Benedictiones mensae... Roman tones?
  • JonathanKKJonathanKK
    Posts: 542
    I've been looking into the elaborate form of "grace before meals" as found, for example, in the old Breviarium Romanum. I'm aware of a booklet for singing these prayers, called "Benedictiones Mensae, juxta Ritum Romanum et Monasticum"; which seems to be the same as this booklet. However, as this is not a book for which a pdf of an original is available online, I can't be 100% sure the reprints are exactly the same.

    What I am interested in is the fact that these melodies all follow the tones from the Antiphonale Monasticum rather than the Antiphonale Romanum. Is there a reason why the tones from the 'Romanum are not used, besides that probably only the monks were really interested in using this form of grace? Anyone have any insights?

    Some of the differences are:

    Amen is Do-Do, instead of Ti-Do.
    It is also short-long, instead of long-long.
    The Vs. Benedicamus Domino is at the end of the Monastic little hours, rather than the Roman.
    The tone for the psalms "in directum" ends with Do-Do (Monastic) instead of falling Do-La (Roman).

    I'm considering having a go typesetting these prayers using the Roman tones. Think it's a good idea?


  • ClemensRomanusClemensRomanus
    Posts: 1,023
    Try the Cantus varii in usu apud nostrates ab origine ordinis. I believe you could find it using Google books. Some of the things you mentioned are in there.
    Thanked by 1JonathanKK
  • JonathanKKJonathanKK
    Posts: 542
    Thanks very much!
    I had not found this treasure before, and it is vast.
    An examination of the Benedictiones mensae it contains should also prove fruitful.
    Vale in Domino,
    Jonathan
  • Protasius
    Posts: 468
    I couldn't find an edition on Google Books that was open to public access from my country. They all said "No preview". I can't imagine whose copyright could be violated, if that was open to the public.
  • ContinuousbassContinuousbass
    Posts: 357
    Have you tried this edition.. https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Catholic_Church_Cantus_varii_in_usu_apud_Nostrates?id=UPAtAAAAYAAJ
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,229
    I've fixed Jonathan's first link above (to the Benedictiones booklet) so that it goes direct to the source instead of via Google.

    That booklet was the first substantial project for which Gregorio (chant engraving software) was developed.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen JonathanKK
  • Protasius
    Posts: 468
    @Continuousbass: Yes, I tried that one, too.
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,794
    @Protasius

    Google seem to block access to some books from addresses outside the U.S. I download them using the internet archive, or if they are not there I use a Tor browser. I am in the U.K.

    The pdf is 19.7Mb so will be over the limit for e-mail...
  • Protasius
    Posts: 468
    @Continuousbass: There is no button I could click to buy or read the book. I tried another book that was free and that worked, but even with a proxy I can't open the Cantus varii.
  • Protasius
    Posts: 468
    @Countinuousbass: Yes, I tried that edition too. It is somehow not free in Germany.
  • ContinuousbassContinuousbass
    Posts: 357
    For me it opens in the Google Play app on my ipad, in the US. I found several reprints for sale on Amazon.
  • JonathanKKJonathanKK
    Posts: 542
    A month later, and I have produced a booklet giving the Benedictio Mensae of the Breviarium Romanum set to the tones from the Antiphonale Romanum. My most recent draft of this is attached below.

    Useful, or re-inventing the wheel?

    Is it high time, or am I creating confusion by using non-standard melodies?

    Navigation, layout, and formatting clear?
    2014-07-08 Benedictiones Mensae.pdf
    226K
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