Neumz

We have been busy at Neumz! Bugs that affected offline listening and bells ringing at the wrong times are corrected in our next release, which will be available to download in one week. To enjoy previously downloaded content offline, it may be necessary to delete it (Settings → Delete all downloaded content), hard close the app, reopen it and re-download it. Other enhancements and optimisations have also been made. In addition, you will be happy to know that we have developed an in-house automated solution together with the signal processing engineers at the University of Jaén to correct the scroll rates of the scores. We will be using it to update our database to syllable-level accuracy very soon! We thank you for your patience with the issue while we worked this out, but up until now, the sync has all been hand done. We are also itching to share some really big news with you, our largest announcement yet! But we must keep it secret until 22 December… Stay tuned! Neumz now offers the entire Benedictine liturgy of the Novus Ordo, comprising approximately 10 thousand unique chants, including over 600 never before recorded melodies. 34 terabytes of audio material were recorded over the last three years, around 6600 hours of recordings. From 1 November 2022, some features, such as the play-on-demand allowing free calendar navigation, will be reserved exclusively for our patrons. Becoming a Patron costs EUR 8.99/month, and Neumz offers two months for free for Patrons making an annual subscription. That’s just 25 cents per day to have on-demand access to the entire liturgy of the Divine Office and Mass in your pocket while helping the Sisters in Jouques and their foundation in Benin! Become a Patron today: https://app.neumz.com/external_sign_up #newapp #applaunch #ios #android #upgrade #patron #subscribe #subscription #neumes #neumz #notation #musicology #liturgy #divineoffice #catholic #catholique #jouques #benin #abbaye #notredame #novusordo #benedictine

Announcing Neumz V3!

We are thrilled to announce the most significant update to Neumz since the launch of our mobile apps, with powerful new capabilities and intuitive features. With a beautiful new user interface, offline listening, and customisable notifications allowing you never to miss an office, your participation in the daily liturgy with Neumz has never been more engaging. See what’s new → https://neumz.com/announcing-neumz-v3/ Download the app: Plainchant in your pocket! on iOs: http://odra.dk/Neumz_iOS on Android: http://odra.dk/Neumz_Android #gregorianchant #gregorian #chant #plainchant #catholicchurch #abbayedejouques #app #chantapp #praying #pray #hymn #androidapp #iosapp #notation #divineoffice #music #applaunch #newapp #neumes #mode #eglisecatholique #christianity #soul #modes #medieval #neumz #church #peace #faith #prayer

Neumz and the Seminary of Ciudad Real in communion with Gregorian chant.

Neumz director Alberto Dbgm visited the Seminary of Ciudad Real to teach members of the next generation of the priesthood Gregorian chant. Neumz offers the complete Benedictine liturgy, and can be a precious resource for religious and laity alike. Neumz accompanies you throughout the day, helping to center one’s life around the divine through this rich and ancient tradition, sung in communion with Catholics worldwide and across centuries. #neumz #gregorianchant

The Word Descends Incarnate - Christmas Vigil - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

Advent has prepared us, offered hints and glimpses of the arrival of our Saviour -- and now the moment is imminent. Hodie, today; mane, the morning: words which repeat often on Christmas Eve, including in the Introit to the Vigil Mass. Hodie scietis quia véniet Dóminus, et salvábit nos: et mane vidébitis glóriam ejus. Today you shall know that the Lord will come and save us: And in the morning you shall see His glory. We keep vigil for the morning and the birth of the child. “Today” means not some future utopia, the arrival of some heaven on earth, but really today. Today in our normal daily lives, with their pains, regrets, sadnesses and challenges. The morning will come, and with it hope. Hope of eternal life and of happiness in knowing -- in person, in the flesh -- the glory of God. Today is the lowering of the Word of God, of the second person of the Trinity, into human nature. This was wonderfully made audible in the Offertory: Tollite portas, príncipes, vestras: et elevámini, portæ æternáles, et introíbit Rex glóriæ. Lift up your gates, you princes, and be lifted up, eternal gates. And the King of Glory shall enter. We at Neumz have the great benefit of working with Dominique Crochu, an expert in medieval paleography: in this video he offers a discovery that we are very pleased to share with you. The Gregorian melody illustrates God’s glory in the high register. What is interesting is that, after a careful analysis of dozens of manuscripts of this chant, it seems that the melody given at the very end of current editions has been transmitted to us inexactly. As Dom Guilmard was suggesting in yesterday’s video, unfortunately things can be lost on the one hand while gained on the other in successive generations’ attempts at fixing music in ever more determinate notation systems. In this case it seems that the original melody was eroded, that a step down was lost, and thus the ending results a whole tone higher than it woul

The Celestial Choir with Harpa Dei - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

With one voice we sing, joining in a terrestrial reflection of the heavenly harmonies described in the Bible and by the Church Fathers of the Celestial Choir of Angels. A beautiful reflection of how Nikolai, Mirjana, Marie-Elisée and Lucia of Harpa Dei feel their work as musicians joins in this tradition of divine praise and evangelisation of God's word. They offer two beautiful recordings in this video, the first of Sanctus II, and the second a motet on "Rorate caeli desuper". This is the third of three videos in our series with this unique ensemble. Check our channel for the others! harpadei.com ________ We are pleased to offer the Neumz Digital Advent Calendar to celebrate one year of the Neumz mobile apps for Android and iOS. Each day we will offer you a commentary on a chant sung during Advent or a reflection on Gregorian chant, in the hope that you will enjoy these chants as much as we did while preparing them to share them with you all. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to celebrate Advent together!

