Eleanor Florence Dewey
Mère Marie du Rédempteur C.S.A.
Associação Paulista de Canto Medieval
Membro de honra da Akademie Brasil-Europa

I am convinced that if musicians, and especially ’church musicians’, had more knowledge of the splendid treasure of Gregorian Chant, its beauty and the deep spirit of prayer with which it is inspired, they would be far more enthusiastic about it, and their enthusiasm would kindle a new flame from the still-glowing embers". These lines, written while I was still in England, concluded my article in "Musices Aptatio" (Liber annuario 1981 Jahrbuch, p. 151).

Not long before leaving for Brazil, I was invited to take part in "an International Coloque on the pedagogy of teaching Gregorian Chant", directed by Monsieur Benoit Neiss and M. Etienne Stoffel in Pont -à- Mousson, France. Of course I went.

During the following year I worked with the London Gregorian Chant Choir, and we sang Mass on the feast of Saint Joseph in Brompton Oratory.

In 1980 - an invitation arrived asking me to take part in an International Congress organised by the "Consociatio Internationalis Musicae Sacrae" (CIMS), which would be held in Bonn, Germany.

As soon as I arrived back in Brazil, in May 1981, I started working at the Secretaria da Cultura for the State of São Paulo. I was soon envolved in the organization of the first "International Symposium of Brazilian Sacred Music and Culture".

I had to organise the Liturgical services and spent hours on end transcribing manuscripts. The programme was as follows:

In the town of São Luiz de Paraitinga: "Te Deum" (Anonimous)". Martha Herr and the author were soloists. Solemn Vesperas composed by Father José Mauricio, were Sung in the old Convent of "Nossa Senhora da Luz". I conducted the chant and Victor Gabriel the other part.
For the feast of the Archangels my choir sang High Mass in the Church of the Third Order of the Carmelitas.

On the 29th September, "The Brazilian Society of Musicology" (S.B.M.) was founded. Mr. Robert Schnorrenberg was elected President and the author was elected Hon. Treasurer.

The following year (1982) I returned to France to give intensive courses on Gregorian Chant in Metz, Nancy, Annéville, Bar-le-Duc, Toul, Cirez-sur-Vezouze, Thironville and Longuignon. Sunday Mass was sung in each of these towns. I also went to Strasbourg twice in between times to work with Monsieur Benoit Neiss’s Choir.

I was back in Brazil in time to begin another 8 months course on Gregorian Chant. The choir formed during the course sang 2 Masses.

From 5th to 16th July, another intensive course was given which finished with sung Mass executed by the pupils of the course.

On 28th August, the Pio X Choir sung Mass to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the foundation of the Association of Saint Augustine. A foundation entirely organized by our old pupils to help poor children. Two more Masses were sung.

We finished the year with a Christmas concert with the "Collegium Musicum" conducted by Mr Roberto Schnorrenberg with Dorothea Kerr at the organ.

Five Masses were sung between 25th of February and 27th March in 1983.

The S.B.M and Mr. Roberto Schnorrenberg invited us to sing High Mass on Palm Sunday in the church of Saint Francisco de Paula in Rio de Jasneiro. I had invited an ex-pupil, Marcos Pavan, (now director of the boys’ choir of the Sixtine Chapel in Rome), so as to be able to alternate the verses of the longest tract in the Litingy, but no sooner had we began than the priest announced the "Second reading"!!!

Seven more Masses were sung, the last as part of the celebrations entitled "São Paulo para as Crianças" (São Paulo is for Children). In December we gave three Christmas concerts with other choirs.

From 8th April to 15th Decemberr 1984 I gave another series of "Chant for beginners", sponsored by the Secretary of Culture of the State of São Paulo.

With the help of my choir "São Pio X" the pupils were able to sing 2 Masses.

"São Pio X" sung six more Masses, one of which was part of a civic- religious commemoration for the political emancipation of the State of Alagoas in the church of the Military Police. Another was at the newspaper offices of the "Jornal do Estado" on 8th December. We sang Midnight Mass, it has unfortunately not been possible to repeat this experience.

In 1985 the Inter Monastic Conference of Brazil invited me to give a course to the Benedictine Monks and Nuns. Most satisfactory. In March we sung the first Solemn Mass of a newly ordained priest. The course of Gregorian Chant sponsored by the Secretary of Culture took place once again and my choir had to help them out when it came to singing Mass. Thus we sang 6 masses. In November I went to Rome for the "International Congress of Sacred Music" organized by the "Consorciatio Internationalis Musicae Sacrae".

I was asked to give the inaugural Conference of a series entitled "Brazilian Liturgical Music", my lecture on Gregorian Chant opened the proceedings. Another intensive course was given at the Secretaria da Cultura.

I took part in the XIV Festival of Music in Goiás. The course resulted in an excellent group so we were able to sing the first Mass ever to be sung in Gregorian Chant in that town, one of the State Capitals of Brazil.

1986 was a busy year. "Pio X" sung thirteen Masses and we gave four concerts in and around São Paulo.

