Kyrie: Orbis Factor by Ensemble Organum

[PaxFrankis]

Actually, it's not gregorian (even if it's in latin) but polyphonic (by listening to the background choir) melting latin and byzantine ways. So was written le graduel d'Aliénor de Bretagne (end of 13th century). Crusades were just over and there was a full meting pot between western and eastern Europe. Beautiful melting pot indeed... They stopped sing it that way in the 16th century.

[grecothegekko]

@PaxFrankis I would still consider this monophonic...the drone is relatively static and doesn't do much beside sound the base note (the practice, if even used at the time, could have originated to help keep the cantor in tune with the mode). In other words, the composition itself is monophonic, interpreted with a drone in this case.

[grecothegekko]

As for "Gregorian", I'm under the (not too terribly informed) impression that Latin and Greek chant were a lot more similar than many are aware - there's evidence to suggest Latin Chant was originally much more melismatic . My personal theory is that what we know as Gregorian (very little melisms) came about with increasing popularity of classical art and choral music (which is not melismatic) in Western Europe. Sorry for the tangent. My humble opinion.

[Casivellanos]

Apaisant, surtout comparé au vacarme de la vie quotidienne

[Akee1990]

I like the arabic and throaty sounds.MMMMMMMMMMM!

[TheFGO96]

10E!

[Stgeorgealbany]

The "droning" is called an ISON - very much used in Byzantine Chant.

[suzettegm]

And you did a good job with the pics btw.

[suzettegm]

The droning is peaceful :-)

[vidaripollen]

very nice.has an eastern or orient touch about it.

[greatlotrfan]

@vidaripollen: its gregorian choral....it'S the way it sounds...neither eastern, nor western, northern or southern...thats it!

[zakharii]

Amazing. Go straight to the heart! Thank you!

[edwards21416]

pagan chants in English please

[TheTravelingbard]

i love Gregorian chant.



[hwoods01]

@TheTravelingbard This is more accurately termed 'polyphonic chant' or Organum...

[TheTravelingbard]

@hwoods01 ah, yeah you're right,

that Music 101 class is coming back to me now.

[Paxtoranious]

This lead voice and the melody have a great similarity to the soundtrack of the 1961 film "Barabbus" or more exclusively the eclipse scene. Possibly it was the inspiration for the writer/composer of the Dino De Laurentus score. That was groundbreaking writing at the time and the historical similarity possibly roots with your piece here is quite interesting, thanks for your music and video .

[EvilSchizoGenius]

@Paxtoranious Of course that is a version of the "Kyrie Orbis Factor" in used in The Church for many many centuries.

[marshcarol]

@soterioss8787 Would ya believe, I found it on Amazon.com! There are several CDs of Ensemble Organum, which I'd read about in a Jan 10, 2011 NEW YORKER article ("Many Voices") that featured Blue Heron. The CD title is "Graduel d'Alienor de Bretagne."

[quemundodios]

the beauty of gregorian chant, the most wonderful music ever made.

[marshcarol]

Thank you! I found the CD on Amazon and just ordered it.

[8marioch]

To learn what really happened to the Catholic Church after Vatican II; the whole truth about Fatima; who John Paul II really was; and other traditional Catholic issues; please visit the website, vaticancatholic, or youtube channel: mhfm1.

[willthacheerleader18]

absolutely beautiful. Music of God. This is what the angels and saints in heaven must sound like.

[adruvail]

Thanks for posting this-- I'll have to look for the CD.

[hwoods01]

Music solely for the glory of God.. not that knee-slappin'-make-me-feel-goo­d-jumpin-like-a-chicken crap in pentecostal/baptist/ect "churches"...

[Alphonsus0di0Ligouri]

@hwoods01 I share your sentiments completely. And I spent 22 years as a hard-shelled southern baptist before I came home to the Glory that is the Church.

[XRedburn]

Can someone get the lyrics for this one?

[Pedro25778]

Espectacular música que engrandece el espíritu y hace volar el alma a Dios.

[mattporcelli]

Beautiful beyond words, truly this is the music of Heaven! Thank You!