Christe Redemptor omnium - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

Today’s message is from Dom Jacques-Marie Guilmard, whom we thank once again for this beautiful meditation on the hymn of today’s video: "The Christmas hymn “Christe Redemptor omnium” is a masterpiece that illuminates the liturgy of the Christmas Season: it is sung at Vespers every day. Each stanza is made up of 4 verses of 8 syllables. The music is the same for verses 1 and 4. The melody rises gradually from the low register of the 1st mode up to the dominant and even beyond in a luminous flourish. Then it descends to return little by little to its starting point. This melody, very finely crafted, emphasises the accents of the dactyls in ascent as well as in descent. The lyricism of this piece makes it a jewel of the Latin liturgical chant repertoire. But there is more. The text (from the 6th century) is of wonderful poetry, firmness, and depth. It is above all a prayer addressed to the Saviour of mankind: “You, who come from the Father, You are its splendour. You alone were born before creation. You are our hope; listen to the prayers of your servants…” Then comes the mention of the Immaculate: “You have made yourself flesh, You the author of salvation, of the Virgin. This Day testifies that You are the only saviour of the world, You who came from the Father. Let heaven and earth and the sea and what they contain exult and praise the One who brought you into our midst! We too, redeemed by your Blood, sing a new hymn. Glory to you Jesus!” This is the doxology that places the Virgin at the heart of the Trinity forever and ever. The Lord was born before Creation, so what fear would we have in the face of the threats that hang over us from all sides? Certainly, in the midst of our world so disrupted and devoid of all stability, we must keep open the eyes of our faith, our charity, and our hope that you, Christ, are the 'Redeemer of all things'." On behalf of everyone at Neumz, we thank you all for your support, especially those of you who have

With One Voice - The Sisters of Notre Dame de Fidélité - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

Gregorian chant should be sung "as one voice", "una voce canentes". The unity of the line is a reflection of the unity of the choir singing it, and of their unity in divine praise. In addition, it should be sung legato. Dom Gajard writes in The Solesmes Method that "Legato is one of the characteristics of Gregorian art, which is, above all, prayer and, as such, abhors anything which disturbs recollection and peace. There should therefore be no staccato, or hacked-out passages, no frequent breaks, especially at the small bars, but always a flowing "line"; this uninterrupted line follows the melodic line itself, which remains the supreme guide in all that concerns interpretation." He goes on to explain "In a laudable attempt at securing legato, it is not unusual for singers to neglect this primary law concerning the clear pronunciation of syllables, and especially of consonants, without which the text becomes unintelligible. Meanwhile, the singing, completely devoid of firmness and rhythm, degenerates into a sort of shapeless and sentimental hash which is entirely out of keeping with the spirit of Gregorian art." Maintaining proper phrasing, rhythmic impulse, and tone of the line within a legato phrase is one of the singer's great challenges, in Gregorian chant as well as song in general. The sisters in Jouques have a wonderful legato and unison, as users of Neumz can attest. The interesting thing we learn in this interview with sisters Marie-Véronique, Caroline, Kateri, Marie-Kristen, Clémence, and Benedicte, the members of the Gradual choir (the musical heart and engine of the abbey during services), is that their legato is intimately linked with their interpersonal unity as a community. More than being an aspect of their musical art, it is a reflection of their spiritual perfection, earned not only through hours of concentrated musical practice but through the "grinding and polishing of edges" accomplished by charitably confronting the challenges of living har

Una voce dicentes: penetrating the Psalms by learning Latin - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

Sisters Clémence, Caroline, Marie-Véronique, and Kateri recount their experience learning Latin, and through the language entering more deeply into the Psalms. Far from a barrier to prayer, it is for them an opportunity to enter better into the sense of the words being sung, and through them open a dialogue with God, using the sames words as men and woman have since centuries. Knowing the same images, metaphores, and turns of phrase, and studying the same texts and lectio divina as were commented upon by the Church Fathers, Latin has been a key to their formation and spiritual lives. A universal and timeless language, it is still the official language of the Latin Church. From the end of the Preface at Mass, it says "una voce dicentes": speaking with one voice. No matter where you are -- or when you are -- you can find yourself in the litrugy through this language.

Why Latin? A barrier or a bridge to the Church? With Harpa Dei - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

Nikolai, Mirjana, Marie-Elisée, and Lucia of Harpa Dei join Neumz again to discuss the use of Latin in the liturgy and offer their reflections on its special place in the church as its sacred, universal, unchanging language, uniting Catholics around the world and across centuries. They offer two exclusive recordings, of the Alleluia "Cantante Domino" and St. Ambrose's hymn "Conditor alme siderum" described last week in Marina Cocci's video! This is the second of three videos in our series with this unique ensemble. Subscribe to be informed of the next one! harpadei.com ________ We are pleased to offer the Neumz Digital Advent Calendar to celebrate one year of the Neumz mobile apps for Android and iOS. Each day we will offer you a commentary on a chant sung during Advent or a reflection on Gregorian chant, in the hope that you will enjoy these chants as much as we did while preparing them to share them with you all. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to celebrate Advent together!

