Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Music Monday

April 11, 2011

Okay, I know I’ve reviewed mostly modern music, but this time it’s going to be something more spiritual (although The Key by REO is actually spiritual for me). Today I’m going to talk about Beth Nielsen Chapman’s Hymns.

I first heard Salve Regina on Pandora about this time last year and I fell in love instantly. Actually, I probably started crying too – the Hail Holy Queen is one of my favorite prayers and songs and it always stirs my soul deeply when I hear it. So, I’ve been eyeing this album for a long time and, since my Amazon gift card was burning a hole in my pocket, I decided to go ahead and buy it on MP3. Of course I listened to it immediately after it downloaded and I just let the tears flow and got some inner peace for myself. After Saturday’s meltdown, I needed to find some peace!!

What I love about this album is that the arrangements are all either acapella or just guitar – so simple and so incredibly beautiful! Also, most are in Latin so these are the traditional Catholic hymns many of us grew up on – how can you go wrong?? To me, it’s like listening to angels in heaven. So, let’s go through the songs:

1. Ave Verum Corpus – This is a Mozart piece and that in itself makes this great.

2. Veni Veni Emmanuel (AKA O Come O Come Emmanuel) – The traditional song of Advent and especially sung during O Antiphon week in December, this is a haunting rendition. There is guitar backing, but it also has some of the English words to it too. This is also one of my favorite Christmas hymns. Old and steeped in Catholic tradition.

3. Tantum Ergo – This is one of the greatest Eucharist hymns in my opinion. If you haven’t ever sung it or don’t know the English translation, you must look it up – incredibly beautiful! Usually sung during Benediction and written by St. Thomas Aquinas.

4. O Salutaris Hostia – Okay, I have to admit I’ve not heard it sung this way before but it is still a traditional setting and wonderfully done. It is also a Eucharistic hymn, but it is also a Lenten hymn: “O Saving Victim opening wide, the gates of heaven to man below”.

5. Adoramus Te – Also a Lenten song and usually sung during the Stations of the Cross, this is prayed before each station: “We adore you O Christ and we bless you, by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.” This is so beautiful it gives me chills!

6. O Sanctissima – A Marian hymn and one of my all time favorites. You really don’t hear it sung much anymore and what a pity that is!

7. Panis Angelicus (Bread of Angels) – Now you usually hear this being “sung” by the great opera tenors like Luciano Pavoratti (RIP), but I much prefer these arrangements of simplicity to the other. You can hear each word clearly and really meditate on their meaning.

8. Salve Regina – This is the one that I fell in love with and encouraged me to look at the rest of the album and say, “Gotta have that!” This is also my favorite favorite Marian hymn and I really feel sorry for those at church who have to hear me sing it during Mass. Nevertheless sing it I do – can’t do otherwise. Do those who sing badly pray twice too?

9. Hymn To Mary – An original song of Beth Chapman’s and a beautiful prayer to Mary with the innocent faith of a child. It is almost a lullaby – just beautiful.

10. O God of Loveliness – This is the tune to Beautiful Savior, but I know that it is often that way with hymns – same melody different words. So, I don’t really know this one, but it is all sung in English and it is a probably a classic.

11. Dona Nobis Pacem – These are the ending words to the Agnus Dei said before Communion at Mass. It means literally, “Grant us peace”. Short, sweet and uplifting.

12. Ave Maria – The great hymn by Schubert is sung with guitar accompaniment and is a great ending to an incredibly meditative and wonderful album. Quiet, relaxing, classic.

So, that is my take on this album and I know it’s not nearly enough. If you love traditional Catholic music, if you are looking for something to add to morning or evening prayer, then you may want to check this one out. You won’t be sorry!

2 comments
Comments

On April 12, 2011 at 4:00 PM, dxprog said:

But is that Ave Maria as awesome as Bobby McFerrin's? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgvJg7D6Qck
Also awesome, but mostly unrelated: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne6tB2KiZuk

On April 14, 2011 at 10:53 AM, java_queen said:

While I agree that Bobby McFerrin has an incredible talent all his own, yes, I think this is as awesome as that. It's awesome to ME in all its simplicity and beauty.

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