Blurb:
“Ayala Malls, with the support of Alliance Française de Manille and the Embassy of France to the Philippines, proudly present the world-renowned Gregorian Choir of Paris, LIVE IN CONCERT for the Philippine tour from 18 February 2015 to 27 February 2015. The tour brings a spiritual and sacred message: the world needs a form of silence that resembles a Gregorian chant.”
The Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has endorsed the Philippine Tour of the famous Gregorian Choir of Paris from Feb. 18-27. The Choir is scheduled to perform at the Ayala Centrio Mall in Cagayan de Oro City on February 25 at 6PM.
For the first time ever, the prestigious ensemble will be performing in the Philippines to spread a spiritual message of hope and solidarity following the spate of natural and man-made upheavals in the country.
It aims to echo through actual Gregorian chanting the resilience of the Filipino spirit. The concerts and masses of the Sacred Liturgy are also meant to promote the cultural heritage of the Church through its music tradition.
As Cagayan de Oro City’s patron saint, St. Augustine of Hippo said: “Qui Bene Cantat Bis Orat” (who sings well prays twice).
In a post on its website, the French Embassy in Manila said, ”For the first time ever, the prestigious ensemble will be performing in the Philippines to spread a spiritual message of hope and solidarity especially after moments of natural and man-made upheavals in the country.”
Created in 1974, the Gregorian Choir of Paris gathers musicians from all over the world to preserve and to spread the sacred chanting tradition of the Gregorian chant.
The world famous Gregorian Choir of Paris will perform on Feb. 25, 2015 starting 6PM at the Ayala Centrio Mall in Cagayan de Oro City as part of their first ever Philippine Tour celebrating the 450th anniversary of the Agustinian Recollect Order in the Philippines. (photo by Jean Lemoine, courtesy of the Embassy of France in the Philippines)
Some 26 singers, both male and female, will be coming to the Philippines featuring the acclaimed French organist Pascal Marsault. The singers come from France, Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Colombia, Madagascar, Lithuania, Chile, and Republic of Korea.
This ensemble is comprised of two distinct entities: the male Choir and the female Choir, which was created 20 years later as “The Gregorian Choir of Paris – Female Voices.”
The male group sings at the Notre-Dame du Val-de-Grâce Church in Paris. The Female Voices interpret regularly the Gregorian repertoire within the liturgy of the Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois Church in Paris, as well as in festivals of sacred chants both in France and abroad.
The choir has toured Japan, Colombia, Egypt, Russia, China et Korea, Lebanon, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Italy and Switzerland.
These tours are virtual “pilgrimages”, which aim to spread the musical and spiritual message of the Gregorian chant.
450 years of the Agustinians in the Philippines (1565-2015)
The Philippine Tour is the choir’s contribution to the historic celebration of the 450th year of the presence of the Augustinians in the Philippines (1565-2015).
Being the first Catholic missionaries in the country with some 150 churches all over the country, the influence of the Augustinian order has a played a key role in Philippine history and culture.
The succeeding concerts entitled Virgo Mater Gloriosa will be held in Ayala Malls throughout the country with a program centered on the all-encompassing love of the Virgin Mary.
he Gregorian choir of Paris will share this repertoire in the following Ayala Malls:
On Wednesday, 18 February 2015 at 7 PM at the Alabang Town Center; Friday, 20 February 2015 at 7 PM at Greenbelt 5, Makati; Sunday, 22 February 2015 at 7 PM at Ayala Center Cebu; Tuesday, 25 February 2015 at 6 PM at Centrio Mall Cagayan de Oro; and Friday, 27 February 2015 at 6 PM at Abreeza Mall Davao.
Masses and other activities
Music, to echo the words of Pope St. John Paul II, is indeed, “the supplement of the soul”. This is why the Gregorian Choir of Paris will also dedicate some special moments for prayer for the Filipinos and will perform the Sacred Liturgy in Latin in its natural setting.
Masses will be held in churches in St. Jerome Emiliani and Sta. Susana Parish in Alabang (18 February, AshWednesday mass at 8:00 am); Greenbelt Chapel in Makati (20 February at 7:15 am); Cebu Cathedral (21 February at 6:00 pm); Tagbilaran Cathedral in Bohol (23 February at 5:00 pm), Nazareno Paris Church in Cagayan de Oro (24 February at 5:30 pm) and Sacred Heart Parish in Davao ( 26 February at 5:30 pm).
Parallel activities include a chorale workshop with the Loboc Children’s Choir in Bohol on 23 February and a workshop entitled “Gregorian Choir of Paris: celebrating the 450th anniversary of the Christianization of the Philippines” with Xavier University on 25 February in Cagayan de Oro.
Repertoire Virgo Mater Gloriosa
THE JOY OF WAITING
Veni creator, Hymn
Ecce Virgo, Communion
Hodie Christus Natus est, Antiphon
Puer natus est, Introït
Laudemus virginem, Canon (Llibre Vermell de Montserrat)
Splendens ceptigera, Canon (Llibre Vermell de Montserrat)
VIGILANCE IN THE PATH OF LIFE
Custodi me, Offertory
Tenebræ Factæ sunt, Response
Ubi Caritas, Antiphon
SUPPORT IN THE TIME OF DEATH
Popule meus, Improperia
Victimæ paschali laudes, Sequence
Victimæ paschali laudes, Duplum (manuscript of Las Huelgas)
O Filii et filiæ, Hymn
Litaniae Sanctorum, (Litany of Saints)
IN THE HEART OF CHRIST
Regnantem sempiterna, Prosule
Ave Maris stella, Hymn
Ave Maria, Offertory
Ave Maria (1990), (Caroline Marçot)
For more details, please visit:
http://www.ayalamalls.com.ph/
www.alliance.ph
www.ambafrance-ph.org
Links
http://www.choeur-gregorien-
Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
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Audio
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