The History of “Gloria” - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

Dominique Gatté recounts the history of the Gloria, its uses, and its various chant melodies. Sung on Solemnities and Feast Days, the "Gloria in excelsis" follows the Introit and Kyrie, and concludes the introductory rites of the Mass. The first words are taken from the Gospel of St Luke, when angels announce to the shepherds: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!"

Liturgical Storytelling at Mass - Ecce Virgo concipiet - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

Season by season and week by week, the liturgy tells a story. Hélène today shows us an example of where this happens even chant by chant, on the Fourth Sunday of Advent. On this day, the Introit is ‘Rorate Caeli’, whose text is borrowed from the book of Isaiah, prophesying the arrival of some sort of unspecified saviour of the just, to spring forth from the earth after a rain from Heaven. Here the idea seems vague but the hope is seeded. We feel this hope grow, becoming more real in the Gradual, ‘Prope est Dominus’: the “Lord is near”. The Alleluia ‘Veni Domine’ gives expression to this hope, supplicating “Come, oh Lord”. We have as Offertory the ‘Ave Maria’ which Vicente presented in a video last week, obviously the next character of today’s story. And the story culminates and really “incarnates” that nascent hope that was first seeded in the Introit with the Communion, ‘Ecce Virgo Concipiet’. The text of this Communion again takes from the prophecies of Isaiah, but here speaks directly of a saviour to be born of a virgin, a child to be called “Emmanuel”. Like an extension of the meaning that can be encoded and expressed through the temporal organisation of the liturgical calendar, the Gregorian melodies themselves meanwhile serve to do something similar, but on the level of the individual words, stretching and organising their musical flow to focus us properly on the most important ones. Today this is probably “Emmanuel”, which means, “God with us”. In one hour we summarise the passage from Old to New Testament, from mankind’s longing for the deliverance of a just God, to the concept of the Incarnation: and now we must wait but little more for the Holy Night and the birth of the child! Listen to the Communion in the app: odra.dk/ecceVirgo Hélène Derieux studied philosophy, management, and theology in Paris (La Sorbonne), London (City University), Berlin (ESCP Europe), and Vienna (Universität Wien), and holds

ERO CRAS! “I will come tomorrow!” - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

The secret message hidden in the O Antiphons: “ERO CRAS”, “I will come tomorrow!” Like the Messiah’s response to the supplication of his faithful, the Latin initials of the first words of the great “O Antiphons” create this acrostic when read in reverse, like a countdown to Christmas. Raúl introduces the Major Antiphons, which spans the Octave of Advent, from today, 17 December, until 23 December. There are seven “O Antiphons”, and the Church sings them with the Magnificat of the Office of Vespers: “O Sapientia” (O Wisdom) “O Adonai” (O Mighty Lord) “O Radix” (O Root, Renewal of Jesse, Father of David) “O Clavis” (O Key of David, which opens and closes) “O Oriens” (O East, Light, Sun) “O Rex” (O King of Peace) “O Emmanuel” (O God with us) Emmanuel - Rex - Oriens - Clavis - Radix - Adonai - Sapientia ERO CRAS! I will come tomorrow! Composed at the time of Pope Gregory the Great, around the year 600, can be said to be a magnificent compendium of the oldest Christology of the Church, and at the same time an expressive summary of the desire for salvation of all mankind, both of the Old Testament of Israel and the Church of the New Testament. They are an appeal to the Messiah, remembering the longing with which he was expected by all peoples before His coming. They are also a manifestation of the feeling of Advent, during which the Church awaits every year the great solemnity of the Saviour’s Birth. They each begin in admiration for the mystery of God made man – “O” – and they all finish with the urgent supplication, “Veni”: “come!” Raúl Orlando Arreguin Rosales is a professor and the assistant choir director at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, as well as a cantor and the archivist for the Cappella Giulia at St. Peter's Basilica since 2008. The Cappella Giulia sings for all solemn functions of the Vatican, such as Holy Mass, Lauds, and Vespers, when these are not celebrated by t

How to read to adiastematic St Gall Neumatic Notation - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

