Magnificat Antiphon: Hodie Christus natus est

Today Christ is born; today the Saviour has appeared; today the Angels sing, the Archangels rejoice; today the righteous rejoice, saying: Glory to God in the highest. Alleluia.

Click on the images to listen to the plainchant:

 Respond: O magnum mysterium

O great mystery, and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the new-born Lord, lying in a manger. Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear Christ the Lord.

Antiphon: Quem vidistis pastores

Shepherds say what you have seen; tell us who has appeared on earth. We have seen a new born child, and choirs of angels praising God together. Come, let us worship.

Antiphon: Videntes stellam

The Magi, seeing the star, rejoiced with great joy; and going into the house they offered the lord gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Artwork by John Rowlands-Pritchard

John Rowlands-Pritchard worked as a professional singer in the cathedral choirs of Ely and of Wells.

He studied mediaeval song with Professor John Stevens and early Gregorian chant with Dr. Mary Berry at Cambridge, illustrating lectures and broadcast talks for both. Experience as a Cantor with the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge included recital work and recording in many European cathedrals and abbeys, and in the Vatican.

He has directed Chant Days for university music departments, cathedral choirs, music festivals, adult education colleges, and is an Associate of the Royal School of Church Music for his work teaching the chant.

He has more recently worked for Glastonbury Abbey, Worcester Three Choirs Festival, Benslow Music, Sarum College, Two Moors Festival, with the Benedictine monks of Silverstream Priory, Co.Meath, Ireland, for Dorchester Arts, and Ledbury Poetry Festival. He prepared the Revised Edition of Mary Berry’s ‘Plainchant for Everyone’ (RSCM) for which he compiled a new Anthology of Chant.

https://rowlands-pritchard.co.uk/inscriptions