Booklet with the Office for the Dead (OF)
  • dvalerio
    Posts: 341
    I have prepared a booklet with the Office for the Dead, chanted in Gregorian Chant, according the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite. I followed the Ordo Cantus Officii whenever it is applicable, and the text of the Liturgia Horarum otherwise. All the material (antiphons, psalm tones, hymns, responsories, etc.) is copied from several sources freely available in the Internet. (Nevertheless it does take some time to put everything together.) I am quite sure that there must be several mistakes and blunders in the booklet, and I will be glad to correct all those brought to my attention.

    (I am also planning to upload a better version of the booklet with Compline, including some optional texts that are still missing, so if someone finds errors in the current version this is the best time for me to learn about them.)
  • Paul F. Ford
    Posts: 860
    Duarte, this is gorgeous! I just ran my eyes over it and feasted on the beauty of its presentation. I did see one use of 'hino' for 'hymnus,' on page 30.
  • IanWIanW
    Posts: 757
    A beautiful production.
  • David Sullivan
    Posts: 355
    dvalerio,
    Very interesting booklet. A couple of questions and comments after a quick scan.
    I'm curious about the antiphon on p 21, for the Benedictus in paschal time: The type face is very different than others you use. It looks possibly like a pre-Solesmes style. Is it from an old Ratisbon/Medicean edition? The music of the antiphon also strikes me as that style rather than the Solesmes restoration.

    On page 5, I think you want "non dicitur" rather than "not dicitur".

    I liked the engravings, especially the very last one. Shades of Dies irae! (and Matthew 25:32).
    Are you going to use the booklet for All Souls Day coming up?
  • dvalerio
    Posts: 341
    > Is it from an old Ratisbon/Medicean edition?

    Yes, from this 1862 Dominican Antiphonary. I never saw the antiphon elsewhere and did not bother to transcribe it using a modern font...

    Another unusual source for an antiphon (in this case Sicut Pater, page 35, which is missing from this Antiphonary for Vespers) is a recent edition of the music of the Sarum Office. Again I had no other source for the antiphon (and actually the CAO reference quoted by the OCO directs us to English antiphonaries only, so I guess this source is quite all right).

    The last engraving is from the 1935 Ambrosian Antiphonale Missarum (unfortunately the PDF file has but the beginning of the book).

    I appreciate your comments about mistakes, have found a few others myself, am still waiting for more corrections (I'm afraid there are probably far more serious ones) and will eventually correct them and repost the file.

    > Are you going to use the booklet for All Souls Day coming up?

    Only for personal use...
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 993
    Thanks for another wonderful resource, dvalerio. I'm going to take it with me to review on holiday.
    Amusing moment - when I went to save this file, the computer wanted to put the Office for the Dead with my income tax return!
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 892
    Found this great resource. But I'm looking for something in English. Does anyone have something put together already? Office of the Dead--specifically vespers OF. If I create one myself, I was thinking of using either Mundelein or Meinrad tones--but what to do for the antiphons? I could compose something simple I suppose, but didn't want to reinvent something already out there. I think the actual local custom is to actually pick responsorial psalms from the hymnal such as Gelineau or Guimont, or to read it, but since I was placed in charge of planning it, thought I could raise the bar a bit.
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 892
    OK found these on the forum as well. Any other options? It's always good to have options. I should probably check Fr. Kelly's site as well.

    http://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/2576/all-souls-2011-office-of-the-dead-at-vespers/p1
  • Simon
    Posts: 153
    The invitatorium rubrics in the matins instruct to repeat the whole antiphon after every verse. I believe the general practice is that the antiphon is first sung by the cantors and repeated by the choir. Then only the second half of the antiphon (from * - what is it's function otherwise?) is repeated with the even verses and whole antiphon with each odd verse (beginning at verse 1). Also the last verse in the invitatory psalm is not the Gloria Patri (whose melody here differs from the formula) but Requiem aeternam. The choir then responds with the second half of the antiphon (this being the 6th verse) and the cantors begin the antiphon again and the rest of the choir enters at * .

    The Requiem aeternam is also sung at the end of every psalm in the matins itself - not the Gloria. I believe this applies to every psalm in the whole office.

    Most editions of the office of the dead have readings from Job in the first nocturn.

    I may a later printed edition which I will look up this evening. If available I will scan and place online here later.

  • Simon
    Posts: 153
    Just looked it up at home after work. Everything is in the LU (page 1772 on). No Deus in adjutorium, no Domine labia etc., no hymn. No Glorias after psalms but Requiem aeternam as noted above. Matins start with the Invitatorium.
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 892
    Thanks, but I was looking for musical settings for the OF Breviary in English. Since time was of the essence, I ended up writing my own simple antiphons to match the Meinrad tones, which worked well for the situation. Nothing special but practical. Those involved seemed quite pleased including the monk from Meinrad.
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