The current editions of Gregorian chant present the melodies written in black square-note notation on a four lined stave called a tetragram, and although there have been some typographical differences, this has been the case since the late Middle Ages in many places. This notation is called “diastematic”: it shows the exact height of pitches, though not certain rhythmic or phraseological aspects. Prior to these systems, there were others called neumatic or “adiastematic”, which were indeterminate as to the pitch, but marked other aspects and served as an aide-memoire to the cantors for the melodies. The manuscripts are incredibly beautiful, but certainly more difficult to read for learning a melody. One of these systems is that of St Gall (named after the town in Switzerland where it was developed), which uses primarily two neumes, the virga and the tractulus. In this video, Vicente teaches us to interpret these neumes, as well as the function of the episema, by comparing the melody of “Dominus legifer noster”, heard during the third week of Advent, in the St. Gall adiastemic notation as found in Hartker's antiphonary, written at the end of the 10th century, and the same melody as it is notated in square notes in current editions. The text of the antiphon is as follows: Dominus legifer noster, Dominus Rex noster, ipse veniet, et salvabit nos "For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our ruler, the Lord is our king; he will save us." Learning to read both notation systems, which can be overlaid as they are in the Graduale Triplex, can be a wonderful tool in unlocking the correct interpretation of these chants. Vicente Urones Sánchez has a degree in musicology and a master’s degree in Hispanic Music. He is currently studying organ and doing his doctoral thesis at the University of Salamanca. He studied Gregorian chant in Spain and Italy and is the caput scholar of the Schola Cantorum de Zamora. He translates all of the Spanish texts for Neumz. ___

God is coming! Dicite pusillanimes - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

As we close in on Christmas, the communion chant of the third Sunday of Advent says "Dicite pusillanimes confortamini, et nolite timere: ecce Deus noster veniet, et salvabit nos". It is the prophet talking to those who are afraid, the ‘pusillanimous’. The prophet instructs us to not be afraid, and at this point the chant literally rises and stands, with a neume called ‘salicus’: The climax then comes on "confortamini", meaning "be strong", followed by a more tender "Nolite timere", "don't be afraid". And then, "ecce Deus noster veniet", God is coming, and again rising with the same salicus motif, until the very last part: "et salvabit nos", "and he will save us". Hélène Derieux studied philosophy, management, and theology in Paris (La Sorbonne), London (City University), Berlin (ESCP Europe), and Vienna (Universität Wien), and holds three master's degrees. After having spent several years at a convent where she gained an intimate knowledge of liturgy, she went on studying musicology at La Sorbonne where she is currently finishing an MA, and specialising in medieval liturgical music. Her musical background involves lyrical singing (Conservatoire de Levallois-Perret), Gregorian chant (Diploma in Gregorian chant from the École du Chœur Grégorien de Paris obtained summa cm laude; Brigitte Lesne's class of plainchant interpretation at La Sorbonne), traditional Breton music, choir direction, and organ playing with a keen interest in improvisation. She is currently based in Paris where she is the choir director of the Gregorian schola of Saint-Pierre-de-Montmartre, as well as a singer and a church cantor. She also works as a freelance consultant, translator and interpreter. Listen to the communion in the app: odra.dk/pusillanimes ________ We are pleased to offer the Neumz Digital Advent Calendar to celebrate one year of the Neumz mobile apps for Android and iOS. Each day we will offer you a commentary on a chant sung during Advent or a reflection on Gr

Countdown to Christmas: The "O Antiphons" - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

Listen to the entire series of the “O Antiphons”! Hélène offers some more insights as to their importance as a meditative preparation for Christmas, sung at Vespers every evening during the Octave of Advent, from 17 December until 23 December, as the antiphon to the Magnificat. Each day, the antiphon offers one of the Seven Attributes of Christ, and relates texts from the Old Testament, and particularly from the book of Isaiah. The melody of these antiphons is instantly recognisable, with the rising fourth motif on the letter “O” repeating in the second part to connect to the word "veni" ("come, O Lord''). In each, there is a movement towards the upper register which highlights an important word, followed by a melodic movement to the lower part, for example underlining the word “tenebris”, before its final cadence. These beautiful antiphons, in a dark 2nd mode, sound serious and solemn, but this recurring motif offers a flicker of light through this darkness; a daily countdown until the dawn of Christmas morning. Hélène Derieux studied philosophy, management, and theology in Paris (La Sorbonne), London (City University), Berlin (ESCP Europe), and Vienna (Universität Wien), and holds three master's degrees. Having spent several years at a convent where she gained an intimate knowledge of liturgy, she went on studying musicology at La Sorbonne where she is currently finishing an MA, and specialising in medieval liturgical music. Her musical background involves lyrical singing (Conservatoire de Levallois-Perret), Gregorian chant (Diploma in Gregorian chant from the École du Chœur Grégorien de Paris obtained summa cm laude; Brigitte Lesne's class of plainchant interpretation at La Sorbonne), traditional Breton music, choir direction, and organ playing with a keen interest in improvisation. She is currently based in Paris where she is the choir director of the Gregorian schola of Saint-Pierre-de-Montmartre, as well as a singer and a church cant

Fear nothing! Gaudete Sunday - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

