Who should sing the Introit?
  • ViolaViola
    Posts: 411
    Advice on this would be most welcome, please.
    In our parish the custom appears to be that the Introits, and also the Offertory and Communion antiphons are sung in the same way as the responsorial psalm. A cantor sings the antiphon, everyone repeats it, then the cantor sings as many verses as are required, with the congregation and rest of the choir singing the antiphon after each verse. The words are set to a simple psalm tone.
    The introit is sung after the entrance hymn as is the offertory antiphon (following advice from this forum). The Communion antiphon is sung before a thanksgiving hymn.
    I'd prefer to have these antiphons sung by a schola or even the whole choir. We seem to be expecting wall-to-wall congregational singing, (which I guess opens up a wider question of just how much a congregation should be expected to sing).
    Also, if the schola sang these we could use more interesting versions.....
    Are there any rules for this?

    Thanks.
  • GIRM 48:
    This chant is sung alternately by the choir and the people or similarly by a cantor and the people, or entirely by the people, or by the choir alone.

    All options are open! There are different ways to sing these chants if the congregation is to join in. One way that might be interesting is using Fr. Columba Kelly's settings (introits and communions), which have a full elaborate antiphon for the choir, and a short and more simple congregational refrain. This way you can have both: more interesting version by the choir ánd congregational singing.

    The offertory chant is a responsorial chant by itself.

    The repetition of the congregational refrain after each verse is something known from the Graduale Simplex. It is also possible to repeat the refrain after every two or three verses if you would like to bring down the amount of congregational singing, especially if they are expected to sing a hymn before or after the chant.

    (In my parish the stanzas of the hymns are sometimes sung alternately by the choir and the people, with the choir singing a four part a capella harmony)
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Viola
  • Or Fr Weber's, and then you have a choice of four, from very simple to masterly adaptation of the Graduale.
    Thanked by 3Spriggo CHGiffen Viola
  • As I recall, the Weber collection does not actually consist of adaptations of the Graduale antiphons; there is quite a bit of simplification going on in most of them.

    The only collection I know of that adapts the Graduale melodies without simplification is The American Gradual, which is a free download. The only catch is that the English text, while generally well done IMO, is not an approved translation. (And, if you’re a four-line purist, the five-line notation may bug you.)

    As to who should sing the Introit, IMO it’s ideally sung by the choir alone. It’s a proper chant, so it changes week to week. Parish congregations should not be tasked with trying to keep up with that unless it’s a very musically capable crowd. This also allows them to watch the procession … which is itself a notable thing.

    You’ll get flack from some about “participation”, of course. IMO this contradiction is built into the rite: we have a ritual that tries to preserve its musical heritage while at the same time inclining toward a model of execution that fundamentally excludes that heritage. The propers—i.e., the overwhelming bulk of Gregorian chant—simply do not fit congregational singing.
    Thanked by 3Ben Viola Pax
  • I agree with Felipe. The propers are the domain of the choir-schola-cantor. Except for the responsorial psalm and the alleluya - and, let me stress that the psalm and alleluya ARE propers and should be treated as such. They form a distinct set of five liturgical pieces that change with the day, just as the ordinary forms a distinct set of pieces that do not change. The current fashion for composing 'introits' and 'communions' that have a semi-elaborate 'antiphon' for choir, followed by an easy one for the people, followed by psalm verses, etc., is a bizarre invention made of whole cloth which turns all the propers into hybrid antiphonal-responsories which correspond to nothing historically or formally identifiable with any of the propers.

    I was reading earlier today about Thos. Merton, who said to some of his Anglican friends something on the order of 'I hope that you can preserve our heritage because we are throwing so much of it away'. And this, of course, was several years before The Council. Which brings us to nowadays - some of us are striving to restore the propers, except that some of us are not restoring the propers but refashioning them beyond recognition.
    ________________________

    Also, I will join my voice with Felipe's in commending Bruce Ford's American Gradual. As Felipe points out, there as yet exists no 'official' translation of the GR propers, though it is official (see GIRM) that they may be sung in Latin or an English translation. This should not, then, prevent any who desire from using any of several English adaptations that are available - and, as per Thos. Merton's concern just above, it falls to an Anglican to do this. The American Gradual is a superbly adapted work in a very good modern English. There is nothing to prevent any of us from using it - at least nothing that issues from genuine authority ('genuine authority' being that which is in conformity to popes and councils). For those who take their chant really seriously, the five line staff and note heads are a serious disappointment. Still I would recommend the American Gradual without reservation.

