The '61 Liber has Mass II Fons bonitatis or Mass III Deus sempiterne for feasts of the first class, and Mass XV Dmninator Deus for commemorations and ferias of the Christmas season.
I also have a CD of Benedictine monks singing the entire mass for Christmas during the night and they also use Mass IX, although the Liber lists that as for feasts of the Virgin Mary.
Well it is a First Class feast, so we have a choice of Mass II or III... But this is is only a recommendation! I have not seen any suggestions apart from the CC above that lists what the Vatican is doing.
It normal to hear Mass IX, used to honour the BVM used for Christmas.
We also know all about those places that use Mass VIII (De Angelis) all the time, but this could also be a suitable choice.
Of perhaps choose a collection of chants from the ad lib section...
I like the Missa de Angelis. It goes with Christmas carols - it's so familiar and comfortable. (We'll only use it through the Baptism of the Lord, our very short Christmas season in the Ordinary Form.)
It is my theory that a Parish church only needs 4 Gregorian Mass Ordinaries for the Sundays of the Liturgical Year:
Mass XVII - Sundays of Advent and Lent Mass XI - Sundays of Ordinary Time Mass VIII - Sundays of Christmas, Easter and Solemnities (Popular at Weddings) Mass XVIII - Weekdays and Funerals
Personally, I am somewhat inclined to get married during Advent so that we can avoid having to sing the Gloria. I don't know why this was suddenly specified in the New Missal when it has never been a feature of the Nuptial Mass. Technically it is a Votive Mass "Pro Sponsis" and Votive Masses never had the Gloria.
I was married at a Sunday Mass before the adding-of-the-Gloria, but since it was the propers of the Sunday, we still had a Gloria. I knew nobody would sing one of the Gregorian ones, so a polyphonic Gloria seemed the way to go.
Also, for Ben's question: the Liber gives its recommendation in a header at each Mass ordinary. For example, on p. 16, Mass I is marked "for Paschal Time". But the recommendations aren't a strict requirement, as the note on p. 78 explains: it's OK to mix and match among the non-ferial ordinaries.
We usually sing Mass IX from Dec. 25- Feb. 2. But the Choristers aren't up to it yet this year, and will sing Mass VIII. Adults/teens will sing polyphony tonight, and Mass IX for most Sundays until Easter [oops I mean Feb. 2]
Personally, I would not nix Mass I for Eastertide. It has a long and venerable tradition, the longest iirc. And it's so abundantly lovely.
Noel, if you are singing the same Mass at least through mid-January at 5 or 6 Masses minimum, I see no reason to avoid a special Gregorian ordinary. We at my parish switch to Mass XVII for fewer Sundays in Advent than we are talking about at Christmas (admittedly it is used twice in the liturgical year). Mass VIII is not a bad choice though. If you make it consistent, people will eventually learn it.
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