"Gaudete Sunday" gets its name from the first word of the Introit to the Mass of this day. This is an exceptional Sunday, because in this time of solemn preparation for Jesus' arrival, the third Sunday of Advent is identified by a celebratory character, in the same way as is the fourth Sunday of Lent, known as "Laetare Sunday". On this day, the purple colour of the celebrant's ornaments and garments give way to the colour rose. The text of the antiphon of the Introit is taken from Philippians, Chapter 4, Verses 4 to 6, and reads: Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete: modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus: Dominus prope est. Nihil solliciti sitis: sed in omni oratione petitiones vestrae innotescant apud Deum. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Vicente continues his guide to reading adiastematic notation, teaching how to sing this antiphon, and how the text’s meaning is enhanced by the symbolic richness of the neumes themselves. From a serene and solemn joy, the chant progresses to culminate in the phrase “Nihil solliciti sitis”: fear nothing. The Saviour, and with him salvation, is near. There is nothing to be afraid of. That “Nihil”, with its unison in the high 'C', represents the desire for trust, the high point of the text from which a progressive descent begins until the end of the song, ending with the same atmosphere of serenity with which it began. Vicente Urones Sánchez has a degree in musicology and a master’s degree in Hispanic Music. He is currently studying organ and doing his doctoral thesis at the University of Salamanca. He studied Gregorian chant in Spain and Italy and is the caput scholar of the Schola Cantorum de Zamora. He translates all of the Spanish texts for Neumz. _______ Listen to the chant of the

Who was the real Saint Nick? - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

On December 6, we celebrate Saint Nicholas, probably the favourite saint of children, because it is he who brings their gifts. Saint Nicholas was born in Lycia around 270 A.D. and died around 345 A.D., in Myra, where he was Bishop. He lived through two very important periods in the history of Christianity: the persecution under Diocletian, during which he was imprisoned, and the empowerment of the Christian religion by Constantine. Saint Nicholas is known as a miracle worker, and his many miracles include the multiplication of food and the resurrection of the dead, especially of children. Learn about his many miracles and the breadth of his life experiences, and how this great man would go on to become the patron saint of, at one and the same time, children, students, sailors, and prisoners, unmarried people, merchants, archers, repentant thieves, prostitutes, brewers, and pawnbrokers. Dominique Gatté specialised in Digital Humanities linked to medieval musicology and is a producer of Neumz. He completed his university studies in Strasbourg and holds a bachelor’s degree in theology and a master’s degree in interdisciplinary medieval studies. His research activities mainly focus on musical Paleography between the 9th and 12th centuries. Together with Dominique Crochu, also a Neumz producer, he co-founded the siteGregofacsimil, and he founded and continues to manage and administer the network “Musicologie Médiévale”. He is also the creator of the MMMO Database (Medieval Music Manuscripts Online Database), and a collaborator of many websites such as DIAMM (Digital Image Archive of Medieval Music, Oxford Faculty of Music); the “Gregorian Directory” of the Belgian Gregorian Chant Academy; the MUSICOMED – Labex Resmed – UMR IReMUS project (Paris-Sorbonne University); and the Cantus-Index website. Enjoy the Antiphona ad Magnificat - Veni Domine visitare nos in the app: odra.dk/VeniDomine ________ We are pleased to offer the Neumz Digital Advent Ca

Listen to all the O Antiphons!

Countdown to Christmas with all 7 O Antiphons in a row!

The Light of St Lucy's Eyes - Advent Calendar 2021

Today, Hélène Derieux introduces Saint Lucia of Syracuse, a very important martyr of late antiquity and very celebrated since the Middle Ages. Her feast is tomorrow, on December 13th. She came from Sicily and was killed during the persecution under Diocletian in 304 A.D. Similar to her, many young virgins who were martyred and are highly honoured during the Middle Ages. Hélène recounts some of their stories and lists their “attributes”, that is, symbols of the way in which they were killed which frequently appear in later iconography. For Santa Lucia, this attribute is her eyes, which were gouged out before she was killed by her executioner: this fact, combined with the etymology of her name, from Lux, led to traditions such as Lucia Morgan in Sweden in the 18th and 19th century, a special ceremony in which a chorus wears candles on their heads in a dark church, singing to the saint who triumphs over the darkness. Her feast day begins the week considered by medieval calendars to mark the winter solstice, which gives extra meaning to this “festival of light”. In the past, this was all the more important, as this was one of the four weeks annually during which one celebrated the “Ember Days”, days of fasting and abstinence which prepared for the entry into each season, the Quattro tempora. To conclude, Hélène looks at the Alleluia sung for the Common of Virgins and Martyrs, whose verse comes from Psalm 44: "Diffusa est gratia in labiis tuis". This verse, which references the lips, "in labiis tuis", is suggestive of the original meaning of the word “martyr”, a witness to the Resurrection and a sign that speaks for itself, just as these young martyrs spoke louder than words with their very lives and blood. Hélène Derieux studied philosophy, management, and theology in Paris (La Sorbonne), London (City University), Berlin (ESCP Europe), and Vienna (Universität Wien), and holds three master's degrees. After having spent several years at a con

Fons amoris: the source of bortherly love - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

