(LifeSiteNews) — A new publication will help ensure that Gregorian chant is passed on to future generations.
“Children’s First Chants,” a new book from Pueri Publications, is now available for purchase in the United States.
The book is the result of a four-year process for Australian composer Ronan Reilly.
“My motivation, pure and simple, is to allow more children to fall in love with Our Lord and His Church through the age old beauty of Gregorian chant,” Reilly told LifeSiteNews. He started working on the book in September 2018.
“This will allow them to sing in unison with the Christian ages,” Reilly said. “Ideally every Church would be using Gregorian chant as its primary music at all liturgies, and there would be no need for such a book as each child would be afforded the experience of hearing this sublime music week-in, week-out.”
“But, alas, lots of children will not experience Gregorian chant with much frequency and this can help to fill in that deficit slightly,” he told LifeSiteNews.
The drawings for the book were done by Father Henry Whisenant, whom Reilly called “very talented.”
“He is remarkable in his ability to bring scenes to life with minimal explanation,” Reilly said.
The composer shared advice for parents who want to see their kids learn about sacred music.
“First and foremost, as with all things ‘children’: they will copy you. Parents, you must sing, you must make it normal and enjoyable,” Reilly said. “You needn’t be good at it, but you must make it part of their staple diet. Secondly, buy a copy of ‘Children’s First Chants’ and allow your child to ‘join the dots’ of Gregorian notation with what they hear and sing, this will allow them to become little budding sacred musicians – Gregorian Neophytes!”
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