It is never too early to start teaching the rising generations of Catholics to live and love their liturgical patrimony. An Australian outfit called Pueri Publications has just issued a new resource to help them do just that, a practical, self-teaching book for young children (7+) to learn to to learn a simple repertoire of Gregorian chants for Holy Mass and various well-known prayers.
Sales are now open in Australia and will soon be open in the USA through St Augustine Academy Press. (Please note that the listed price of $300 Aus. is for a package of twelve copies.
Children’s First Chants contains simple instructions on how to read and play a selection of 12 Gregorian melodies. Printed on 400 gsm thick paper board, it is suitable for young children. All translations of the Latin texts are provided in an appendix. The book also comes with a battery powered keyboard to guide the learning of the notes.The chants included are:
For Mass: Amen, Et Cum Spiritu Tuo, Preface Dialogue, Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei
For devotional use: Grace Before Meals, Christus Vincit, Gloria Patri, Pater Noster, Sub Tuum, Veni Creator Spiritus
The author, Mr Ronan Reilly, studied music as a chorister in the St Mary’s Cathedral Choir in Sydney, Autralia, and has extensive experience as both a member and conductor of various scholae, and as director of Music at a Catholic school. Over the past decade, he has spent thousands of hours teaching children and adults to appreciate and understand the musical tradition of the Church and the Western Classical Music tradition more broadly. In 2021, Ronan and his family moved to the Riverina to focus on sacred music tuition (private lessons and public workshops) and online teaching methods.