This Antiphon, sung at Vespers for Ferie III (meaning Wednesday, so sung on Tuesday evening), sets to music a verse from one of the shortest Psalms, number 132 [133]. This famous text speaks of brotherly love and relates it to images of perfume (sicut unguentum) and dew (sicut ros). Alberto offers in this video a beautiful meditation upon these images and their significance today. God is the fons amoris, the source of love: this love spreads down like oil from the hair of the anointed high priest, Aaron (who foreshadows Christ), and drips down, off the “frontlets” (the “tzitz”) of his headdress (which atone for the sin of arrogance of his people, cf. Exodus 28:36–38), to his beard, and from there onto his mantle and armour. It is worth remembering that Aaron was instructed to make an “ephod” (garment) when he became high priest, with “two onyx stones… engrave[d] on them the names of the sons of Israel” (Exod. 28:6-12). Over this, he wore the so-called “Hoshen”, the “breastplate of judgement”: “It shall be square and doubled… You shall set in it four rows of stones. A row of carnelian, chrysolite, and emerald shall be the first row; and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a moonstone; and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper; they shall be set in gold filigree. There shall be 12 stones with names corresponding to the names of the sons of Israel; they shall be like signets, each engraved with its name, for the 12 tribes... So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastplate of judgement on his heart when he goes into the holy place, for a continual remembrance before the Lord. In the breastplate of judgement you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord; thus Aaron shall bear the judgement of the Israelites on his heart before the Lord continually.” (Exod. 28:15-30) Inside this

The Invitatory at Matins - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

After a short prayer asking the Lord three times to open our lips and mouths to proclaim His praise and to put our trust in Him, and a recitation of Psalm 3, the office of Matins continues with the Invitatory, consisting of Psalm 94 and an antiphon that is variable according to the holiday. This song comes in a very ancient form called the “responsorial”, or psalmody with refrain. The Invitatory antiphon, ‘Regem venturum Dominum, venite adoremus’, "The Lord, the King Who is to come, O come, let us adore!", is actually the whole message for Christians at Advent. That is to say, we worship God whom we already recognise as our King and who must come very soon. This Invitatory antiphon is sung in Jouques to a melody composed specifically for the Abbey. Dominique Gatté specialised in Digital Humanities linked to medieval musicology and is a producer of Neumz. He completed his university studies in Strasbourg and holds a bachelor’s degree in theology and a master’s degree in interdisciplinary medieval studies. His research activities mainly focus on musical paleography between the 9th and 12th centuries. Together with Dominique Crochu, also a Neumz producer, he co-founded the Gregofacsimil site, and he founded and continues to manage and administer the network “Musicologie Médiévale”. He is also the creator of the MMMO Database (Medieval Music Manuscripts Online Database), and a collaborator on many websites such as DIAMM (Digital Image Archive of Medieval Music, Oxford Faculty of Music); the “Gregorian Directory” of the Belgian Gregorian Chant Academy; the MUSICOMED – Labex Resmed – UMR IReMUS project (Paris-Sorbonne University); and the Cantus-Index website. Enjoy the Invitatory in the app: odra.dk/invitatorium ________ We are pleased to offer the Neumz Digital Advent Calendar to celebrate one year of the Neumz mobile apps for Android and iOS. Each day we will offer you a commentary on a chant sung during Advent or a reflection on Gre

"The Holy Spirit shall descend upon you" - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

The Antiphon to the Magnificat is sung during Vespers on the first Sunday of Advent. “Spiritus Sanctus in te descendet”, taken from Luke’s Gospel, gives us the message of the Annunciation to Mary: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, Mary. Fear not, you will conceive in your womb the Son of God. Alleluia.” With the Annunciation, the dawn of the new alliance is unveiled. As happened before with Israel in Sinai, we are asked to join in an indissoluble embrace. Nazareth, as the new Sinai, will receive God. A God who quietly dwells in the womb of a humble girl, as announced by the Archangel Gabriel: “thou shalt conceive in your womb”. The Saviour will come and be among us. As the melody ascends we are reminded that the Son of God comes from above. Raúl Orlando Arreguin Rosales is a professor and the assistant choir director at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, as well as a cantor and the archivist for the Cappella Giulia, at St. Peter's Basilica, since 2008. The Cappella Giulia sings for all solemn functions of the Vatican, such as Holy Mass, Lauds, and Vespers, when these are not celebrated by the Pope (when instead the Sistine Chapel Choir sings). Before this he served as an academic professor and the choirmaster for the Celaya Conservatory of Music in Mexico. He studied piano at the Conservatory of Celaya and choir direction at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, and is founder of the Schola Cantorum Nova Hispania. Raúl is in charge of the English translations for Neumz. Enjoy the chant at odra.dk/descendet ________ We are pleased to offer the Neumz Digital Advent Calendar to celebrate one year of the Neumz mobile apps for Android and iOS. Each day we will offer you a commentary on a chant sung during Advent or a reflection on Gregorian chant, in the hope that you will enjoy these chants as much as we did while preparing them to share them with you all. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to celebrate Advent together!

