Table Of ContentThe Restoration of
Gregorian Chant
Dom Pierre Combe, O.S.B.
The Restoration of
Gregorian Chant
Solesmes and the Vatican Edition
Translated by †Theodore N. Marier
and William Skinner
The Catholic University of America Press
Washington, D.C.
OriginallypublishedunderthetitleHistoiredelarestaurationduchant
grégoriend’aprèsdesdocumentsinédites:Solesmesetl’EditionVatican,
©bytheAbbayeSaint-PierredeSolesmes.
Copyright©
TheCatholicUniversityofAmericaPress
Allrightsreserved
Publishedinpaperback
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Combe,Pierre.
mm[Histoiredelarestaurationduchantgrégoriend’aprèsdesdocuments
minédites.English]
mmTherestorationofGregorianchant:SolesmesandtheVaticanedition/
mDomPierreCombe,O.S.B.,monkofSolesmes;translatedbyTheodoreN.
mMarierandWilliamSkinner.
mmmcm.
mmTranslationof:Histoiredelarestaurationduchantgrégoriend’aprèsdes
mdocumentsinédites.
mmIncludesbibliographicalreferences(p.)andindex.
mm----(cloth:alk.paper)
mm----(paper:alk.paper)
mm.Gregorianchants—Historyandcriticism. I.Title.
mm.
mm.´´—dc
mm
CONTENTS
Introduction/ xi
Translators’ Note/ xxxiii
THE RESTORATION OF GREGORIAN CHANT
Foreword/
List of Plates/
ONE. THE GREGORIAN REFORM AT SOLESMES /
I.Dom Guéranger’s Rationale /
. New Documents /
. Dom Guéranger’s Principles /
Comparing the manuscripts/
The testimony of the staffless neume manuscripts/
Dom Guéranger reforms the chant at Solesmes./
. The Chant Books of the Old Solesmes /
. Dom Guéranger’s Hesitations /
. Dom Guéranger’s Authority /
II.Period of Preparation /
. Dom Paul Jausions /
. The Labors of Dom Jausions—The Wilton Processional /
. Gontier’s Méthode Raisonnée() /
. The Paris Congress () /
. The First Directorium Chori/
. Dom Jausions and Dom Joseph Pothier—The Reform
of the Chant Books Decided at Solesmes /
. The First Transcripts of Manuscripts in Staffless Neumes /
vi CONTENTS
. Problems in Restoring the Melodies () /
. Rhythmic Problems () /
. State of the Work in /
. Benedictiones Mensaeand Directorium Chori/
. The “Corrected Gradual” /
. Agreements and Disagreements /
. Researching the Manuscripts () /
. The “Manuscript” of Dom Jausions () /
. Dom Pothier’s “Memorandum” () /
. The Work Drafted by Dom Pothier () /
. Gregorian Travels () /
. Various Difficulties () /
. The First Version of the Mélodies Grégoriennes() /
. Dom Pothier’s Style /
. Preparation of the Antiphonal/
. The First Version of the Liber Gradualis() /
. L. Baptiste’s Méthode/
. A Letter from Dom Jausions /
. The Years –/
. The Mélodies Grégoriennesand the Liber Gradualisin /
III. The First Publications /
. Gregorian Chant and the Council () /
. The Lithographed Processional() /
. The Gregorian Apostolate /
. The First Gregorian Congress of Aiguebelle () /
. The Mélodies Grégoriennes() /
. The Arezzo Congress ()—
The Papal Brief of April , /
. The Liber Gradualis()—Papal Briefs to Dom Pothier () /
. Various Publications /
Conclusion /
TWO. THE VATICAN EDITION
A. Preliminaries of the Gregorian Reform under Leo XIII
I. Dom André Mocquereau and the Paléographie Musicale/
. Dom Mocquereau at Solesmes () / oo
. Initial Work /
CONTENTS vii
. Catalogue of Manuscripts—Scriptores/
. Establishment of the Paléographie Musicale/
. The Project () /
. Journey for Subscriptions () /
. Opposition—The Vow to Our Lady of Chartres () /
. Dom Couturier and the Gregorian Movement /
. The Prospectus /
. A Trip to Switzerland () /
. The Manuscript Chosen for Publication /
. Episcopal Approvals /
. Volume I () /
. Publications by Dom Pothier /
. Dom Mocquereau in Rome () /
. Dom Mocquereau and Father de Santi /
. At the French Seminary /
