The Pauline order was founded in Hungary at the end of the thirteenth century, and for a long time clung to the central Hungarian liturgical and musical customs as a sign of the order's own identity. When after 1600 they moved to the new Roman (Tridentine) liturgy, they wanted to preserve at least the musical aspect of the order's character, and so they reapplied the Roman chant texts to their own melodies from the Hungarian tradition, simplifying them a little where they saw fit. Compared to the old Gregorian chant this was a barbarian act, but this repertoire is a part of our music history, and if we listen to it as an expression of late Renaissance or early classical music, then undeniably, melodious and at times heart-rending chants were created in this manner.
This dual, historical and aesthetic curiosity explains why it is worth presenting at least a small selection of this repertoire on a CD. The source was an anthem book of the Paulines in Sátoraljaújhely written in 1623 containing chants for the mass. It provides three movements for each feast: the introit, which begins the mass, the alleluia, and the communion chant. The two outer movements show less change compared to the Middle Ages, because even their texts mostly match those of the earlier tradition. The genuinely characteristic forms are to be found in the alleluias: these are usually new compositions based on old models, yet in the place of the old Gregorian ornamentations there are shorter aria-like melodic passages.
The appendix to the Pauline gradual also contains ordinaries for the mass. In the first and the last cycle here (which contains the chants for the feast of Saint Paul the Hermit, the patron saint of the order) Schola Hungarica have recorded some of these pieces, which well demonstrate the new style.

Track Listing

• Dominica II in Adventu I.
• Dominica II in Adventu II.
• Dominica II in Adventu III
• Dominica II in Adventu IV
• Dominica II in Adventu V
• Dominica II in Adventu VI
• Dominica II in Adventu VII
• Nativitas Domini, missa in aurora I
• Nativitas Domini, missa in aurora II
• Nativitas Domini, missa in aurora III
• Nativitas Domini, missa in aurora IV
• Epiphania I.
• Epiphania II.
• Epiphania III.
• Epiphania IV.
• Dominica III post Pascha I.
• Dominica III post Pascha II.
• Dominica III post Pascha III.
• Dominica III post Pascha IV.
• Dominica III post Pascha V.
• Dominica V post Pascha I.
• Dominica V post Pascha II.
• Dominica V post Pascha III.
• Dominica V post Pascha IV.
• Dominica XVIII post Pentecosten I.
• Dominica XVIII post Pentecosten II.
• Dominica XVIII post Pentecosten III.
• Dominica XVIII post Pentecosten IV.
• Dominica XXII post Pentecosten I.
• Dominica XXII post Pentecosten II.
• Dominica XXII post Pentecosten III.
• Dominica XXII post Pentecosten IV.
• In festo Sancti Pauli Eremitae I.
• In festo Sancti Pauli Eremitae II.
• In festo Sancti Pauli Eremitae III.
• In festo Sancti Pauli Eremitae IV.
• In festo Sancti Pauli Eremitae V.
• In festo Sancti Pauli Eremitae VI.

Additional Details

Label: BMC Records

Genre: Classical

Run Time: 65 mins

Release Date: 09/28/12

UPC: 5998309301933