[aulits]

We dont care more about this kind of music. But we need it.

Its better than the gospel of these days.

We are missing our culture. We must retrieve it.

[RedSpidr]

all i can think of is Halo wen i listen to this lol

[Azariah197]

@RedSpidr Haha!

[jmichaelortiz]

Incredible! this is from heaven. Thank you.

[TheTravelingbard]

4 people missed the like button :'(

[thedagracky]

absolutely unreal music, listen to it all day, really inspiring..... thanks a milion for posting.......

[dagostinoification]

l'ensemble organum est vraiment spécialisé dans le chant du moyen age.m.marcel pères merci pour ce patrimoine magnifiquement interpreté!les musiciens modernes devraient écouter cette source msicale!didier d'agostino professeur de batterie sur youtube.

[waspswatter]

Lord, have mercy!

Christ, have mercy!

[AZ53283]

Questo video é muito bello.

[Myrull7]

thank you so much for sharing with us. this is beautiful.

[anamaaster]

This Chant from album 'Le Graduel d'Aliénor de Bretagne' 1993

Plain-chant et polyphonies des XIIIe & XIVe siècles Plain-chant and polyphony from the 13th & 14th centuries

Ensemble Organum - Marcel Pérès

Performers:

Ensemble Organum

Laurence Brisset, Gilberte Casabianca, Nicole Casalonga, Anne Duperray, Valérie Gabriel, Marie-France Leclerc, Pascale Poulard, Malcolm Bothwell, Marcel Pérès

Marcel Pérès, dir.

[Okzcarian]

Singing that and marching with swords, sabres, into muslim horde. Europe is dying.

[Frater666777]

@Okzcarian Do they sing this WHILST they're marching? It's obvious why.

[Okzcarian]

It was only my imagination but it is a fact that during the last siege of Tripoli Tempelars and Hospitaliers was singing Veni Creator Spiritus. The walls collapsed, and buried the defenders(about 300 as i remember) and the attackers-2000-3000.

[Bajuwolf]

The human only changes short before the end, look at history ;) Europe wont die, you only realised that europe is going down before most others^^ The other people will realise it too, latest short before doom... it has always been so.

[Bajuwolf]

0:00 MY COLOGNE!!!!! =DDDDD

[asherasator]

This shows what music is supposed to sound like & be for.

[EternalSearcher]

@asherasator

Agreed. Too bad it's all about showing off parts of womens body nowadays.

[BrotherInfernus]

Absolutely lovely. I love it. Ensemble Organum is great.

[rainbowiris]

Thank you for posting. Absolutely lovely.

[readerisaac]

This is a Byzantine chant entitled "Laeta Devote" from the Island of Corsica sung in Latin except the "Kyrie Eleison."

[readerisaac]

The prayer is in Latin but the "Kyrie Eleison" is of course Hellenic.

[a1rb0rne502]

Kryie Eleison is greek isnt it? Hellenistic Greek?

[readerisaac]

This chant is from the Island of Corsica and is entitled "Laeta Devote"

[rogermoore27]

thank you so much for this song. When I was young, songs lilke these used to frighten me. Now I understand the history from which it all came so its nice to my ears now. Might make me give up on hiphop.

[JaredChacon]

yea i gave up hip hop for this. I love the melodies, harmonies, and drones! And above all love Jesus Christ. This music is just perfect

[090513102]

Same here!

[ravichandra70]

I'm hearing three lines. One in the melody two in the ison type tenor and bass. I could be wrong! Interesting for all the discussion of this sounding Greek or Eastern there is a distinctly Breton flavour to this music. The melody line is similar in mode and outline to many Breton and Irish tunes I can think of, but at a slower tempo.

In any event thank you XoADREADNOUGHT for posting this!

[Erikk91]

organum triplum or quadruplum?

[willgeek]

guys this is extraordinarily beautiful indeed -- but a picky detail: the kyrie is GREEK, not latin, it's the only thing in the western liturgy that remained in greek. whatever language, this music is remarkable, please keep posting this sort of repertoire!

[gbmtmas]

I understand that Kyrie Eleison is Greek; however, the verses that are sung between Kyrie Eleisons are Latin, and it is Latin chant.

