Éthelbert Thibault

Thibault, Éthelbert

Éthelbert Thibault. Gregorianist, b Manchester, NH, 26 Mar 1898, d Montreal 20 Aug 1953; PH D (Angelicum, Rome) 1923, L SC (Institut catholique of Paris and Sorbonne) 1926, teaching diploma (Institut grégorien, Paris) 1927. He studied theology 1918-22 at the Grand Séminaire de Montréal and was ordained priest 23 Dec 1922 at St-Sulpice Church in Paris. He then undertook studies in philosophy, science, and Gregorian chant in Rome and in Paris. Back in Montreal, he studied organ and accompaniment with Eugène Lapierre and was appointed to teach sciences at the Séminaire de philosophie. He also taught Gregorian chant there as well as at the Grand Séminaire 1927-35 and at the Schola cantorum. He was music director 1931-7 for the CKAC radio program 'L'Heure catholique,' and in 1936 he founded the Choeur Pie X, which he directed. He gave summer courses 1942-53 at the Gregorian Institute (Toledo, O) of America in Toledo, O. He was appointed to the Faculty of Music at the University of Montreal in 1951 and was briefly its dean in 1953.

In collaboration with Lapierre, Thibault published a Messe des saints martyrs canadiens (Archambault 1937), wrote plainsong accompaniments, and prepared a set of six Gregorian recordings (Archambault 1935). Thibault wrote the accompaniment to a plainsong Messe votive solennelle pour la victoire performed 9 Feb 1941 at Notre-Dame Church, Montreal. In addition, he published The Kyriale (Gregorian Institute of America, 1951), a selection, in modern notation, of plainsong chants for the mass and the creed (with indications for rhythmic interpretation) and for a complete requiem mass.