'Christmas at St. Michael's Abbey' the Perfect Holiday Gift to Soothe the Soul

'Christmas at St. Michael's Abbey' the Perfect Holiday Gift to Soothe the Soul

Chants for the Three Masses of Christmas Performed by the Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a musical journey that brings calm and reverence to the beauty of the holiday season, the Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey raise their voices in song on their first recording of Gregorian chant. The CD is called Christmas at St. Michael's Abbey: Chants for the Three Masses of Christmas. Available just in time for the holiday season, the album, released by Jade Music, was recorded on site by the Norbertine Fathers in the Abbey's small church in Silverado, CA.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081208/DC50503 )

Sung in Latin, the Gregorian chants include Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Prose, Offertory and Communion for all three Christmas Masses (Midnight, Dawn & Day) as they are sung at St. Michael's Abbey. After centuries of use, these chants still retain their sacramental quality, supple vigor, and ability to dispose the soul for the contemplation of God and His Mysteries.

For the choir of priests at St. Michael's Abbey, known more formally as a community of Norbertine Canons Regular, singing Gregorian chant is nothing new. Father Chrysostom Baer, the choir's music director, explains, "Gregorian chant is a regular part of life at St. Michael's. We're joyful and our hearts just have to break out in song."

Gregorian chant, named for Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) whose influence on its origins is obscure, has a complex history predating musical notation. Much western music traces its roots to this body of music. It consists of a single melodic line (monophony) that is sung without harmony to liturgical texts. The Norbertine Fathers have their own tradition of chant that dates to the 12th century, when the order was founded.

"Christmas at St. Michael's Abbey" is available on a variety of websites including Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and buy.com, among others, and excerpts from the chants are also available on many of the sites. The perfect holiday gift for everyone on your list, Christmas at St. Michael's Abbey: Chants for the Three Masses of Christmas is a great way to experience the true joy of the holiday season.

All royalties received by St. Michael's Abbey from the sale of the album are donated to St. Michael's Abbey Expansion Project. Having discovered that the Abbey and its other buildings on site are situated on geographically unstable ground, the community of Norbertines must relocate. This is a major fund-raising project, as the construction of a new abbey, preparatory school, and housing facilities is currently underway.

Please listen to the album in its entirety here: http://www.milanrecords.com/jbox/christmasatstmichaels

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Source: Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael?s Abbey

CONTACT: Lorraine Santoli, +1-914-519-6005, LSantoli@mac.com, for
Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey

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