[gbmtmas]

How the heck did an argument about Eastern Orthodox versus Roman Catholics versus Eastern Catholics ensue from listening to this marvellous music? This is NOT byzantine chant. It's medieval western chant, and the language is Latin--therefore, this music is from the Christian West--not the Greco-Russian Eastern Orthodox or any other Eastern faith. It's solidly Western.

Thank you very much XoADREADNOUGHT for posting this Western chant. It's absolutely beautiful!!

[ravichandra70]

True, This is Western chant and it is truly beautiful. But surely you can recognize the similarities between this and Byzantine music. Western liturgy did not spring up in isolation. BTW, Being in Latin does not automatically make it not Orthodox music nor Greek make it Orthodox. Example, To this day in every Catholic mass said in the world this Greek component remains. Κύριε ἐλέησον, Χριστὲ ἐλέησον, Κύριε ἐλέησον.

[gbmtmas]

Oh yes, there is a striking similarity between Byzantine music and the Latin chant posted by XoADREADNOUGHT. I agree with you 100%. The similarity of this piece is especially with Byzantine tone 1, and also Byzantine plagal of the 1st tone.

Regarding whether Catholic Western music is Eastern Orthodox...I guess it depends on when this music was composed relative to the schism between those 2 bodies (800s to 1200s AD).

[xaveriuspatricius]

Text in Latin:

1. Orbis factor rex aeterne, eleison

2. Pietatis fons immense, eleison

3. Noxas omnes nostras pelle, eleison

4. Christe qui lux es mundi dator vitae, eleison

5. Arte laesos daemonis intuere, eleison

6. Conservans te credentes confirmansque, eleison

7. Patrem tuum teque flamen utrorumque, eleison

8. Deum scimus unum atque trinum esse, eleison

9. Clemens nobis adsis paraclite ut vivamus in te, eleison

[PjotrvonB]

I discovered some awesome music today. Thank you

[spyrosvasileiouvp]

i dont really agree with the name "orthodox" ..In greek it means rational..do you think it is fair for catholics?..

[rumpranger65]

Anyways, the "Orbis Factor" setting of the Mass is most likely used by Catholics. There are a very few Orthodox who use the Latin Rite Mass who may use it as well, but this is the extreme exception.

[OrthoArchitectDU]

When we refer to something as "Orthodoxy" we don't necessarily always mean it is something that is currently in use. It is Orthodox as long as it was a part of the Church since the last 2000 years. That definitely includes the pre-schism Latin/Western Church and the orthodox beliefs/practices of it.

[rumpranger65]

Well, I think the person was wondering whether this would generally be found in a modern Catholic or Orthodox church, or rather if it would have been found pre-schism in a Western or Eastern church. Many times people refer to the Western Church as "Catholic" even if they mean pre-schism. But this is all just unnecessary specifics.

My whole point is that I'm pretty sure this specific chant is Western, even though it sounds Eastern because of the droning and quick trills.

[OrthoArchitectDU]

Oh definitely, it is western in origin...

[spyrosvasileiouvp]

Medieval music that consists of Gregorian chant and one or more additional melodic lines is called ORGANUM

[shine0911]

Thank you. I'm taking my Certification Test in Music and I was really racking my brain on what is organum!

[heavenlee1993]

an organum is when the bass line is held and the upper voices move at the top

[PaleoThomist]

Adding to what you said, of course it is known as the "ison" in Greek; and the held note is the "overtone" according to ancient music theory, or the "fundamental" according to contemporary music theory.

[TimBrodetto]

I have this version but cannot find it

you have saved me the trouble... brilliant post

[Halycyon]

This is an example of a troped Kyrie where the Greek words are combined with Latin ones. The particular text 'Orbis Factor' comes from the Sarum Use, the predominant pre-Reformation rite in England. It is definitely Western in origin despite that our ears, accustomed as they are to the highly polished performances of groups like the Tallis Scholars, tell us it is Eastern.

