Trying to improve
  • mamaherrera
    Posts: 57
    After being at an OCP conference, I know. .. .don't throw tomatoes at me, I'm trying to learn how to pick correct hymns, without relying on the TODAYS LITURGY. Where can I get a decent scriptural index to try and help me with this new way of preparing for mass? Thanks
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    You can use this website from CanticaNova: http://www.canticanova.com/pln_main.htm
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,295
    Cantica Nova is a great resource, as CK said.

    If you're looking for scriptural indices, I would recommend those found in GIA's hymnals. Worship III, Worship IV, Oramos Cantando, etc. have extensive scriptural indices. I believe you can access PDF full text of the indices on GIA's website, too.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,933
    The GIA indices are helpful and I use them regularly. Some of the suggested hymns I would never use, but there are also some good traditional hymns to choose from.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Mamaherrera,

    If I were in your shoes (which I'm not, anymore) I would find the scriptural references for the Introit, Psalm, Offertory, and Communion -- and these should be in a standard missalette (ugh). Then, match that text with hymns, or use one of the various collections of metrical propers/hymns, which are available.



  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    There is occasionally some bleed-over from GIA's index, "Hymn of the Day," reference. However, having been a life-long hostage user of OCP, who also never, ever used the worthless "Today's Liturgy" smarmy guide notes from Elaine R, I would compare and contrast the Proper of the Mass (via SEP/LC or somesuch) with OCP content. This requires a considerable amount of diligence and familiarity with that content, but it's worth it should you want actual resonance with both scripture and Proper.
  • mamaherrera
    Posts: 57
    And risking sounding stupid, where do I get the propers if the mass---
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    adam bartlett used to have them in a spreadsheet. you can contact him through his website. google his name
  • WGS
    Posts: 297
    Mamaherrera,

    For every eucharistic celebration, there is a set of propers for the season, calendar, occasion or in accord with the celebrant's choice. Mostly, I have dealt with the propers as indicated in the Liber Usualis or the Gregorian Missal, but as mentioned there would be also be references to the proper texts in the throwaway missalettes. ("Missalette" used to be copyrighted. Is it available for fair use now?)
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    There's also the Graduale Romanum, the Graduale Simplex, Richard Rice's Simple Choral Gradual, Aristotle Esguerra's Choral Graduale Simplex, and the Palmer/Burgess Plainchant Gradual, among other sources. The texts for the Proper of the Mass can be found in the Missal (for EF, the Missal has the entire Proper of the Mass as sung in the Graduale Romanum, and for the OF, the Missal has what are termed the "spoken Proper," and is not exactly the same all the time as what will be found in the GR), or the Graduale Romanum.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    WGS beat me to it.



  • mamaherrera
    Posts: 57
    I don't know where I would get any of those. But I will message Adam Bartlett and/or check in the missalettes. But just to have my eyes open, how many propers are in one mass? They're not the antiphons are they?
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,366
    For every Sunday and solemnity there is a complete set of five historic propers provided by the Church. You may sing them in Latin from the Graduale Romanum, or in English from Palmer-Burgess' Plainchant Gradual, or in English from Adam Barlett's Simple English Propers, from the Anglican Use Gradual, or as provided (I think) by Corpus Christi Watershed.

    A complete set of propers for any day consists of -
    Introit (an Entrance chant)
    Gradual, or the Responsorial Psalm (between the first two readings)
    Alleluya and verse (between epistle and gospel)
    Offertory (during the offertory rite - it may be supplemented with an anthem, time permitting)
    Communion (sung at the celebrant's communion)

    You can get the Graduale Romanum from GIA
    The Plainchant Gradual may be had from the CMMA
    The Anglican Use Gradual may be had from the Partridge Hill Press
    The Simple English Propers may be had from the CMAA

    The Graduale Romanum and its English version, the Plainchant Gradual both present the full and complete historic Gregorian chant.
    The Anglican Use Gradual presents the proper texts in less challenging solemn psalm tones.
    The Simple English Propers presents only the Introit, Offertory, and Communion antiphons set to Adam Bartlett's own very-easy-but-quite-nice chant compositions.
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    You can download the Graduale Romanum as a pdf for free as well: http://www.ccwatershed.org/blog/2014/feb/17/1974-graduale-romanum-now-online/

    Simple English Propers is also a great resource, and I forgot to mention it earlier.

    The Graduale Simplex is also available online as a pdf for free: http://www.chantcafe.com/2013/03/graduale-simplex-online.html

    The Palmer/Burgess Plainchant Gradual can also be found online for free: https://media.musicasacra.com/books/plainchant_gradual_1-2.pdf, and https://media.musicasacra.com/books/plainchant_gradual_3-4.pdf. In case those links don't work for you (they don't for me), the source webpage is this: http://www.chantcafe.com/2015/03/technology-for-church-singer-choral.html
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Jackson,

    To quibble a small point, is it accurate to say that the Epistle, Gospel, Collect and Secret and Post Communion prayers are not part of the Propers, or merely that they aren't relevant to what a musician needs to have prepared? I'm wondering because our OP might have better luck understanding (and finding) the Propers by thinking of them as tied to a particular Mass?
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