Congratulations.

Question: did you sing it at a very slow pace, or more quickly?

I've heard it sung at more like a walking pace, as one might speak the words -- and so accentuated in the following way:

o SALuTARis HOStiA et reliqua

Mmeladirectress,

My copy didn't have such a marking. I had the privilege of singing it this way (as described) under the directorship of one Arthur Connick, who lurks here and posts occasionally.

There isn't a law about the point (that I know of) but this sort of guidance does make sense.

If you look at the Church's chant books, the antiphons specified to be sung during Holy Communion usually do not take the Eucharist itself as their theme. Instead, they are often related to the Gospel of the day.

This is why a Eucharistic Hymn immediately after the Elevation isn't necessarily a bad thing.

GIRM says, of the optional song after communion :

If desired, a Psalm or other canticle of praise or a hymn may also be sung by the whole congregation.

Sing to the Lord adds:

The song after Communion should focus the assembly on the mystery of the Holy Communion in which it participates, and it should never draw undue attention to the choir or other musicians.

Whether the 'praise' applies to both canticle and hymn choice is not totally clear to me.

1) It's lovely. 2) It's praise

All praise and thanks to thee ascend
For evermore, blessed One in Three;
O grant us life that shall not end,
In our true native land with Thee.

Mme, I don't think you are the only one confused...

...we are not 'supposed' to sing adoration texts at Mass, those hymns such as O Salutaris and Tantum are to be sung only for Adoration. There was further solicitation for a "reference" that perhaps someone else might provide.

There isn't a law about the point (that I know of) but this sort of guidance does make sense. Combined with a reference to chant books that "usually do not have the Eucharist as their theme."

Really, it is a far stretch to act as if an opinion is like some "reference" that positively forbids or disapproves of adoration texts at Mass - or states that O Salutaris / Tantum are only to be sung for Adoration.

Sorry, chonak - typically I find your posts well-written and can agree in the main. In this case, I don't. Benediction is not liturgical for one. (Benediction, which is a different liturgical act from Holy Mass) Regardless, I really don't follow your conclusion that "that can't be helpful". Maybe I'm just being obtuse, but I really don't know how you draw that conclusion. If we were to follow that viewpoint to its natural conclusion, we'd never sing the motets O Magnum Mysterium (responsory from Christmas Matins) or Peccantem Me (responsory from Matins of the Dead) at Mass.

Focusing on the Gospel or text of Mass is ONE way to schedule music. I tend to think of broader constructs myself. I think there is value to repetition (both for the choir and the congregation) for scheduling hymns and motets, rather than trying to do a completely unique music schedule for every Sunday and every Feast.

I wouldn't suggest that others have to follow my ideas of music planning any more than I feel bound to someone else's approach. Are we not, perhaps, turning this into a tempest in a teapot?

Thanks for the comments, Incardination. I don't mean to give the impression that I'm a stickler about the issues discussed here, and you're quite right to suggest that importing an office hymn into Mass can be a good way to find supplementary pieces: e.g., for offertory or communion. I'd just draw the line at "O salutaris" and "Tantum ergo", because those two are identified so strongly with Exposition and Benediction. It would be foolish to exclude, for example, "Adoro te devote".

Incidentally, just as a footnote, Benediction became an official part of the liturgy when the ritual book for Worship of the Holy Eucharist Outside of Mass was published in the '70s. But from a historical point of view, you're right.

Besides GIRM 88 mentioned by a_f_hawkins, there is another point:

While the Communio is often related to the Gospel, there is a long tradition to sing O salutaris hostia, Panis angelicus and similar pieces during the elevation (e.g., in the Masses of Gounod for a more recent example, or the well-known Franck Panis angelicus); IMHO the most appropriate moment after the liturgical reform (which eliminated the silent canon and thus the former place for a lengthy Benedictus or a eucharistic motet) would be to sing pieces like this during Communion, after the Communio has been chanted.