[PaleoThomist]

Exactly. Thank you for saying this. And the troping was later development as the original Kyrie was used in the Liturgy as part of a litany, as it is still used in the East at the Litany of Peace/Great Litany. After St. Gregory the Great, the litany part in the West started to die off, but the Kyrie/Christe part remained. Lastly, the "Christe" part is uniquely used in the Western liturgies.

[169nova]

How are we so sure this is Orthodox? The Kyrie is still sung in Roman liturgy. Orbis Factor is more part of the Latin Rite as I understand it, though I'm not betting the store on that. The organum is the incipient move toward what later became polyphany, also highly developed within Catholicism.

[OrthoArchitectDU]

If it is pre-Schism, then it is Orthodox... (that is, providing it is theologically sound)

[rumpranger65]

If it is pre-Schism, then it is neither Orthodox nor Catholic. There were no denominations.

[OrthoArchitectDU]

Orthodoxy is not a denomination...

[rumpranger65]

In that case neither is Catholicism.

[avantibarbari]

The pre-schism Church was Orthodox AND Catholic. The Orthodox Church today continues to be Catholic as well... it just uses the term "Orthodox" most often to distinguish itself. "Catholicism" (of the Roman sort) is a sect that split away from the undivided Church.

[rumpranger65]

I believe the excommunication was mutual. Get your history and theology right.

Once the Orthodox and Catholics have come into full communion again, will we have been a heretical sect the whole time before, as well as eachothers saints? What of the Eastern Catholics? Are they heretics as well?

The truth is, but many Orthodox do not like to face it, that schism was primarily due to cultural and political differences. The filioque has not been an obstacle for the Orthodox in communion with Rome.

[avantibarbari]

Plenty of heretics "excommunicated" the Orthodox Church... it doesn't mean a thing. There are no "Orthodox in communion with Rome." That's just something the Uniates call themselves so they can feel better. Yes, they are heretics. The filioque is still heresy, as is purgatory, inherited original sin, etc.

[rumpranger65]

As far as I know, you guys are the heretics. ;-)

[XoADREADNOUGHT]

I don't know what the majority of you guys are saying. It's a bunch of high brow gibberish to my ears, but I'm sure you guys have good points, just keep it friendly please.

[rumpranger65]

I guess our theological dialogue doesn't have much to do with organum does it? =P

[avantibarbari]

It's basic Christian history... about as basic as it gets beyond the Book of Acts and all that.

[avantibarbari]

The point is, the pre-schism Church called itself Catholic and Orthodox, both in the west and the east. These are not new terms invented after the schism.

[rumpranger65]

As I said to another poster earlier, people nowadays typically use "Catholic" to refer to the western Church. Both the Orthodox and Catholic Churches consider themselves orthodox and catholic. But this is not the place for a theological discussion of the filioque, Divine Liturgy, and St.Augustine, is it?

My main point was that this particular form of chant would be found in a Catholic Church not an Orthodox one, even though the melismas sound eastern. No need to split hairs here.

[rumpranger65]

And please, there is no need to use offensive and uncharitable terms like "Uniates".

[avantibarbari]

There's nothing offensive or uncharitable about the term "Uniate"- it's simply a descriptor and I don't see how anyone can offer a reasoned disagreement with it. It's a term that the Uniates used to describe themselves; only nowadays, they want to fabricate an illusion of independence and integrity.

[XoADREADNOUGHT]

I was mostly referring to the term heretic which some people may laugh when they are called, but others may be seriously offended. Also, no I am not well versed in the literature and history of the Catholic church and other denominations. I suppose you don't have to fully understand something to thoroughly enjoy it. I love this stuff, and it's interesting to see what people say, but most of it goes straight over my head. lol

[rumpranger65]

Yeah. Most people think of that and go "woah, trip to the dark ages". But usually it isn't meant to be offensive. It just means someone who has gone away from the normal teachings. And yeah, you don't have to be well versed in Catholic history to enjoy this music. ;-)

God bless.

[rumpranger65]

Ah. Like the illusion of the Maronite, Syro-Malabar, or Italo-Albanian Churches? Were they just fooling themselves? Were they "Uniates"? Hardly. They just chose to continuously keep themselves in the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

Anyways, enough of this. I'm done talking about it here. Feel free to message me instead if you want.

