simplifies and clarifies the world of chant for those to whom Gregorian chant is a mystery. The combination of a clearly understood text (read by Sarah Moule) with the fluidly sung examples (sung by the Benedictine monks of Solesmes) convinces the listener that Gregorian chant is open to everyone for enjoyment and prayer. The clear and concise presentation on this recording will make it a valuable resource for educators, musicologists, students of music and those who wish for a basic understanding of chant. "It is a marvelous, brief explanation of the various types and styles of the chant, going from its early, simple forms of recitation to the elaborate, soloistic forms. Dom Saulnier's historical explanations of the origins of the texts and their use in the service is especially interesting as is their development along the way into today's usage have always been amazed at the depth of his knowledge as to the whole history of chant performance and to hear his brief and very meaningful comments is a real pleasure. . . I need hardly say that the recordings of chant from the abbey are, to my mind, still the finest on the market, thanks to Dom Claire and it is good to hear them brought out again for the American public. For anyone interested in what the various forms of chant are and where and why they were used this is a wonderfully concise and informative recording." (Dr. Robert Fowells, Los Angeles Gregorian Schola (founder), California State University)

"A marvelous, brief explanation of the various types and styles of the chant, going from its early, simple forms of recitation to the elaborate, soloistic forms. Dom Saulnier's historical explanations of the origins of the texts and their use in the service is especially interesting as is their development along the way into today's usage have always been amazed at the depth of his knowledge as to the whole history of chant performance and to hear his brief and very meaningful comments is a real pleasure. . . I need hardly say that the recordings of chant from the abbey are, to my mind, still the finest on the market, thanks to Dom Claire and it is good to hear them brought out again for the American public. For anyone interested in what the various forms of chant are and where and why they were used this is a wonderfully concise and informative recording."
—Dr. Robert Fowells, Los Angeles Gregorian Schola (founder), California State University
"A very useful tool for helping people to understand what Gregorian chant really is, how it was created and for what purpose. The combination of spoken explanation (in plain English!) and the carefully chosen sung examples is the best way to begin one's acquaintance with Gregorian chant. When you finish listening to this CD, you will have a wonderful sense of just how rich and diverse is this artistic and religious treasure of Western civilization."
—Fr. Columba Kelly, OSB, St. Meinrad Archabbey
“Solesmes sets the standard for Gregorian chant performance.”        
—American Record Guide

Since 1833, the research and study of Gregorian Chant by the Monks of the Abbey of St. Peter in Solesmes, France, has focused on making this sung form of prayer the finest possible offering for God, to whom it is addressed six times a day at the Abbey. Each album in this two-volume set, with chants from the 10th to the 17th centuries, contains the best of the Monks of Solesmes—including the Te Deum, Stabat Mater, Ave Maria, chants for the Liturgical Year from Advent to Pentecost, hymns from the service of Compline, chants devoted to Our Lady and the Blessed Sacrament, as well as the Mass of the Angels. Each piece is taken from the Liber Cantualis and the corresponding reference number in the Cantualis is provided for each track, as well as the respective place in the service and/or liturgical calendar. Sung in historical style, the chants on this release are ideal for those who are familiar with the chant liturgy, as a collection of familiar melodies, as well as those wanting to become familiar with Gregorian chant.

“The most famous and ‘authentic’ recordings of Gregorian chant for generations have been those made by the Solesmes monks.”      
—The Boston Globe
“The music is utterly magnificent and the singing of this great choir is thrilling beyond words…it’s better to starve to this music than to live without it.”       
—Classic CD
“Solesmes sets the standard for Gregorian chant performance.”        
—American Record Guide