Where does "Ave Maria" come from? Digital Advent Calendar 2021

Vicente compares two Offertories Ave Maria, two majestic and exultant songs for one of the most beautiful and beloved texts, the Hail Mary. Among the various biblical scenes present in the Capella degli Scrovegni is the “Visitation”, which refers to the visit that Mary made while pregnant with Jesus to her cousin Elizabeth, who herself was pregnant with John the Baptist. Elizabeth embraces Mary, while behind them are two women, one of whom holding a white cloth in allusion to the children who will soon be born and swaddled. The Visitation is narrated in the Gospel of St Luke (1, 39-45): “In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.’” These words of Elizabeth became part of the “Hail Mary”. The first sentence of the prayer is taken from another biblical passage in St. Luke's Gospel, the Annunciation of the Birth of Jesus. On this occasion it is the Archangel Gabriel who says to Mary: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you". Today, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, logically celebrated nine months before we celebrate her birth, we listen to one of the Ave Maria offertories. Today's interestingly does not contain the whole text, but only the first sentence, and half of the second, up to “blessed art thou among women”. The other offertory Ave Maria, the one sung on the fourth Sunday of Advent, was originally composed for the day of the Annunciation, March 25th, and instead does contain the final words of the first part of this prayer, “and blessed is the fruit of thy womb”. One only has to look at the liturgical moment in which these two offertories are sung and the meaning of both celebratio

St Ambrose' hymn "Conditor alme siderum" - Digital Advent Calendar 2020

‘Conditor alme siderum’ is one of the hymns composed by Saint Ambrose that we hear during Advent. Although Saint Ambrose never dealt with musical theory in his writings, he returns very often to the importance of singing not as a secondary practice but as an essential part of human expression. It becomes an important form of prayer, a way not only to remember sacred texts, but to foster the union of the faithful to become the Church. Ambrosian hymns are a benchmark for hymnography since, in his compositions, we find concepts of the whole Christian faith, and they can be real tools for educating one's faith, through singing. This hymn presents various meanings, mysteries, and explanations of Christianity, and touches on everything in which a Christian believes: the creation, the redemption of Christ, the intercession of Christ for the faithful who invoke him, and finally the victory over death, the Resurrection. Discover more on this famous Ambrosian hymn in the video with Martina Cocci. Martina Cocci is Neumz’s translator, musicologist and archivist who graduated in Cremona at the University of Pavia. She furthered her studies in Gregorian chant at courses provided by the Italian section of AISCGre, obtaining a Diploma of Advanced Studies in Gregorian Chant at Lugano Conservatory. Enjoy Conditor alme siderum in the app: odra.dk/conditor ________ We are pleased to offer the Neumz Digital Advent Calendar to celebrate one year of the Neumz mobile apps for Android and iOS. Each day we will offer you a commentary on a chant sung during Advent or a reflection on Gregorian chant, in the hope that you will enjoy these chants as much as we did while preparing them to share them with you all. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to celebrate Advent together!

Meet Harpa Dei! Praise through Chant - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

Today's video is very special: it introduces the members of the hugely successful and popular ensemble Harpa Dei. Listen to their beautiful rendition of the Gradual Ecce quam bonum (and listen through to the end to hear the same sung by the sisters), and meet Nikolai, Mirjana, Marie-Elisée, Lucia, four people who share the same family and spirituality, and who offer their talents in praise through the chants. The first of several videos in our series with this unique ensemble. Stay tuned for more! harpadei.com Harpa Dei ________ We are pleased to offer the Neumz Digital Advent Calendar to celebrate one year of the Neumz mobile apps for Android and iOS. Each day we will offer you a commentary on a chant sung during Advent or a reflection on Gregorian chant, in the hope that you will enjoy these chants as much as we did while preparing them to share them with you all. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to celebrate Advent together!

Populus Sion, a trumpet call of joy - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

Today Raúl tells us about the Introit ‘Populus Sion’, ‘People of Zion’, which opens the Mass on the Second Sunday of Advent. The first two paragraphs reveal a call for attention, calling on the people of Zion with the interval of a fourth. Two words stand out in the composition, “gloriam” and “laetitia”, glory and joy, expressions that correspond to the spirituality of Advent. The following phrase, “et audítam fáciet Dóminus glóriam vocis suæ“, the majesty of his voice, leads us through a musical modulation to D, the dominant note of the song. This text confirms and clearly announces to us the coming of the Messiah, and expresses the joy of the heart that hopes for eternal happiness. The verse of the psalm complements this message given in the antiphon, in which it tells us that the Lord is our Shepherd, and our Saviour. The musical setting perfectly conforms to the text. Raúl Orlando Arreguin Rosales is a professor and the assistant choir director at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, as well as a cantor and the archivist for the Cappella Giulia at St. Peter's Basilica since 2008. The Cappella Giulia sings for all solemn functions of the Vatican, such as Holy Mass, Lauds and Vespers, when these are not celebrated by the Pope (when instead the Sistine Chapel Choir sings). Before this he served as an academic professor and the choirmaster for the Celaya Conservatory of Music in Mexico. He studied piano at the Conservatory of Celaya and choir direction at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, and is founder of the Schola Cantorum Nova Hispania. Raúl is in charge of the English translations for Neumz. Enjoy Populus Sion in the app: odra.dk/PopulusSion ________ We are pleased to offer the Neumz Digital Advent Calendar to celebrate one year of the Neumz mobile apps for Android and iOS. Each day we will offer you a commentary on a chant sung during Advent or a reflection on Gregorian chant, in the hope that you will enjoy the

