Christmas in the Cloister: Traditional Gregorian Chants

Today is the release of Jade's newest album, Christmas in the Cloister.  Christmas in the Cloister is Jade Music's first collaboration with the Nuns of Mount St. Mary's. The album combines traditional Gregorian Chant with more recent and popular Christmas Carols. 

 

The album features the following tracts:

 

1. Christmas Midnight Mass (Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Offertory, Communion)

2. Christmas Lauds Hymn: A Solis Ortus Cardine

3. Third Mass of Christmas Morning  (Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Offertory, Communion)

4. Susani

5. In Dulce Jubilo

6. Il est Ne

7. Silent Night

8. How Far to Bethlehem

9. Coventry Carol

10. While Shepherds in Meadows

11. Welcome, Son of Mary

12. Lullay, My Liking

13. The Christmas Child

14. Abbey Bells

 

At the time of the founding of Mount St. Mary's, in the age-long tradition of the Church, the music for the Eucharist and the Divine Office was all Gregorian Chant in Latin. However, almost from the beginning, the sisters sang a program of carols before Midnight Mass.

The community, which began with thirteen sisters, grew rapidly, and by 1962, there were over sixty members. We were blessed with two outstanding mentors: Dom Desroquettes, O.S.B. for chant, and C. Alexander Peloquin, director of music at the cathedral of Providence, Rhode Island, for polyphony. It seemed a good time to make a recording—a long-playing record at the time--Christmas in the Cloister.

That was 50 years ago. Since good music has a timeless appeal, and since there is a growing interest in chant, this seemed like a good time to reissue the original record as a CD.

It is only natural that song, the inseparable companion of joy and love, is so often on the lips of the contemplative. This recording is a celebration of God's greatest expression of love for us - the gift of Christ. The song in which the sisters are here reflecting on the mystery of Christmas is of two kinds: first, Christmas Biblical texts set to ancient and prayerful melodies of Gregorian Chant, and secondly, carols in modern polyphonic arrangements.   

I have been pleased to review the entirety of this album prior to its release and I am very pleased to fully endorse and recommend this to everyone.  Please purchase a copy today (either as a CD or digitally) and help support the Nuns of Mount St. Marys.