The Nuns of Mount Saint Mary’s Abbey are re-releasing the album Christmas in the Cloister, which combines traditional Gregorian Chant with more recent and popular Christmas Carols. The album, record in 1962 at the Wrentham Abbey features the Midnight Mass, the Lauds Hymn and the Third Mass of Christmas along with all time favorites Silent Night, Il Est Né and In Dulce Jubilo. The album will be released physically and digitally on November 6, 2012. It can be found on iTunes and Amazon.
When Mount Saint Mary’s was founded in 1949, the music for the Eucharist and the Divine Office in the age-long tradition of the Church, 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. At the time the sisters were had two 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. 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.
Tracklisting
2. Christmas Lauds Hymn: A Solis Ortus Cardine
3. Third Mass of Christmas: Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Offertory, Communion
4. Susani
5. In Dulce Jubilo
6. Il est Né
7. Silent Night
8. How Far To Bethlehem
9. Coventry Carol
10. While Shepherds
11. Welcome, Son of Mary
12. Lullay, My Liking
13. The Christmas Child
14. Abbey Bells
Comments