    The other English adaptation of the GR propers is Palmer-Burgess' The Plainchant Gradual (available as a reprint from the CMAA thanks to the Anglican sisters of St Mary's, Wantage). The English is traditional Anglican liturgical English, so this may be jarring juxtaposed to modern Roman liturgical English. For some, this may not be a discouragement.

    At Walsingham we sing the Palmer-Burgess propers at high mass every Sunday and solemnity. Our people are attentive, deeply appreciative, and almost spellbound - and liberal with their compliments. Those who chortle that such fare is not for the people are deeply flawed, objectively disordered, in their judgment. As always, it isn't what the people are capable of or will appreciate, but what cultural sensitivity their leadership (clergy and musicians) wish to and will cultivate.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    The other English adaptation of the GR propers is the Palmer-Burgess (available as a reprint from the CMAA thanks to the Anglican sisters of St Mary's, Wantage).


    Point the first: Woot.

    Point the second: This is available as a free download. Parts I and II. Parts III and IV.
  • Many thanks, Adam, for putting this up here.
    I would note that the generous prefatorial offerings will prove exciting to some who have liturgical Anglophilia. Amongst other things, it is noted who, how many, and from where the propers should be intoned. For some of them this means boys vested in copes. The Gradual is referred to, in accordance with Sarum and historical English usage, as the 'Grail'. It is good to have this in the electronic mode so that it can be readily copied. However, one should also be the proud possessor of The Plainchant Gradual in normal book form. It is available for not too much treasure from the CMAA. Thanks again, Adam, for putting this up!
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • Viola - I'm curious about what resource your parish uses. Do you have something with all three processional propers at a musical level that the whole congregation actually sings?

    I agree that generally the Proper is the domain of the schola. But I don't think I've ever heard of anyone dealing with the "problem" that the whole congregation is singing the proper!
  • The 'problem' of the whole congregation singing the proper is a rather new-fangled one. It is exemplified in several forms. Some are now writing and publishing introits and communions (I alluded to this above) which follow this formal scheme: a) moderately elaborate 'antiphon' by schola, b) simple version of 'antiphon' sung by people, c) psalm verse(s) by schola or cantor, d) people's simple version of antiphon, e) schola's version of 'antiphon'. (It should be noted that these 'antiphons' are really responsories in a basically responsorial structure.) Such a formal scheme for introits and communions can only have been the result of a night mare. It arises from the pernicious notion that the people absolutely must participate vocally in everything. It obviously savages the historic formal pattern of both the introit and the communion antiphons - effectively turning what has historically been a processional antiphonal chant into a responsorial chant with two responsories (not antiphons) for two different groups of people. Quite an interesting invention. Further, historically, the responsorial propers (Gradual/psalm, and alleluya) have been essentially meditative, while the antiphonal ones (introit, offertory, communion) are essentially processional. Another cavalier application of unfortunate surgery which produces a curiously deformed species vastly different from the original subject which had such a venerable pedigree. All in a trendy rush to involve the people in a chant which is, properly, the domain of the schola or choir.

    Another version of what we might call 'congregational propers' is the so called hymn-tune propers. Maybe they should be called 'hymn propers', for that is what they are. In this format the proper antiphon and the psalm verses are put into metrical form and sung by all to a hymn tune. I think the idea was that this would sneak in the propers at those churches at which the priest would not allow them to be sung but, rather, insisted on hymns. This is an interesting approach which satisfies the desire of some for 'hymns' and introduces at least a literary-thematic vestige of the propers into the mass. Indeed, I have long held that where hymns are firmly ensconced they should be chosen to mirror the propers or the theme of the lectionary. This serves that end quite nicely. I believe that some of our forumites have composed a number of these. Perhaps they could tell us what the reception has been.

    The same has been done, I think, with the offertory antiphon: putting the antiphon and verses into metrical verse for to be sung with hymn tunes. Some of the results are beautiful. And, far more honest than mussing up historic chant forms. AND! It is SO refreshing that SOMEONE hasn't forgotten the orphaned offertory and tossed it overboard, which some of our chant people seem to have done.

