Chant music for paradise

How’s this for technological progress? A religious group uploaded its performance video into YouTube and got a recording deal. You might say that something like that happens all the time. Journey’s Arnel Pineda was discovered via YouTube. But this one is a different case because the group is the Cistercian Monks of the Abbey of Stift Heiligenkreuz. This is located in the fabled Vienna Woods of Austria and is said to be one of those rare places where heaven and earth meet.

Making the whole thing more amazing is the fact that the Cistercian is a cloistered order devoted to labor and prayer. They are mandated to spend their lives in the quiet confines of abbeys and monasteries. It is said that man has three enemies, the world, the flesh and the devil. Common people like us have to deal with all three but closed monks and nuns only cope with two because the convent keeps the world away. I don’t think so anymore because they have now discovered the uses of the Net.

Probably hopeful of duplicating the phenomenal success of the plainsong recordings of the Benedictine Monks of the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos in Spain during the early ‘90s, Universal Music, issued a call for singers of Gregorian chant last February. The Gregorian chant is a type of worship that dates back to the 11th century and continues to be practiced in its traditional form nowadays. I do not know how many answered that ad but the winners of the search were the Cistercian Monks of Stift Heiligenkreuz.

Released last month was the CD titled Chant, Music for Paradise. It is made up of four parts. In Paradisum which is sung at the funeral of a monk is a prayer that the soul of the deceased be taken into paradise. Then the Requiem which is the Mass for the dead. It is followed by the Completorium, which is the evening prayer of the monks. Closing the CD is Spiritus Domini, three chants in honor of the Holy Spirit. Helping to set the contemplative mood is the ringing of the bells of the abbey which closes each suite.

In Paradisum has (Antiphona and Psalm 121, Responsorium Subvenite, Responsorium Libera me); Requiem (Introitus Requiem aeternam, Kyrie eleison, Graduale Requiem aeternam, Tractus Absolve, Offertorium Domine Jesu Christe, Sanctus, Acclamato post elevationem Pie Jesu Domine, Agnus Dei, Communio Lux Eterna); Completorium (Deus in adiutorium, Hymn Te lucis ante terminum, Psalm 4, Psalm 90, Psalm 133, Lectio Brevis, Responsorium Breve, Canticum Simeonis Nuc dimittis, Kyrie Eleison, Oration conclusiva, Salve Regina, Benedicto); and Spiritus Domini (Hymn Veni Creator Spiritus, Introitus in Spiritus Dominica Pentecostes Spiritus Domini Communio in Dominica Pentecostes Factus Est repente.

Now anybody can chant but not as well as monks who must sing the liturgy and the Divine Office several times a day. These Cistercians do it very well. Chant is everything it should be. The album brings peace to the troubled heart, calms the raging senses and creates a serene atmosphere. As Pope Benedict XVI said when he heard the monks during his visit to Stift Heiligenkreuz in Sept. 9, 2007. “Whenever we join in singing, praising, exalting and worshipping God, a little bit of heaven becomes present on earth.”

Nice. We can all use bits of heaven in this part of the world.

And now for something not as restful but as heartwarming. Ryan Cayabyab is once more holding auditions for Hong Kong Disneyland. This is good news for our performers, many of whom have attained some degree of fame and loads of experience doing the shows in HK Disneyland. So it looks like a new batch will be recruited this year and once more they turned to the Philippines.

 An international casting team will audition vocalists on July 9 at The Music School of Ryan Cayabyab in Robinsons Galleria. Dancers will be seen on July 10 at the Halili-Cruz School of Ballet at 1227 Quezon Ave., Quezon City. Audition starts at 10 a.m. on both days.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Vocalists should bring sheet music of two contrasting 16-bar selections. An accompanist will be at the venue. It means no CD or taped minus ones. Dancers should wear appropriate dance clothes. Pre-registration is now going on at The Music School of Ryan Cayabyab. For details, call 637-9840 or 914-5055 or log on to www.hongkongdisneyland.com/careers.