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This book is essential for anyone who wishes to learn Gregorian
Chant. Few words are necessary to introduce the present work to
English speaking students of plainsong. Such a handbook has long
been needed and is sure of its welcome. Neither the well known Stan
brook Grammar of Plainsong nor Madame Ward's valuable school
courses cover so much ground as Dom Gregory Sunol in his Spanish
"Metoda." The book first appeared in 1905, prefaced by a
commendatory letter from Dom Andre Mocquereau, the famous director
of the Solesmes School. Its author has many years of teaching
experience behind him, as well as sound theoretical knowledge of
his subject. His work has proved its popularity and practical
usefulness by going through a number of editions in the original
Spanish, besides being translated into French and German. Indeed by
compressing the Solesmes teaching within the narrow limits of a
general text book Dom Sunol has rendered good service to the
Gregorian cause. Not everyone has access to the monumental
publications of Solesmes, the Monographies gregoriennes or the
Paleographie Musicale, and countless students will be glad to find
the subject matter of this latter work, especially the important
seventh volume on Gregorian Rhythm, here summed up and analysed,
while the extensive quotations from Dom Mocquereau's Nombre Musical
gregorien, with which the Spanish author has enriched his later
editions, will make them desirous of seeing this fascinating
synthesis of the whole subject brought out in English. The French
translation of Dom Suf'lol's work was made by Dom Maur Sablayrolles
who tells us in his preface that he inserted a few additional
chapters and altered and developed his original here and there in
inconsiderable ways, always with the author's permission. The
present English version is a faithful rendering of the sixth French
edition, and except for some extension of the note on Latin
pronunciation, now embodied in the text, nothing of any importance
has been added. But the work has been prepared under the direct
supervision of the Solesmes Benedictine Fathers at Quarr Abbey who
have supplied invaluable help on almost every page, mainly in the
direction of ensuring greater accuracy, clearing up obscure.
passages, simplifying technical points and generally making the
book more accessible to the ordinary student of plainsong. The
Spanish handbook was placed under the patronage of our Lady of
Montserrat. In its English dress it is offered to our Lady of Quarr
with the prayer that she may everywhere bless the work of those who
are teaching the Catholic world to sing the praises of her Divine
Son.
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