The Great Antiphons in Dominican chant

It's that time of year again, when Holy Mother Church not only dons the rosy hue of subdued joy that heralds the dawn of the Sun of Righteousness but she also cries out in her Great Antiphons to her Spouse, the One who is to come. Her Liturgy from this Sunday visibly and audibly heightens in expectation of Christ's coming and once again, we ponder the 'O' antiphons.

This year, the Dominican brothers at Blackfriars in Oxford have prepared recordings of these antiphons according to the Dominican Antiphonal and you may notice a slight variation from the more familiar Roman usage. Beginning on Sunday 17 December, we shall also be reflecting on the texts of the Great Antiphons and we invite readers of the NLM to join us in prayerful meditation at our site: Godzdogz.

Below is a preview for NLM readers: the antiphon for 17 December, "O Sapientia", recorded in our Priory church in Oxford and sung by a Schola of Dominican brothers.