The Monks of Glenstal Abbey: Biscantorat: Sound of the Spirit from Glenstal Abbey album

Liner notes

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Biscantorat - Sound of the Spirit

This recording was made on the 19th of September 2003. We believe it captures the 'sound of the spirit'. It was conceived as prayer and assumed a liturgical form as the sound unfolded that evening in the monastic church of Glenstal Abbey.

And... 'if you attend reverently and listen tenderly... to these words... they form a raft to carry you to that further shore' (John O'Donohue)

Whose are the voices? They belong to no one in particular. They have been given by and to another. The voices you hear are singing with each other but beyond themselves.

Let Sounds of the Spirit take you wherever the Spirit moves. 'The Spirit and the Bride say come'. 'Enter their courts with songs of praise'.

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1) Enter Their Courts With Songs Of Praise

The Spirit and the Bride say come! Enter their courts with songs of praise!

2) The Coventry Carol

Anonymous 16th century English carol, where the women mourn Herod's cruelty. (cf Matt 2:16)

3) Veni, Veni, Emmanuel!

12th century Advent Solstice Antiphon, set to 18th century music.

Veni clavis Davidica...fac iter tutum superum.

Come, O key of David...make safe our heavenward journey.

4) The Darkest Midnight

Christmas Carol from the Kilmore tradition in Co. Wexford, Ireland.

God grant us grace in all our days, a merry Christmas and a happy end.

5) Gloria in Excelsis Deo - More Ambrosiano

12th century chant accompanying the oldest Latin text from the 7th century Irish manuscript The Bangor Antiphonary, ending on a nineteen note 'Amen', coming to rest on the lowest note of the chant.

It is true when we sing 'Amen', we are singing our own names. - St Augustine.

6) Christmas Day ls Come

The first Christmas carol from the from the Kilmore tradition in Co. Wexford, Ireland. Adapted from a text by Bishop Luke Waddinge.

7) Puer Natus in Bethlehem

Christmas song from a 14th century German Benedictine processional.

Benedicamus Domino!

Let us bless the Lord!

8) Three Sonnets

a. The Annunciation b. The Visitation c. The Nativity

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9) Salve Regina

11th century hymn to Mary, attributed to the German Benedictine monk, Herman of Reichenau.

O clemens, O pia. O dulcis Virgo Maria!

O gentle, O holy, O kindly Virgin Mary!

10) Regina Cali

Marian antiphon traditionally sung after Compline, Night Prayer, during Eastertide.

11) Alleluia - O Virga Mediatrix

12th century composition of the Benedictine Abbess, Hildegard von Bingen. The only 'Alleluia' in her surviving repertoire.

Nunc autem laus sit in altissimo!

Now let there be praise in the highest!

12) The Seven Rejoices of Mary

Traditional Irish numerical carol, collected in Waterford in 1901.

13) Nil Desperandum

May this song make your name forever remembered.

14) The Beatitudes

Eight principles of how the Holy Spirit works in human hearts - Christ's first recorded preaching - as in Matthew's Gospel

Amen! Truly I say to you: Gather in my name, I am with you.

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15) Victimae Paschali Laudes

Medieval chant from an 11th century manuscript in the Benedictine monasterv of Einsiedeln in Switzerland. A resurrection hymn sung from Easter Sunday to the following Sunday as a sequence to the 'Alleluia' proclaiming the Gospel.

Scimus Christum surrexisse a mortuis vere!

We know that Christ has truly risen from the dead!

16) Kyrie Eleison

Two settings of the Greek text 'Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy'. The first from the plainchant repertoire, the 16th century Missa de Angels, and a polyphonic setting by the 16th century English composer, William Byrd.

17) Pater Noster

When you pray say...

18) Viri Galilai

Entrance antiphon for the feast of the Ascension.

Galileans, why are you looking with wonder into the sky?

19) Jerusalem the Golden

Hymn, Urbs Sion Aurea, written by Bernard of Clairvaux in 1146, sung in the English of John M. Neale, to a contemporary musical setting by Paul Nash OSB.

The wall was built of diamond and the city of pure gold, like clear glass.

20) The Holy Spirit is the Air we Breathe

The Spirit blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from, or where it goes.

21) Spiritus Sanctus

Five prayers - vocal and instrumental - out of the silence, to the Holy Spirit. The organ plays an overture of five notes; voices interrupt the sound, allowing the Sound of the Spirit to sing through.

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Contributors: A.M.E.N. (Eoin O' Súilleabháin, Micheál P Ö' Súilleabháin, Nóirín Ni Riain), Andrew Cyprian Love OSB, Glenstal Abbey Monastic Schola, John O'Donohue, Marie Bernadette O'Connor, Mark Patrick Hederman OSB, Nóirín Ni Riain

Glenstal Abbey School Senior Choir 2004 sing on track 12 - Mark Cosgrave, David Hayes, Shane Farrell, Morgan McElligott, Patrick Macnamara, Stephen Murphy, James O'Dowd, Noel Reilly, Mark Shanahan

Tracks 1, 13, 20 Mark Patrick Hederman OSB - Glenstal Music

Track 2 Martin Shaw (1879-1958) Oxford University Press

Tracks 3, 7, 12 Nóirin Ni Rain, Paul Nash OSB, Marie-Bernadette O'Connor

Track 4 Marie-Bernadette O'Connor

Tracks 5, 6, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21 Nóirin Ni Riain & Paul Nash OSB & Glenstal Music

Track 8 John O'Donohue All three sonnets from the poetry collection: Conamara Blues, published by Doubleday in 2000.

Track 10 Nóirin Ni Riain, Marie-Bernadette O'Connor

Project Co-Ordinator: Hannah Baird

Design & Layout: Dave Turner

Stained Glass On Cover: James Scanlon from SS Mary's & Ann's Cathedral, Cork

Photography: Annika Johansson

Text Front Cover: Marie-Bernadette O'Connor

Artwork liaison in Glenstal: Ciarán Forbes OSB

Sleeve Notes: Martin Browne OSB

Recorded at Glenstal Abbey by DanDan FitzGerald

Assisted by Steve Hampson

Mixed by Dave Carugo

Mastered by Tim Martin

Musical Direction: Nóirin Ni Riain & Paul Nash OSB

Produced by Noirin Ni Riain

Hummingbird would like to thank Entertainment Architects, Gerry Craven, Gordon Judge, David Forrer @ Witherspoon & Associates, Judy Murray, Geraldine Hennessy, Pat Savage at O.J Kilkenny, The Abbot and Monks of Glenstal for their kindness and generosity.

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Biscantorat was recorded in the autumn of 2003 in the Benedictine Monastery at Glenstal Abbey, Murroe, Co. Limerick, Ireland Joining the community of monks in this unique recording are Marie-Bernadette O'Connor, John O'Donohue and Noirín Ní Riain. Biscantorat is coined from an ancient proverb, that to sing is to pray twice - qui cantat, bis orat. Here you experience sounds, voices, Latin chants, Irish songs, English hymns, tracing the course of the liturgical year from Advent through Pentecost. Voices singing alone, voices singing together, voices in harmony.