Graduale Novum and Congregational Participation
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 1,959
    I am reading an article on Praytell Blog about Fr. Anthony Ruff's trip to Europe (article here: http://www.praytellblog.com/index.php/2014/09/17/mass-in-brussels/). He mentioned that the melodies were the "uncorrected" ones found in the Graduale Romanum and that they were not the corrected ones of the Graduale Novum . He then linked to a Wikipedia entry on the restoration of chant done in German and Dutch-speaking regions. I thought Solesmes has been in the process of doing this with the GR and the other chant books, and I'm curious to know what the GN is all about, though my gut tells me that research is on an archaeological expedition that is wrong-footed.

    I rather agree with Father on congregational participation. I'm not one to waste a tree. Give them the text and melody and they will sing eventually. They need catechesis and musical instruction, yes, but congregational singing is an important way to participate and immerse oneself into the sacred liturgy. I'm a stickler for square notation though! Yes, yes, and yes to organ improvisation. I could see that working in a cathedral or other church with a procession to the pulpit, and especially when another priest or the bishop preaches than the minister who read or sang the Gospel. It was interesting to note that the congregation struggled through the chant; honestly, in this country, it's very easy to get everyone to sing Credo III and Mass VIII, even if they otherwise don't like the Latin-Greek chants. People also tend to belt the simple Salve Regina, which I compare to the Domine, salvum fac Father Anthony mentions for both are liturgically-connected expressions of popular piety.

    I'm curious to read his upcoming post on the use of the organ.

    Alas, I still think the rubrical question re: the Kyrie in Masses with the sprinkling rite is unsettled. I'd really like to know what the Ceremonial of Bishops directs, i.e. with a paragraph number and quotation. I suppose that's another practical reason for the motu proprio; the unfortunate elimination of the opening rites (then the Prayers at the Foot) came in the 1965 Ordo Missae when the sprinkling was done. And even if I'm wrong (I think the Kyrie is to be sung), I think the older practice flows better and makes more sense, but the rubrics ought to be followed...
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    Agreed on the asperges. It makes so much more sense and is much easier in the EF. In my parish where I am the MC, we tried it this year for easter, and I don' think we will do it again, except on easter day itself, as part of the renewal of baptisimial vows.
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    The Graduale Novum pairs handwritten staffless neumes from 9th and 10th century manuscripts from Laon and St. Gall with square note pitch indications (no dots, episemata, or ictuses), according the the melodic restitutions first published in Beiträge zur Gregorianik . Although a comparison of the medieval neumes and the melodic versions in the Graduale Romanum reveals some instances of explicit disagreement, I hesitate to call the melodic restitutions "corrected." However, the melodic versions of the GN definitely make it easier to perform according to the manuscript notations.

    What this has to do with congregational participation, I do not know. The GN is primarily a resource for the Proper of the Mass (although it does contain a Kyriale, without neumes from manuscripts), which is generally sung by the choir, not the congregation.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    (although it does contain a Kyriale, without neumes from manuscripts),

    I don't think that any notation in campo aperto exists for the chants of the Kyriale, i.e. that they weren't notated until after the adoption of quadratic notation, is this true?

    NB: Edited by Author for Clarity: this question wasn't intended sarcastically in any way; I just want to double-check my facts!
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 1,959
    incantu, Fr. Anthony was discussing the GN versus the GR, as he noticed the schola sang slowly and dully the "uncorrected" melodies for the Mass Propers for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. He then went on to talk about congregational participation and the use of the organ.
  • SkirpRSkirpR
    Posts: 854
    Fr. Ruff's comment about the GN struck me as a little odd. While I do consult it from time to time, and sometimes sing from it in Mass, one must acknowledge it is not an official book of the Church, as is the Graduale Romanum.

    All this to say that while I believe it to be licit to use the Graduale Novum, how could one infer that using the official Graduale Romanum to be a bad decision?

    Further, it was also as if Fr. Ruff was inferring the schola's poor performance was directly related to their use of the Graduale Romanum. Obviously I wasn't there, but I suspect that a schola that turns in a poor performance from the Graduale Romanum would not suddenly be singing chant with greater beauty by a mere switch to the Graduale Novum!
    Thanked by 1MatthewRoth
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    I see. The subject line of this thread is a little misleading :) I'm glad no one was suggesting that the congregation participate in singing the Proper of the Mass from the GN!
Add a Comment