Peace.

[avantibarbari]

I'm still waiting for an explanation of why "Uniate" is so offensive. I'm curious if you've ever studied the history of the Unia, since none of the groups you mention took part in it and so are irrelevant to the discussion.

[Okzcarian]

It rather political then religious conflict. During WWII they were consecrating knives to slain polish Catholics and Jews. It is sad that nowdays in Ukraine both party leaders stand for glorifying murders - UPA and leader of slaughter - Stephan Bandera.

[Shanniquitie]

no politics here, please. just beauty for God.

[denyscollin]

@Shanniquitie leave God in peace, and listen to the music :-)

[msiimer]

Stepan Bandera is as much a murderer as was Charles de Gaulle in France, or George Washington in America. Armed resistance against agression is not a crime I think.

[galachad]

This is wonderful. Beautiful imagery as well. Well done. I'll definitely be looking for this cd myself.

[sailingforde04]

I have always had a love of plainchant , it shows one how simplicity can be beautiful

thanks for posting this wonderful video :D

[carlino17]

Anyway the first composition written for women (exclusively) is "Concerto delle dame" (women concert) by Luzzasco Luzzaschi in XVI sec. In original gregorian and first poliphonic music, only munchs were singing.

[bear393]

wow

[inregionecaecorum]

Oh well you will have to wait for my version, but coming soon when I have time to post it.

[22349a]

Haunting.

[GeorgiosMICHALAKIS]

From all voices I've heard, I feel French lady singers have a VERY special timbre that is MOST suitable for GREGORGIAN chant.

In terms of "melisms" and "vocalisations" I feel that, unfortunately, there has been a loss of au/oral tradition, and that only collaboration with or listening to other singers (especially those of Constantinopolitan Patriarchal Tradition) will help add the "extra" vocal details that are so "evident" in the inflexions of Gregorian paleographic glyphs.

[callimacos]

She's corsican,not French

If u look for sardinian or corsican singers hier on you tube you will notice the same voice's colour!

...moreover in the true gregorian chant lady's fortunatelly are not aloud

[GeorgiosMICHALAKIS]

Two messages below, I've written:

Singer: Gilberte Casabianca, Corsica (France).

As a matter of fact, my comment on "French ladies' voices" was a simple "copy-paste" from another video which sounded quite nice as well.

I agree that vocally, Corsicans maintain a particular tradition, which I admire and enjoy.

Nevertheless, given I live in France, whenever I listern to French ladies chant some religious hymn, especially Gregorian, I feel their voices have something more "appeasing".

[GeorgiosMICHALAKIS]

Album

Graduel d'Alienor de Bretagne

Polyphonies des Xiii & Xivèmes Siecles Dir. Marcel Pérès

Harmonia Mundi (CD audio - 1993)

Contents = Hymns from the Nativity of Christ.

[GeorgiosMICHALAKIS]

Singer: Gilberte Casabianca, Corsica (France).

Marcel Peres and his group have used manuscripts (from Limoges?) that contain a rare , FULL version of the Kyriale XI Orbis Factor (melody used in films ex Barabbas = Anthony Quinn)

I met the group was blessed to be given a number of their scores for personnal use.

The original score does not have much detail, and the singer is free to add personnal tradition.

This GREGORIAN chant, of common origin with PSALTIKI... nothing else.

[XoADREADNOUGHT]

I am begining to post other songs from the album. They are the only videos in the video responses. One is posted above right now.

[XRedburn]

@XoADREADNOUGHT can you please rip the CD with better audio? The 240p has lower audio quality and I love this song!

[blackmagd]

GREAT... Thanks so much...

[vonbiron]

Sounds more like some Balkan folk song than Gregorian chant...ha...ha...

[dani1978el]

yes, it is right. Ensemble organum uses singing techniques brought from Orient, because they believe that this is the way in which medieval music was performed. Marcel Peres, the conductor, has created several polemics for this way of singing medieval music.

Anyway, it sounds very nice.

