Christ in Gethsemane - Maundy Thursday: The Office of Tenebrae & the Ceremony of Foot-washing

Christ in Gethsemane - Maundy Thursday: The Office of Tenebrae & the Ceremony of Foot-washing

Artist: Monastic Choir of St. Peter's Abbey Solesmes
Item number: AG070
Category: Gregorian
Chant Type: Gregorian
Language: Latin
Label: Paraclete Press
Period: Medieval
Length: 68'33
Release date: 1989
Read a description or review of this item.

Price: $16.95 USD
This product usually ships on the next business day.

You may need RealPlayer or Windows Media Player to listen to the music samples below.

1. Zelus and Psalm 68 (Mode 8)

2. Avertantur and Psalm 69 (Mode 8)

3. Deus meus and Psalm 70 (Mode 8)

4. In monte (Mode 8)

5. Tristis est (Mode 8)

6. Ecci vidimus (Mode 5)

7. Liberavit and Psalm 71 (Mode 5)

8. Cogitaverunt and Psalm 72 (Mode 6)

9. Exsurge and Psalm 73 (Mode 1)

10. Amicus (Mode 8)

11. Iudas (Mode 2)

12. Unus (Mode 8)

13. Dixi and Psalm 74 (Mode 7)

14. Terra and Psalm 75 (Mode 8)

15. In die and Psalm 76 (Mode 7)

16. Eram (Mode 7)

17. Una hora (Mode 7)

18. Seniores (Mode 1)

19. Iustificeris and Psalm 50 (Mode 8)

20. Dominus and Psalm 89 (Mode 2)

21. Contritum est and Psalm 35 (Mode 8)

22. Exhortatus es and canticle (Mode 4a)

23. Oblatus est and Psalm 146 (Mode 2)

24. Traditor and Benedictus (Mode 1)

25. Christus factus est (Mode 5)


The first of three discs, this offers Tenebrae for Holy Thursday (sometimes sung on Wednesday evening). Matins has three nocturns, each consisting of three psalms with their antiphons and three responsories (with the preceding lessons omitted). Lauds follows, five psalms and a canticle with their antiphons. (All the psalms are reduced to a couple of verses.) The disc is filled out with many of the antiphons for the Mandatum, or washing of the feet (which gives us the name Maundy Thursday), which is part of the Mass that day. Other two discs in this series: Tenebrae of Good Friday and He Was Placed in the Tomb: The Great Offices for Holy Saturday .

By: Fr. Jerome Weber

The texts of Tenebrae, set by many Renaissance and baroque composers, are well known. But the original chants are among the most expressive and beautiful of all Gregorian chant, and the singing of the monks of Solesmes is beyond criticism. These three discs are the last recordings directed by Dom Jean Claire before his retirement.