Many of us will be digging through the newly posted issues of the Gregorian Review for a very long time. I just happened to be looking at the 5th issue of volume 3 and ran across two wonderful pieces.
The first is on the last chants of the year for the 32nd Sunday (Dicit Dominus and De Profundis), by Dom Gajard:
The special character of these last Sundays of the liturgical year has often been remarked upon. Placed at the limits of the liturgical cycle, they mark the end of a stage. While it is true that they open certain perspectives on the future, they also make it possible to draw a culmination, to take stock of the work of God accomplished in us in the course of the cycle which is closing. They do not merely explain the punishments which will fall on the wicked, and in particular those which will precede the solemn coming of the Judge at the end of the world. They also provide us with an opportunity to measure the graces received and the divine blessings which fall on us ceaselessly.
Without even considering the Epistle of this last Sunday, which states the true attitude of the Christian and clearly shows what is commonly called the “intellectual character” of St. Paul’s spirituality, and in restricting our examination of the sung texts, we see that although the De profundis, which recurs twice with such moving accents, is an appeal to divine mercy, it would not seem that the introit, gradual or communion have anything in their natures which is frightening. They lack such elements completely.
He then proceeds to discuss both chants in fantastic detail.
The second piece is by Dom David Nicholson, who provides an orthodox old Solesmes view of rhythm (ah yes the old argument!) but also some points that everyone might think about seriously:
There is no hide-hound set of limits in the tempo of the chant. There should, on the contrary, be the greatest liberty in determining the speed and tempo of each selection. The habit of placing metronome marks before each selection of chant in the repertoire is preposterous. It evidences a lack of understanding of this type of music.
There is no special movement for the Introits, nor for the Graduals, the Offertories, etc. In order to determine the tempo of each piece, we must consult the text and the melody welded together as an ensemble.
Actually, the tempo can often vary within the confines of a single piece, from one member to the next. There are certain delicate nuances in each selection which can be brought out by a differing of the tempo as the melodic line continues.
A detailed study of each melody makes it possible to determine all this before singing. In general, however, the tempo is always one which gives a sense of movement – even in those instances which would naturally invite a rest. To stop the movement at any place would be to discontinue the rhythmic synthesis which was built up in the melody by the composer.
I was a little confused at first wondering how Dom Gajard's well known French commentaries on specific chants ended up in English in this Gregorian Review. It turns out that the Gregorian Review is the English translated version of the famous journal "La Revue Gregorienne", put out by Solesmes for many years until around 1963. I had always consulted the original French, and so did not even know about the English translations. My sincere thanks for scanning these and putting them online! They contain excellent scholarly articles on chant.
By the way, most if not all of the late Dom Gajard's commentaries are put together in the book still in print "Les Plus Belles Molodies Gregoriennes", of which there is no English translation yet.