A Divine Calling - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

Meet Sister Kateri and Sister Marie-Kristen as they recount their vocations, and the central role that Gregorian chant played in it, in a discussion with the members of the Gradual Choir. This is the choir the sings the “solo” roles in the chants. Normally, if you listen closely to the liturgy in Neumz, especially in the more ornate chants (the choir in fact takes its name from the “Gradual”, the most ornate of all forms), you will hear not only the singing pass back and forth from left to right (antiphonally), as in the psalms, but also the melodic beginning sections (of introits for example) coming from the middle of the choir, sung in fewer voices but most elegantly and precisely. You will also hear during the services the creaks of benches and rustles of robes as these sisters get up to assemble in the middle of the church (called the choir) to sing these parts, to then retake their seats across from one another with the rest of the community. In addition to the normal work duties of a Benedictine monastery, these nuns spend considerable time each day preparing the chants, and serve as the musical engine of the entire community. ________ We are pleased to offer the Neumz Digital Advent Calendar to celebrate one year of the Neumz mobile apps for Android and iOS. Each day we will offer you a commentary on a chant sung during Advent or a reflection on Gregorian chant, in the hope that you will enjoy these chants as much as we did while preparing them to share them with you all. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to celebrate Advent together!

The liturgical year begins with A! Ad te levavi - Digital Advent Calendar 2021

Listen to Alberto Díaz-Blanco discussing the Introit Ad te levavi. Alberto is the director of Neumz, a professor of Hispanic Philology and has been a Gregorianist for most of his life: he has the second most important collection of Gregorian chant records, and collaborates with Father Jerome F. Weber on the largest database of Gregorian chant discography, chantdiscography.com. He is a member of the board of directors of the AISCGre Spanish section and teaches Gregorian chant at the summer courses of the Benedictine Abbey of Santa Cruz. Advent begins with the Introit Ad te levavi, which reminds us that during Advent, we wait in joy, in hope, and in anticipation of the Feast of Christmas. We look forward to celebrating the fact that God loves us so much that he sent his Son into the world to save us. The chants of this first Sunday of Advent have a particular richness. This Introit states: "Unto you have I lifted up my soul. O my God, I trust in you, let me not be put to shame; do not allow my enemies to laugh at me; for none of those who are awaiting you will be disappointed." This is the very essence of the Eucharist: the offering of the heart to God. In this way, Advent begins with this lifting of the soul to the Lord, the ascension of the Christian's prayer, calling our Saviour. Enjoy the chant at: odra.dk/A ________ 28 November 2021 is the first Sunday of Advent, the first day of the liturgical year, marking one full year since the launch of the Neumz mobile apps for Android and iOS. Each day we will offer you a commentary on a chant sung during Advent or a reflection on Gregorian chant, in the hope that you will enjoy these chants as much as we did while preparing them to share them with you all. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to celebrate Advent together!

Veni/Ecce: how the prophecy of Advent is fulfilled in Gregorian Chant - Digital Advent Calendar 2020

Each liturgical season suggests a message, and with it, a few words and ideas that are constantly repeated. During Advent, the period of the liturgical year in which the arrival of the Saviour is announced, there are two words or ideas that are constantly repeated: the word “ecce”, which is usually translated as “behold”, “look” or “know”; and the verb “venire”, “come”. From the beginning of Advent until Epiphany, see how these two words were used in the chants to announce and then fulfil Biblical prophecy. Vicente Urones Sánchez has a degree in Musicology and a master’s degree in Hispanic Music. He is currently studying organ and doing his doctoral thesis at the University of Salamanca. He studied Gregorian chant in Spain and Italy and is the caput scholar of the Schola Cantorum de Zamora. He translates all of the Spanish texts for Neumz. Enjoy the antiphon "Ecce Dominus noster" here: odra.dk/ecce ________ We are pleased to offer the Neumz Digital Advent Calendar to celebrate one year of the Neumz mobile apps for Android and iOS. Each day we will offer you a commentary on a chant sung during Advent or a reflection on Gregorian chant, in the hope that you will enjoy these chants as much as we did while preparing them to share them with you all. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to celebrate Advent together!

Mary's "Yes": Alma Redemptoris Mater. Digital Advent Calendar 2021

Alma redemptoris Mater is one of the four Marian antiphons that are sung throughout the liturgical year. Alma redemptoris is sung during Advent and Christmas time until the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple on 2 February. Martina Cocci explains the two versions of this antiphon, explores the mystery of the Incarnation and of the virgin birth of Mary which are condensed within it, and ponders the significance of Mary’s “yes” to the call of the Archangel Gabriel. A “yes” that, even in these challenging times, we must all try to give, in anticipation of a true Christmas soon to come. Martina Cocci is a musicologist and archivist, who graduated in Cremona at the University of Pavia. She furthered her studies in Gregorian chant at courses provided by the Italian section of AISCGre, obtaining a Diploma of Advanced Studies in Gregorian Chant at Lugano Conservatory. Enjoy the hymns on Neumz: Tonus simplex: odra.dk/alma_simplex Tonus solemnis: odra.dk/alma_solemnis ________ We are pleased to offer the Neumz Digital Advent Calendar to celebrate one year of the Neumz mobile apps for Android and iOS. Each day we will offer you a commentary on a chant sung during Advent or a reflection on Gregorian chant, in the hope that you will enjoy these chants as much as we did while preparing them to share them with you all. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to celebrate Advent together!