. Pustet’s Visit /
. Discovery of the “Old Roman” Chant /
. Travel within Italy /
. The Influence of the French Seminary /
. The Gregorian Conversion of Father de Santi /
. Volume II—Trip to Belgium and Holland () /
. Congress of St. Gregory the Great () /
. Dom Pothier and Dom Mocquereau in Rome () /
. Results /
. Dom Mocquereau’s Assistants /
. Journey to Chartres () /
II. Father de Santi and Monsignor Carlo Respighi /
. New Orientation /
. The Report by Father de Santi () /
. Miscellaneous Efforts /
. The Gregorian Apostolate of Father de Santi—
Volume III () /
. Father de Santi’s Method/
. The Work of Dom Pothier /
. The Votumof Cardinal Sarto () /
. The Exiling of Father de Santi () /
. Perosi at Solesmes () /
viii CONTENTS
. The Decree of July /
. Volume IV (–) /
. The Gradualof /
. New Hopes (–) /
. The Gregorian Apostolate of Dom Mocquereau /
. Suppression of the Decree of April , () /
. Perosi’s Actions (–) /
. The Paléographie Musicalein /
. Msgr. Respighi vs. Msgr. Haberl (–) /
. Liberating Words () /
. The Memorandum Requested of Solesmes () /
. The Plan for an International Commission () /
. The Brief Nos Quidemto the Abbot of Solesmes () /
. First Draft of the Vatican Edition () /
. The Rhythmic Synthesis of Dom Mocquereau—
Volume VII () /
. The Rassegna Gregoriana(–) /
. A Time for Waiting—Congress of Bruges () /
B. The Work of St. Pius X
III.The New Legislation of Pius X/
. The Initial Thought of Pius X /
. Preparation of the Motu Proprioof November , /
. The New Solesmes Edition—A Request of Father de Santi /
. Publication of the Motu Proprio/
. Dom Pothier’s Project /
. Initial Decisions /
. An Invitation for Solesmes /
. Letter from Msgr. Bressan to Dom Delatte /
. The Project of the Abbot-Primate /
. Initial Difficulties /
. The Actions of Father de Santi /
. Final Discussions /
. The St. Gregory the Great Congress /
. Publication of the Motu ProprioDated April , /
. Brief of , Ex Quo Tempore, to Dom Delatte /
CONTENTS ix
IV. The Meetings of the Commission Held in/
. The Initial Meetings of the Commission /
. The Publishers’ Concerns /
. The Congress of Arras—Summer School at Appuldurcombe /
. Meeting of the Vatican Commission at Appuldurcombe /
. Paleographical Wanderings in England and Italy /
V. The Meetings of the Commission Held in/
. Preparation of the Kyriale/
Dom Pothier’s Memorandum/
Dom Mocquereau’s Memorandum/
. Resumption of the Meetings in Rome /
. At the Heart of the Problem /
First Circular from Solesmes/
Second Circular from Solesmes/
Dom Pothier’s Memorandum/
Letters of Father de Santi and Father Holly/
The President’s Memorandum/
Third Circular from Solesmes/
. The First Letter from the Cardinal Secretary
of State, April , /
New Memorandum from Dom Pothier/
Reply from Solesmes/
Father de Santi acting as moderator—Memorandum addressed to the Pope/
Fourth circular from Solesmes—Dom Pothier’s circular/
The Declaration of April /
. Dom Mocquereau in Rome /
Dom Mocquereau’s supporters and adversaries/
Papal Audience/
Dom Mocquereau at the Commission/
Audience with the Cardinal Secretary of State/
. The “De Santi Regulation” /
The Pope’s favorable opinion/
The Document/
The opinion of Don Mercati and of Father Ehrle/
. The “Mercati Regulation” /
Overhauling the document/
The situation grows worse/
Description:This volume presents for the first time in English the fully documented history of the Gregorian chant restoration which culminated in the publication of the Vatican Edition ordered by Pope Pius X at the dawn of the 20th century. It is based upon archival documents in the Abbey of St Pierre de Soles
