Magnificat and Benedictus Tones
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 892
    The Parish Book of Chant offers the Magnificat set to Tone VIII and the Benedictus set to tone II. And yet, in practice either canticle may be sung to any of the 8 tones so as to match the proper antiphon. Why then are those two tones (2 and 8) the most familiar/popular? Do these tones occur more frequently than the others in the actual antiphonal, or did they always fall on Sundays?, or are they just considered easier for general use?

    The reason I ask is I'm wondering if I should try teaching these canticles in all 8 modes or just stick with the PBC?

    Would anyone happen to have a source with them fully notated in all 8 modes?

    What about official vernacular settings in all 8 modes? (By official, I mean that the English matches the Breviary)
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    Of course, this isn't the English you are looking for, but all the canticles are found in the back of St Dunstan's Plainsong Psalter in all eight modes. The English is Coverdale and Anglican. Some may find this information useful. (Also in the back of this book is a table of all eight tones in their Sarum versions, plus several peculiarly English tones, such as York and Peterborough.)
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
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