The following year began with the first International Congress of Musicology" organized by the "Brazilian Society of Musicology". I gave a talk: "The Interpretation and the Teaching of Gregorian Chant in the Light of the Manuscripts" inspired by the life and work, over sixty years, of Dom Eugène Cardine. The closing Mass was sung to celebrate the 80th birthday of Camargo Guarnieri, the composer. A choir bearing his name and Pio X sung a solemn Mas.

I was invited by the Minister for Education for the State of Minas Gerais and the Federal University of Ouro Preto (a beautiful colonial town now preserved by UNESCO) to give a lecture entitled "The History of Gregorian Chant and its Spirituality". A group of students volunteered to study a Mass which we sang at the end of the course. We sang nine Masses that year, three of which outside São Paulo, namely Santos, Taubaté and Campinas. Pio X gave just one Christmas Concert.

In 1988 the choir sang ten Masses and gave nine concerts - two of which were Christmas Concerts. One of the Masses was sung in the Court of Justice and we also took part in a programme of the charismatic mouvement on T.V.

1989 was an important year for me, as my translation into portuguese of two of Dom Eugène Cardine’s books "La Premiere Année de Chant Grégorienne" and "La Sémiologie Grégorienne" were published, in one volume, in São Paulo. A dream had come true. The book was launched after a short recital of Gregorian Chant, performed by Pio X, at the house of my dear friend Graham Griffiths. Unfortunately, Dom Cardine did not live to see the publication. However, not long before his death, he had given me his consent publish them in one volume.

"The São Paulo Association of Organists" asked me if the choir could present François Couperin’s Parish Mass. I asked Dr. Roger Cotte, the French musicologist, to help us interpret the chant according to how it might have been sung in Couperin’s time. The choir then consisted of seven men, who dressed in white robes specially for the occasion. The concert was a notable success and a memorable collaboration with the late Dr. Cotte, who passed away in 1999.

An Easter concert was given which included organ compositions by a member of "The São Paulo Association of Organists". A young Benedictine Monk was ordained Deacon. As he was first Cantor, Pio X alternated with the Benedictine Choir. Six other Masses were sung in different churches, and one Christmas concert.

In 1990 Saint Bernard was honoured in "São Bernardo do Campo", a large industrial satellite city near São Paulo. The 437th anniversary of the city was celebrated together with nine centuries of the Saint’s death. We ended the concert with the lovely hymn "Jesu dulcis Memoria", whose text was written by St. Bernard.

One Sunday we sang Mass in a cancer hospital "Fundação Antonio Prudente". All the patients could follow the Mass as each room was equipped with a loudspeaker. Five other Masses were sung during the year together with a Christmas Concert.

In June 1991 I was invited to the Federal University of Uberlândia. The pupils worked very hard and after five days intensive effort the class succeeded in presenting a sung mass.

Dom Eugène Cardine always used to say: " Faites chanter, faites chanter!". With that in mind one can work wonders. The last mass of this year was a sung Requiem Mass for the soul of a very dear friend and a great musician Martin Braunwieser.

In 1992 the Centre for Cultural Expansion in Santos gave the Pio X choir the opportunity to give a concert in the Chapel of "Stella Maris", one of our schools established in Brazil, in 1925, by the Order to which I have been affiliated since 1933, Les Chanoinesses de Sainte Augustin. The audience was very appreciative, so much so that I invited them all to join us in singing the "Salve Regina", for which the members of the choir were spread about the chapel. A truly moving occasion.

The next item on the programme was Rio, to work in the organization of the "II Brazilian Congress of Musicology" and "III International Symposium of Sacred Music and Brazilian Culture" in Rio de Janeiro. Pio X travelled to Rio to sing the proper of the Mass with the renowned boys choir the "Canarinhos of Petrópolis".

In 1993 Pio X sang the Mass of Ordination for a young monk in the Benedictine Community in São Paulo. Dom Rocco Fraioli was later to be appointed Headmaster of the "Colegio de São Bento". We sung two Requiem Masses, a Mass for Sector A of the "Equipes de Nossa Senhora"; also, two Wedding Masses and the first Solemn Mass for a newly-ordained priest. Our concert activity included eight full concerts in an assortment of venues around the city. On one such occasion - the re-opening of a big library - the Mayoress of São Paulo was just one hour and ten minutes late, with not a word of apology! Of course, the two choirs had to cut down their programme. Another concert took place in the "Memorial da América Latina". Can you possibly imagine a vast concert hall, with floor, ceiling and walls all carpeted? Never again! A highlight of the year was undoubtedly the recording of a short Easter programme that was broadcast on Radio Cultura on Easter Sunday morning.

The choir was also honoured by a request to give a recital for the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the "Escola Paulista de Medicina". I selected music for our programme related to the image of Christ as a Good Shepherd, in the hope that this would inspire our audience of doctors to be better shepherds of the sick. We were presented with a commemorative medal!

We also sang for two weddings, one in the Chapel of the School of São Bento and another in the Basilica of São Bento.

The British Council invited us to give a concert in one of their schools. The "League of Catholic Professors" asked me to give a recital to open the festivities in honour of Padre Anchieta S.J. Two more Masses were sung and one concert given.

