Alleluia: Gradual vs. Lectionary
  • I have been unable to find a discussion about why the Gradual Alleluia does not match the Lectionary Alleluia, but it must exist. If it does, could someone direct me to a source? If it doesn't, could someone explain whether either is acceptable?

    ~Conor
  • I guess it's the same old chestnut related to the 3/2 year cycle vs. the old 1 year cycle.
    Simple rule for me would be: if you're singing the alleluia given in the Gradual, then use it verbatim, for any other variant use the lectionary version. GIRM 62, gives guidance here.

    The only problem with using the Gradual here is that para 62 says that the Alleluia is to be sung by all. I suppose that it's not really beyond a congregation to join in with the first part of a Gregorian Alleluia, but I wouldn't fancy their chances with the jubilus. I guess just singing the first part fulfils the requirement to sing 'Alleluia'.

    The Gregorian Tract would be difficult to justify here though - even though para. 62b says you can sing it, congregational participation is problematic.
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    Conor, it sounds overly simplistic, but there's no real reason why it needs to match. There are two legitimate options there. No problem.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    My preference is with the text of the Graduale, whether you use the full Gregorian form, or a psalm-toned verse, or a quasi-psalm-toned verse (a la Richard Rice), or a simplex alleluia in the same mode as the verse with the full verse from the Graduale, etc., etc..

    Why? Because of the sanctification of time. The Alleluia verses in the lectionary (there are only about 50 of them) are used throughout the year - so you might be singing the same alleluia/Gospel verse on Tuesday OT 5, Friday Advent 3, Wednesday Lent 2, etc.; whereas, generally one sings the same verse from the Graduale the whole week through - there are exceptions to this, but those exceptions really stand out, and mark out that day from the rest of the week.

    Many people will call a Sunday by the incipit of the Introit, but often it's the whole week that retains that Mass, with, again a few notable exceptions. The whole liturgy is about the sanctification of time, and setting one element of time apart from another:

    Parts of the day and night are set apart by the different Hours of the Office
    Days are set apart by the Psalter of the Office and Readings of the Mass -Ferial, Sanctoral, or even Votive Masses, Thursday Blessed Sacrament, Friday Sacred Heart, Saturday Our Lady, etc.
    Weeks are set apart by the Propers of the Mass
    Seasons are set apart by the rubrics associated with them - Gloria, no-Gloria, Alleluia, Tract, Greater Alleluia, Vestment Colours.

    One of the great impoverishments of the Ordinary Form, I find, is that all the Hours of the Office follow the same pattern, the slight variations in format in the Extraordinary Form between the Major and Minor Hours actually makes a big difference. The Ordo for my province (Boston; Dio. Spfld.) often suggests Mass formularies the whomever-is-in-charge thinks the prayers, forgetting that the Graduale Propers exist, better fits the 'Biblical theme' for a given day, thus further disrupting the Sanctification of Time by using the Mass for OT VII on the Thursday of OT week XXIII.