Plainchant Choir
The Plainchant Choir sings at the 11:30 Mass on the third Sunday of the month from September to July inclusive. The music they will be singing is generally made known here.
The choir also sing two other Masses: (1) The Solemn Requiem for the War Dead on Remembrance Sunday i.e. the second Sunday of November instead of the third Sunday, and (2) Palm Sunday as a joint service with the Hymn Choir. Both of these Masses are also at 11:30.
The music we sing is Gregorian Chant which is the oldest form of Catholic Church music. The present form dates back to the time of Pope Saint Gregory the Great, 590 - 604 AD. St. Gregory gathered together the forms of ancient Jewish Chant used in the early church & reformed it for general use throughout the Latin Church. The Vatican II liturgical promulgation Sacrosantum Concilium, written by Pope Paul VI in December 1963, states “The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy: therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services.”, and we are continually reminded as church musicians that this is the case.
Here at St. Bartholomew’s there has been a Plainchant Choir for as long as parishioners remember and it is possibly the longest serving Parish Chant Choir in the country. Our programme for Holy Mass includes the Ordinary i.e. Kyrie (Greek), Gloria, Credo, Sanctus and Agnus Dei, as well as Responses in Latin. We also usually sing Latin Chants at the Offertory and Holy Communion and a Marian Anthem at the end of Mass. We also sing a traditional hymn at the beginning of Mass and sometimes during The Offertory & Holy Communion. A Cantor leads the singing of the psalm and Alleluia.
We distribute leaflets of the music for use by the congregation and are aware that most of the congregation now join in with the singing. We are always keen to welcome more singers to join us in the gallery to lead the singing.
We practice once a month on the Tuesday before the sung Plainchant Mass for half an hour at 19:30. Anyone interested in joining us but has difficulty attending the practice would still be welcome as there are plenty of people to guide you.
You are welcome to contact Jane Windsor for further information by ‘phone 020 8764 0879 or by email via the Parish Office
Information is also available on the Polyphony Choir Web site which also gives details of the music we will be singing at our monthly Masses.
The choir also sing two other Masses: (1) The Solemn Requiem for the War Dead on Remembrance Sunday i.e. the second Sunday of November instead of the third Sunday, and (2) Palm Sunday as a joint service with the Hymn Choir. Both of these Masses are also at 11:30.
The music we sing is Gregorian Chant which is the oldest form of Catholic Church music. The present form dates back to the time of Pope Saint Gregory the Great, 590 - 604 AD. St. Gregory gathered together the forms of ancient Jewish Chant used in the early church & reformed it for general use throughout the Latin Church. The Vatican II liturgical promulgation Sacrosantum Concilium, written by Pope Paul VI in December 1963, states “The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy: therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services.”, and we are continually reminded as church musicians that this is the case.
Here at St. Bartholomew’s there has been a Plainchant Choir for as long as parishioners remember and it is possibly the longest serving Parish Chant Choir in the country. Our programme for Holy Mass includes the Ordinary i.e. Kyrie (Greek), Gloria, Credo, Sanctus and Agnus Dei, as well as Responses in Latin. We also usually sing Latin Chants at the Offertory and Holy Communion and a Marian Anthem at the end of Mass. We also sing a traditional hymn at the beginning of Mass and sometimes during The Offertory & Holy Communion. A Cantor leads the singing of the psalm and Alleluia.
We distribute leaflets of the music for use by the congregation and are aware that most of the congregation now join in with the singing. We are always keen to welcome more singers to join us in the gallery to lead the singing.
We practice once a month on the Tuesday before the sung Plainchant Mass for half an hour at 19:30. Anyone interested in joining us but has difficulty attending the practice would still be welcome as there are plenty of people to guide you.
You are welcome to contact Jane Windsor for further information by ‘phone 020 8764 0879 or by email via the Parish Office
Information is also available on the Polyphony Choir Web site which also gives details of the music we will be singing at our monthly Masses.