In 1994 one of our Sisters in Belgium sent me a newspaper cutting about an "International Congress of Grégorian Chant Choirs". The matter was discussed by the choir Pio X, and all expressed their enthusiasm for participating in this prestigious event.

We decided to go ahead and try to raise the necessary funds. It was certainly an ambitious project. Somehow we had to raise money, which was not going to be at all easy. I started by going to her Majesty’s Consul General, and he referred me to the British Council. The Council’s Director Mr. John Coope suggested that we should try to raise the money on our own and let him know our progress. Over fifty fund-raising letters were sent to Banks and influencial firms. All the replies were negative. Time was running short so I rang John to let him know how our position was. Two days later I was summoned to the offices of the Cultura Inglesa de São Paulo and was presented with 15.000 dollars in hand. I could not believe my eyes. The Good Shepherd had answered our prayers. The international air tickets were bought. Needless to say that the Ministry of Culture in Brasilia kept us on edge waiting for the five tickets promised but which never came...

We were met at Brussels, where a coach was awaiting us. As we were going to the coach whom should we see but Marcos Pavan, just arrived from Rome. (A word about Marcos. He was my pupil for a long time and has a very good voice. We worked together on the translation and proof-reading of Dom Eugene’s books "La première Année de Chant Grégorien" and "La sémiologie Grégorienne". He left for Rome to study for the priesthood, and soon his musical aptitudes were put to good use. He was soon invited to sing at some of the Pope’s Masses, including the "Exsultet!" at Easter and the "Martirology" before Midnight Mass. In 1998 he was appointed director of the boys’ choir of the Sistine Chapel. He was ordained in 1997 and has continued in Rome preparing for his doctorate.)

With Marcos’s arrival our number was complete. We were driven to our lodgings, where we were given private rooms and a very good breakfast. The other meals were served at the centre and they were very tasty. Of course the tradional beer of Watou was served abundantly…

The Choir São Pio X found itself representing not only Brazil, but the Americas at this impressive international festival.

The day after our arrival was the Feast of the Ascention of Our Lord. We sang High Mass. The church was full to cracking. What was our utter astonishment when on beginning the second Kyrie the entire Congregation alternated with us all the Commmon of the Mass. For our choir it was an unimaginable experience to feel the support of such a large congregation. There were shed many tears of emotion.

After that we were driven to Brugges to see the famous Procession of the Precious Blood, where we were offered prime seats as guests of M. Bernard, the director of the Festival. He gave us our meals and accomodation free of charge including some of the famous local brew! From Belgium we went to Solesmes, where we stayed three nights.

I made a point of singing for the Monks so that Dom Jean Claire, who was the choir master, could evaluate my work. We were allowed to visit the monastery cemetery; there, and in a spirit of great reverence, we sang "Misericordias Domini" standing before the tomb of Dom Cardine.

From there we went to Chartres, where we gave a recital. The choir spent hours in the magnificent Cathedral. We then returned to Paris from where every one went his or her own way. It was all an extraordinary experience!

Once back in Brazil, we sang five Masses and presented one concert.

In 1995 we sang twenty Masses and two concerts.

1996 was an important year in my religious life. On January 9th I celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of my vows. Of course the choir sang a beautiful Mass for me in the Basílica de São Bento.

Then there was Marcos Pavan’s Ordination and on the 2nd of July, we sang his first High Mass, all in latin, with the proper for Whitsun. We also sang a Mass to celebrate the 80th birthday of Franco Montoro, past Governor for the State of São Paulo.

In 1997 Pio X sang Mass for the staff of the "Caixa Economica" bank and a Thanksgiving Mass for the voluntary workers of the "Associação Santo Agostinho"; also a concert for the Academia Paulista de Letras on the occasion of the new board of directors taking office.

In 1998 we sang for the The Association of Doctors and Staff of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bras District on the feast of St. Joseph.

On Easter Sunday we sang High Mass in the Cathedral of Piracicaba presided over by the Bishop, Dom Eduardo Koiak.

We sang High Mass on the following feastdays: Ascension, Whitsun, St. Peter and St. Paul.

Friends of mine arranged for us to give a concert in the University Theatre in Bauru, four hours drive from São Paulo. We sang another Mass in the cathedral of Taubaté, outside São Paulo. In all five Masses and three concerts.

In 1999 it has not been possible to organize a regular programme of activity as in the past, as I spent three months in Europe. Just two weeks after returning to Brazil I left São Paulo again to participate in an impressive Musicological Congress in Juiz de Fora. And if all that were not enough, my dear friend Dr. Antonio Bispo honoured me with a title I really do not deserve: that of "Membro Honorário" da "Academie Brasil Europa", so I had to return to Cologne to take part in the Congress (3-8 September, 1999). It was very interesting indeed and quite brilliantly organized.

As I write, the Pio X Choir is recommencing regular rehearsals and we are slowly preparing the repertoire for inclusion in our first compact disc. Our intention is to record in the first semestre of 2000 and launch the CD by the end of next year. Once again we find ourselves "kindling a flame from the still-glowing embers". The Lord only knows it is all A.M.D.G.