need funeral help
  • teachermom24
    Posts: 327
    We are offering music for a funeral Mass tomorrow and I need help, please. Is there a Communion antiphon specifically for funerals? The family has given us a "carte blanche" regarding the music so what would you choose with a very limited choir that will have one hour to practice before the Mass (we use OCP at our parish)? My daughter can sing "Ave Maria" (Schubert or Arcadelt). I looked at "In Paradisum" but think it might be too big a challenge for us to learn. I doubt there will be little if any congregational participation. We do have a few capable soliists.

    Thanks for your help!
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    Simple English Propers for Funeral Masses:
    http://media.musicasacra.com/books/sep/084_SEP_Funeral-Mass.pdf

    Also search around this forum, there have been many threads related to Funeral Music.
    Thanked by 2elaine60 teachermom24
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    The choir could probably learn the standard communion antiphon Lux Aeterna before Mass; let a couple of cantors sing the verses, and it'll be nice enough.
    Thanked by 2noel jones, aago teachermom24
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 891
    This might be a case where "option 3" could come in handy. Simply select any appropriate responsorial psalm and sing that during communion. So if you are doing Psalm 23 for the psalm response after the first reading, you could sing another Psalm such as 25, 84, 116 during the communion procession. Perhaps not as ideal as the proper antiphon, but a step in the right direction.
    Thanked by 3Ben teachermom24 CHGiffen
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    Great idea, Earl. Better than a hymn.
  • Protasius
    Posts: 468
    Requiem aeternam, the chant introit, is not too difficult and it worked very good for my grandfather's funeral, when I sang it (no choir, thus as a cantor piece). I got a lot of positive feedback afterwards.
  • JPike1028
    Posts: 95
    I admit I am new to the truly sacred music slant on things, so I have a question. I was instructed by my music director (who happens to be my wife) that the guidelines say communion, even during funerals, must have a common refrain so that participation can be encouraged. Therefore, things like the Schubert or Bach/Gounod Ave are only allowed for either offertory or communion meditation. Is this followed strictly by you all or not?
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,934
    I don't generally use Marian-themed music at communion. The pastor doesn't feel it belongs there. I do sometimes use it at offertory and no issues have been raised against it.
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Nope. There are, as always with the three processionals, four options for which any combination or lack thereof of staff musicians can proxy on the "congregation's behalf." Wish I had a dollar for every funeral where the church was close to full, but only a handful of communicants presented themselves....and we have the philosophical hubris to demand EVERYBODY join in singing some version of "Gustate videte....Taste and see..." Yeah, like that's gonna happen.
    OTOH, funerals are the finest evangelization opportunities our rites are provided. Ergo, whenvever possible, I say "Go all CATHOLIC in with chant (Latinvernacular, not even most RC's will remember which language was used) especially at those wonderful pivotal moments such as the RP, Alleluia, Lamb of God, Communion, In paradisum after commendation and dismissal." The more Catholic the better.
  • marajoymarajoy
    Posts: 781
    JPike- The General Instruction of the Roman Missal says in # 87 re: the communion chant:
    "This is sung either by the choir alone or by the choir or a cantor with the people." To me, that certainly does not imply that it must have a refrain and I don't believe there are any other official church documents indicating there must be a refrain (but I will gladly be corrected.)
    *However* I am in a diocese whose bishop has explicitly put forth a directive for there to be a refrain; perhaps your diocese is similar. Do I do one? Occasionally, since I think there are merits to having something that can be sung by everyone without a hymnal, but I also think that most people don't really want to sing a communion time, so, I won't go to any extreme lengths until the bishop comes and visits my parish. ;-)
  • gregpgregp
    Posts: 632
    When the DM is your spouse, it adds a whole new dimension to the whole "political calculus".
  • JPike1028
    Posts: 95
    It must be a diocesan thing for us as well. In general, we follow the diocese tot he letter and this was handed down from the liturgy director. I even looked to see what the USCCB had to say about communion songs and they say they same thing as your pointed out, as well. Thanks for the clarification!

    @gregp: I never really paid much attention to any of it until recently. I just used to leave it all to her and not worry about giving input unless asked. I avoided any issues that way.
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Well, Greg, I'm the DM, but my Wendy has much better "political calculus" in her left pinky than I command in matters liturgique, so yield I do. This shouldn't be news to anyone who knows us.
    I wonder how many of us dudes have the sheepskins but our wives the tough skins?
    End of digression, back to topic.
    Thanked by 1irishtenor
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 891
    I'm not aware of any official rule requiring a refrain for the communion song, but it does seem to make sense so that communicants don't have to carry a hymnal or worship aid with them in procession and then there's the precedent from the Gradual which is a responsorial antiphon and psalm.

    What about the practice of replacing processional chants with organ pieces? Certainly this is commonly done and seems to have historical precedence, particularly at weddings and funerals where the congregation is less likely to sing than they would on Sundays and often times a choir is not present. Is it permissible to completely replace the antiphon (Entrance, Offertory or Communion) with an instrumental solo or should the antiphon be sung/read at least once and then the organ can continue to fill the time so to speak?
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    It always seems strange at a daily Mass to hear a priest say the Entrance Song as he trudges through an empty church.

    Since it is supposed to accompany his actions - as at Offertory and Communion, if not sung, shouldn't they be omitted?
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    it would be functionally similar to the EF. He would probably read it right before the sign of the cross.
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 891
    I only know of one priest who would read the missal antiphon after he received communion and before distributing to everyone else. The read entrance would work the same way--after entering the sanctuary and before making the sign of the cross, but not while actually walking.

    My question was whether the organ can substitute for a sung antiphon or only extend a longer procession. Once often encounters organ works titled Introit, Offertory and Communion--were these played as substitutes or in addition to a sung proper?
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    I bet they were low mass substitutes.
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    Organ solos are technically not permitted during the requiem mass. (Organ is fine if it is to support singing - similar rules to Lent.) However, most places make a "pastoral concession" and allow some quiet organ music to be played.
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