EUGÈNE CARDINE

Eugène Alexandre Cardine became a monk in the French Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Solesmes in 1928. After taking monastic vows and receiving the priestly ordination, he studied Gregorian Chant and served as choir master in the abbey of Solesmes from 1940.

In 1952 he was called to Rome to become professor for Gregorian paleography at the Pontifical Institute for Sacred Music. Cardine was a member of the liturgical preparatory commission for the Second Vatican Council and consultor at the Vatican congregation for liturgy. At the Benedictine Abbey of Sant’Anselmo, Rome, he served as choir master.

During his time in Rome, he inspired a whole generation of students, musicians and religious people with his new inspiring approach to Gregorian chant based on a deeper understanding of the information contained in the oldest manuscripts. After his retirement in 1984, Cardine returned to his mother abbey of Solesmes where he died in 1988.

Eugène Cardine OSB is the founder of Gregorian semiology and one of the founding fathers of AISCGre.