[callimacos]

I don't appreciate this tecnique too,

the original Byzantinian music is kept in the monastery of Grottaferrata(closed to rome)

unfortunately the balkan orthodox music has been contaminated by the turkish invasion...

[n8n8n8n8n8n8n8n8n8n8]

Byzantine Chant was heavily influenced by Syrian chants, especially since the Orthodox liturgy is largely based off older Antiochian and Cappadocian liturgies. There's no reason why Byzantine chant should not sound eastern, it came from the middle east before Islam.

[callimacos]

Byzantine music evolved in his body with an heavy influence of the jewish music(ex the ''cantillation'')with a separate tradition from the rest of eastern music that contaminated much later the music of the Orthodox church...but I'd like to know more about it,so if u can suggest me a couple of books I would be glad to read them :)

[VladDraculll]

Byzantine chant was not influenced too much. The byzantine hymnography is generally, from it's foundations, a unification of jewish, syrian, arabian and greek musical styles(there may be more). Only in the last few decades byzantine music has been influenced by gregorians, but not so largely....

[irhcpbo]

Can you upload the album?

[XoADREADNOUGHT]

Scratch my last post. I have the real cd's name in the description now.

[PaganFreak9210]

sounds like a mix of east and western christian music. I LOVE IT

[caporalchef1967]

can you send me the name of th album ... i don`t fnd it on the site by the ensemble organm

[beloved0glrofindel]

meiner meinung nach sollte man im christlichen chor keine männerstimmen mit frauenstimmen kreuzen oO aber es is trotzdem nich schlecht das lied^^

[mwzappe]

Which album is this from?

[XoADREADNOUGHT]

Hmmm, good question. When I have the chance, I will check the cd case. I don't have it with me at college.

[mwzappe]

I found it after I asked. It's "Signature" (Harmonia Mundi 290023)

[TheReliquary]

Holy Mother of God, that was the business.

Thanks for sharing!

[TravBalazs]

There's nothing as authentic as Ensemble Organum. I didn't know this recording, thanks for posting it.

[sparebone]

This is also very soothing to the heart and soul. I like the men droning in the background. It reminds me of a buddhist chant c.d. I had with the tibetan woman singing in a more shrill way. Still gives the focus that women are the pure nature of mankind who give birth to such wonderful creatures we find all about.

[andrmolja]

Zaista, ovakav način pojanja neodoljivo podseća na vizantijsko...

Indeed, this chant irresistably resembles the bhyzantine orthodox chant.

[carolking]

this particular chant would be quite at home in any Eastern or Western Orthodox Church...perhaps this interpretation by Peres is what the future holds for Latin Catholic Chant. :) I pray it is.

[Rafostro]

"Beauty has to do with cognition"...

[MaBu888]

... in that it is related to cognition, and related also to the nonduality (spatiousness and emptiness and interdependence) that is synonymous with god. Nondual spirit that has a quality of ever-present watchfulness manifests as consciousness and creates beauty, truth, and goodness. - the truth in all religions, abrahamic or non-abrahamic. Quantum physics is one scientific proof of nonduality as a primordial nature of everything. Meditation proves that there is kingdom of god right now on Earth.

[MaBu888]

That's just my opinion of the matter. I can call myself an atheist as well, though, if I really wanted to call myself an atheist.

[Rafostro]

Quantum physics has to do with Quantity, that is the Prima Materia (primordial Matter, which means Mother -the word Matrix derives from it...).

Quantum physics has nothing to do with the authentic meta-physics. It's a great misconception, my friend.

I recommend you the books of Rene Guenon.

[MaBu888]

Yes. I think post-metaphysical spirituality is on the horizon, for the whole holon off human kind... However, primam materia can be seen as synonymous with nondual or at least correspond to it.

[Rafostro]

Yes, I would add that the non-duality of Prima Materia (pure Quantity) can be seen as an inverted image of the metaphysical (transcendental) non-duality (pure Quality), according to the law of "inverted analogy".

[frozencove]

The mix of sounds is intriguing. Just the music I'm looking for to meditate on an art project.

Thank you for posting it, XoADREADNOUGHT

[jeansrulegizmo24]

Stunning - could listen for ever...