Gregorian chant ukulele book

Ondrej

Ondrej

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I noticed that a lot of forum members likes Baroque music. Therefore, I reached to the roots of this music and arranged Gregorian chant. Chant is played Campanella style.
The first book is for ukulele with low G.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&ie=UTF8&field-author=Ondrej%20Sarek#/ref=sr_pg_2?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AOndrej+Sarek&page=2&sort=relevancerank&ie=UTF8&qid=1346230116
But soon will follow other types of ukulele.
Here youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCJ_1xJzSzA&feature=channel&list=UL
and tab.
Veni Creator Spiritus.JPG
 
This should be fun! I put it in my wish list. Kathryn, let us know what you think after you've had a chance to look it over.

Randy
 
I'm confused. Were there any Gregorian chants that were accompanied by instrumentation? My understanding has always been that such liturgical music was always a capella...
 
ichadwick said:
I'm confused. Were there any Gregorian chants that were accompanied by instrumentation? My understanding has always been that such liturgical music was always a capella...
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that you're right, Ian. As far as I know, there aren't any accounts that describe instruments being used to accompany early liturgical music. However, considering how old this music is (pre 1200 BCE), I suppose we could have lost written records of instrumentation. But again, in all of the illuminations I've seen, I've never seen instruments for music this early. The people who actually sang these chants were primarily monks. These monks were likely forbidden (that's pure surmise) or at least way too busy praying and worshipping to have time to play an instrument.
Though there were surely earlier, occasional instances of instrumental accompaniment of liturgical music, it was not common practice until the 1500s.


All that aside, I still think that these simple melodies are reasonably well suited to ukulele. Certainly, other instruments - organ and bells in particular - are used in churches today to accompany such music.
 
Another aside...many years ago I purchased a single page of vellum, inscribed on both sides, of a church song book printed (as I recall) in either 1435 or 1485 (probably the latter). It's handwritten, with red and black ink, and is the typical Gregorian Chant page. I still have it, tucked away somewhere. Not sure why I kept it but now I have an urge to dig it out of the closet and look at how it was done.

Probably should put it on eBay, but haven't got around to it... might be able to post a pic if anyone is interested on what it looks like.
 
ichadwick said:
Another aside...many years ago I purchased a single page of vellum, inscribed on both sides, of a church song book printed (as I recall) in either 1435 or 1485 (probably the latter). It's handwritten, with red and black ink, and is the typical Gregorian Chant page. I still have it, tucked away somewhere. Not sure why I kept it but now I have an urge to dig it out of the closet and look at how it was done.

Probably should put it on eBay, but haven't got around to it... might be able to post a pic if anyone is interested on what it looks like.
Click to expand...

I'm interested. :)
 
ichadwick said:
I'm confused. Were there any Gregorian chants that were accompanied by instrumentation? My understanding has always been that such liturgical music was always a capella...
Click to expand...
Ian, you're right. Gregorian chant is monophonic and a cappella. The book is not accompaniment to Gregorian chant.
But I rewrote the 'square notation' most famous melodies into 'standard notation' and tab with campanella style.
 
I bought the book a few weeks ago, and I've gone back and forth on whether I like it or not. Just as soon as I'm ready to put it away, I give it a spin and end up playing the chants for 15 minutes or half an hour. It has opened up a few new ideas on how to make the ukulele ring more, and I love the low G.
 
Hello Rubio.
I am glad that you are interested in the book. I tried.
When I arrangement for the ukulele I like exploring new possibilities.
Ondrej
 
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