Conducting and Chant Theory

YouTube videos

• Chant Talk 2: Introduction to Chironomy (conducting Gregorian Chant) and Rhythm, Patrick Torsell, 8 minutes
• Chant Talk 3: Practical Chironomy Demystified!, Patrick Torsell, 20 minutes
• Chant Talk 7: Rhythm and Chironomy for Syllabic Chant, Patrick Torsell, 12 minutes
• Conducting Gregorian Chant: Beginning Techniques — YouTube video, 1 hour 18 minutes, Dr. Jennifer Donelson
• Treasury of the Church: Gregorian Chant — premium content on Church Militant; covers rhythm, pronunciation, modes, conducting, etc.; 13 parts, about 6.5 hours total.
• An alternate view: The Mysteries of Gregorian Chant Revealed, Neil McEwan, 49 minutes
• Conducting Gregorian Chant: Beginning Techniques — Dr. Jennifer Donelson, 78 minutes
• Choral conducting lesson by Dr. Harold Rosenbaum, 21 minutes

Web pages

• How NOT to Conduct a Gregorian Chant Choir

Books

The Church Music Association of America has a Literature for Download page with many free PDF books. The Rhythm of Plainsong and by Dom Joseph Gajard and Technique of Gregorian Chironomy by Joseph Robert Carroll teach a method of conducting based on the Solemnes theory of rhythm, which, however, has been called into question.

• In Singing the Antiphonary (YouTube, 7 minutes) you can see a group from the University of Michigan where the conductor uses a different technique. For more information about this exhibit, see Singing the Antiphonary.
• The Conducting of Gregorian Chant, dissertation by William Lee Belan, 1984.
• Best practices for a Gregorian choir

Courses

• Introduction to the Notation of the St. Gall and Laon Families, a course from the University of Florida on the chant notation of the most ancient manuscripts
  • Study guides
  • Solemes method vs. semiology: what’s the difference? (YouTube, 11 minutes: not part of the course above, but related)
• How to Read and Sing Gregorian Chant, 11 lessons from Corpus Christi Watershed. Despite the title, this is not introductory, but contains some thoughts about the interpretation of chant.
  • Collins on Ecclesiastical Latin Pronunciation