  • ViolaViola
    Posts: 411
    Jared, we have several resources including By Flowing Waters, Simple English Propers and various others, such as Lalemant Propers, which I downloaded. However, following the directive on 'participation' we now are reduced to singing the Introit and Communion to simple psalm tones which I change every now and then to prevent the stultification of the choir.The words are provided in the bulletin for the congregation and we get complaints if we differ from what's printed. The Offertory chants are currently from an old collection by John Ainslie; we can do what we like here as the words aren't printed, so no problem of participation.
    Most of the resources listed above need some editing as we are in the UK so the translation differs.
    The congregation do join in with the antiphons to the simple tones. But I would like to do something rather more interesting and uplifting occasionally, if only we didn't have this requirement that everyone participate. I'm resisting going down the road of two separate antiphons, one for them and one for us.
    Actually I find myself wishing that the congregation wouldn't join in, so we could say 'this doesn't work, let's try something else'.
  • Hmmm. Maybe, Viola, there is a mustard seed of an idea here. Since you are required to have the congregation participate vocally in these antiphons, try this (and it ought to be easily done since you are singing everything to psalm tones): Namely, you have an opportunity to actually sing these propers antiphonally as they properly should be. Have everyone sing the antiphon, then have the choir sing one verse, then the congregation sing one verse, repeat verses similarly as long as needed, and end up with all singing the antiphon. This is true antiphonal (as opposed to responsorial) singing. Too (and this if you really want to go the full mile) instead of alternating choir and congregation, alternate gospel side of nave with epistle side of nave. This could be quite engaging and a pleasing accomplishment for your people. This would be far, far, better than the invented responsory with two responsories, one for choir and one for people, that I railed against above. It would, in fact, restore these antiphonal chants to their ancient mode of performance, a highly desirable goal, rather than making two-headed responsories out of them.
    Thanked by 4CHGiffen CCooze Viola Pax
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,471
    I quite like the idea of antiphonal chanting, whether gospel side alternating with epistle side, or, at its pinnacle, Monteverdi Vespers style, polyphonic (choir) and chant (people). Has anyone analysed the effect of (near) universal literacy, and now cheap printing, on the possibilities of, and demand for, participation?
  • Does congregational singing of the propers mean all of every proper? That reminds me of the CCD teacher (years ago) who insisted that all the music at the First Holy Communion Mass had to be sung by everyone. (No cantor, unless a child, for the Psalm; spoken Alleluia; soloist was told she couldn't sing Schubert's Ave Maria unless all the children sang, too..... pastor and common sense prevailed)
  • CCoozeCCooze
    Posts: 1,259
    "...then the congregation sing one verse"

    Could not the congregation sing the Gloria Patri, and then everyone sing the antiphon together?
    If the congregation can learn the various tones for the GP, I'd think that quite useful.
  • Actually, with a smaller congregation, more Psalm singing (chanting) can work. When I took over at OLW, we were already using Anglican chant for the Gradual, with it printed in the worship aid. The whole congregation sang along. This extended, at least while I was there, as Fr. Moore preferred, to the Alleluia and an occasional Introit. I added Antiphons to the Gradual verses, but only sung at the beginning and end, as at the Office, rather than interrupt the Psalm verses. The Alleluia was always Gregorian chant with Anglican chant verses. The occasional Introit involved alternation of Anglican and Gregorian chant tones for added variety. This worked quite well before the much larger church was built and the choir migrated up into the loft. The alternation of Gregorian and Anglican chant in the Introit is something that I have carried on to our High Masses here at Stella Maris.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    If you are required to have the congregation sing (some of) the Propers, try the Lumen Christi Simple Gradual. It is designed for precisely this situation, and is the best (in my opinion) option for doing this.

    https://illuminarepublications.com/products/lcsg/
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    all the music... had to be sung by everyone... spoken Alleluia

    That doesn't follow.
  • Adam,

    Sometimes one must represent the illogic by announcing it. I won't defend it. It didn't make sense to me at the time.

    Chris
  • I should.
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,799
    I've complained before about being stuck with mode vii introits because of the enthusiastic congregational singing of the Gloria Patri at the 8:30 Introit. Lately I've been having the choir sing GP at communion to accustom them to the other modes, using Fr Weber's Englished solemn tone: do people have other favorite versions? Faux bourdon settings? Spanish?