Easter Vigil Alleluia
  • RA981
    Posts: 11
    Hi All-- I have three questions regarding the triple Alleluia at the Easter Vigil.
    1) Does anyone know if there is musical notation for the introduction to the Alleluia ("Reverend Father, I bring you a message of great joy...")
    2) Does psalm 118 begin immediately following the third Alleluia?
    3) Although I am not one to subscribe to the idea that the congregation must be able to sing everything in the liturgy, I do believe the congregation should be able to sing the first Alleluia of the Easter season and the notation provided for the Alleluia in the Roman Missal is just too difficult for the average person. Anyone have any luck with other settings? (Maybe something using mode VI--Cantica Nova does publish an arrangement using mode VI and it's very nice, but I fear it'll be too long for my pastor who likes to move things along at a very steady pace!)

    Any help people can offer is greatly appreciated!

    Ron
  • CorAnglais16
    Posts: 25
    I do believe the congregation should be able to sing the first Alleluia of the Easter season and the notation provided for the Alleluia in the Roman Missal is just too difficult for the average person.

    I think it's a responsorial Alleluia, correct? So the priest sings it and the congregation sings it back. If the congregation can sing the Paschal dismissal, they can probably manage their way through the solemn Alleluia.
    Thanked by 2M. Jackson Osborn CCooze
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    Our cathedral uses the full Gregorian one, and with organ accompiment and choir assistance, everyone sings it just fine.

    Not saying this is the case for everyone, but it's worth mentioning it might not be as hard as you might think to just have the congregation sing it.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    The Alleluia in the Missal is also presented in square notes in the Graduale Romanum. This might well be easier: I, myself, have had many congregants tell me that they have an easier time following the old neumatic notation than modern notation. YMMV, but it's worth a shot.
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,510
    While I agree that it's not exactly easy, it is possible for a congregation to sing this, and more importantly it is even easier next year, and the next, and the next. This particular Alleluia is one of those chants that we have as part of our institutional memory as Catholics, and I would miss it if I went to an Easter Vigil and it wasn't sung. I would feel something important had been dismissed, like pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving day.
    Thanked by 3M. Jackson Osborn CHGiffen eft94530
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,415
    Why do we keep deciding for the people that the poor things can't manage such things? More institutionalised helplessness! I've never heard of a congregation who couldn't manage this quite nicely. And Salieri is correct about the notation. I, too, have been told this numerous times.
    Thanked by 3CCooze CHGiffen eft94530
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700
    We always have well over 1000 people at the vigil, most of whom are not regular church-goers but are there because someone they know is being baptized or confirmed, and when the Bishop intones the alleluia - they sing it back.
    Thanked by 2Ben M. Jackson Osborn
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