Basic chant repertoire?
  • AngelaRAngelaR
    Posts: 309
    Dear friends,

    Awhile ago someone posted a list of standard communion chants that can be used in a variety of circumstances. Is there such a list for the other propers as well, particularly offertories and introits? (And would that person mind re-posting the standard communion proper list -- I think it had eight propers on it?) I can peruse chants myself to compile a list, but I'm wondering if the Church has issued something? I want to stick with the Gregorian propers as much as possible, and not use the Simplex. We spend such a considerable amount of time learning our chants in the Cathedral Chant School, so I want to get as much mileage out of our chants as possible. :)

    Thanks for all your help!

    Angela
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,161
    This list appears at page 391 in the Graduale Romanum:

    Ego sum vitis vera
    Gustate et videte
    Hoc corpus
    Manducaverunt
    Panem de caelo
    Panis quem ego dedero
    Qui manducat
  • Ralph BednarzRalph Bednarz
    Posts: 489
    We spend such a considerable amount of time learning our chants in the Cathedral Chant School, so I want to get as much mileage out of our chants as possible. :)

    I know exactly what you mean!
    These are my highest milage propers: besides the above list>
    • Nos autem
    • Christus Factus verses set to tone v
    • Memento (Communion)
    • I use In Splendoribus, Factus Est, and Lux Aeterna as seasonal Communions or as antiphons during Holy Hours.
  • AngelaRAngelaR
    Posts: 309
    Thank you. :)
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    You could look in the Graduale Simplex for introits, offertories, and additional communions that can be used throughout the season. For example, "Introibo" could be sung any Sunday in ordinary time (according to the GS) but you may sing it with the more elaborate melody found in the GR. The same could be said for "Cantate Domino" in the Easter season, which need not be sung to the simple melody in the Simplex to satisfy option two in the GIRM.

    Another resource for the most important chants is the booklet Jubilate Deo which contains a "minimum repertoire" of Gregorian chant. for example, there is no reason you couldn't learn the simple "Da pacem" found therein as well as the more difficult setting in the Graduale.
  • AngelaRAngelaR
    Posts: 309
    Thanks, Incantu. I like the Simplex, but the problem I encountered is the pronunciation issue. To make the verses fluid, one has to sing the words so quickly that if he is not already thoroughly versed in Latin pronunciation, it becomes a train wreck.

    I've looked at Jubilate Deo; great little pamphlet! We're trying to stick with the propers as much as possible, though. Perhaps I'm just asking for too much, since propers are by their nature supposed to be sung only on a few select Sundays throughout the year. I don't want to let it go, though, since I'm very partial to propers. :)
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    Perhaps I misunderstood your question, or perhaps I was unclear in my response. My suggestions was not to sing from the GS or limit yourself to the hymns in Jubilate Deo. What I suggest is to use those resources as references to help determine which of the propers from the Graduale could be sung more frequently than they appear in the Proper of the Mass. To that, I would add propers that are actually proper more than once per year. The offertory "Perfice" comes to mind. A quick scan of the index will reveal which chants are sung on more than one occasion.

    If you want to get really fancy, you could concentrate on learning groups of propers that share the same modal material. For instance, you might not think it was worthwhile to learn the offertory for the Assumption, since it so rarely falls on a Sunday. However, this chant has been pieced together (centonized) from "Angelus Domini" which you may have already sung during the Easter season. There are many other examples, of course.
  • AngelaRAngelaR
    Posts: 309
    Incantu, I see now! I'll have to look at the Simplex more carefully. I also started cataloguing propers according to modes today -- I think that's a great idea. It's still hard for me to hear the tonality for some chants, and it is much more difficult for a beginner.
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    cataloguing propers according to modes

    Already done. See the discussion at
    http://musicasacra.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=3302
    and the spreadsheet referenced therein is at
    https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Aka8xAr4afVwdHFtc2NYNTFmQlVVSVJ5SXB0eTV1TXc&hl=en
  • AngelaRAngelaR
    Posts: 309
    Holy mackerel. That's amazing. Now I just have to find a color printer!
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