Attende Domine
  • ghmus7
    Posts: 1,478
    Well, in prep. for Ash Wedensday, I looked up Attende Domine in the various old books. I was interested to see if it is classified as an Antiphon, hymn etc...I was very surprised to not find it in the Liber, the Gregorian Missal (new) and the Graduale R, (both old and new) explanations?
  • The Attende Domine is a relative modern chant, taken from a Paris Processional of 1824 (cf. Cantuale Romano-Seraphicum, 1951, p. 374).

    As such, it was never part of the propers (either of Mass or the Liturgy of the Hours) and isn't found therefore in the Liber Usualis or Graduale Romanum.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,177
    It's in the Liber Usualis as a Lenten chant for Benedictions, pp 1871-2 in my LU.

  • It is in the Liber Usualis... in Appendix I in the section "During Lent". In the online scan it is page 1871 in the 1961 LU.
  • Sorry CH! Posted before I saw your response!
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • ghmus7
    Posts: 1,478
    How bout that! I thought it was ancient... Anybody know?
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,447
    Reported here to be 10th century Mozarabic.
  • It's a mash-up.

    The verses are a Mozarabic hymn used during Lent.

    The refrain was added by Dom Joseph Pothier of Solesmes.

    The tune was first (?) published in a Paris Processionale of 1834, but is of earlier origin. I do not know its history beyond that, however, although I've heard that it is late medieval.
  • ghmus7
    Posts: 1,478
    Wow this is quite surprising.
  • Attende Domine, like Rorate caeli, is technically a responsory, this owing to its Respond-Verse structure, which is like unto the psalm responsory at mass. It is also known as the 'Lenten Prose', just as Rorate... is known as the 'Advent Prose'. Both are wonderful for children.
    The history provided by Michael is interesting. I had not known all that.
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,762
    I have just looked through the Analecta Hymnica volume on Mozarabic Hymns (Vol 27) and could not find it... It is not in the Mozarabic Psalter either (this book has a section of Hymns.)
    Both of the above books can be found on the internet archive.
  • Preces site indicates it is Mozarabic from the 10th cent. St. Augustine Lyre mentions the tune as coming from the 1824 Paris Processionale to text from the 10th cent. Here are several links:
  • Get the Brevarium Gothicum Secundum Regulam Beatissimi Isidori (online for free) and look at p. 314, the Preces. (It is for Sext on the Thursday after Passion Sunday.) Of course, as mentioned, you will find only the verses, not the refrain.

    (Edit: To be more precise, you will find a refrain, "Et miserere", but not quite the one we know.)

    (Second edit: I'd love to know more about the origin of the tune, especially that of the refrain. The descending fourths on 'Quia pec-" have always been very striking to me.)