Holy Thursday Ordinary?
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,507
    I have only 2 choices for the Ordinary on Holy Thursday: Jubilate Deo or Missa de Angelis. (I know, I know: we will spend the summer learning more Masses, but this is all we have at the moment!)

    Jubilate Deo is our Lenten Mass; the Missa de Angelis has a Gloria and we will sing it on Easter. Any thoughts on which would be preferable?
  • I think that the Mass you use in Lent would be preferable. If the Mass you use in Lent does not include a Gloria, you might borrow that from the Missa de Angelis.

    Maundy Thursday is part of Holy Week. Historically the collect used on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday was the same. (It has been replaced on both days).
    The Gloria was a late addition to the Maundy Thursday liturgy. Even in the late Middle Ages is was not sung at Salisbury Cathedral unless the bishop was the celebrant, and red Passiontide vestments were used.

    Even today the character of the Mass changes immediately after the Gloria, when the organ and bells are silenced. What follows is intentionally austere. If Missa de Angelis is your festal setting, I don't think you ought to use it.

    It is a mistake to make this day a second Corpus Christi.
  • A number of churches use Mass IV for Holy Thursday. As we are still in a learning curve, we use the ordinary of Mass XVII, which
    we have been singing for the Sundays of Lent, and we sing the Gloria of the "Missa de angelis." I think that a choral setting of
    the Gloria could certainly be justified that night. Two that come to mind are those from Palestrina's "Missa brevis" and Hassler's
    "Missa secunda."
  • I would also use Jubilate Deo, if that is what you are using for Lent.

    Unless I'm mistaken, both Jubilate Deo and Mass VIII have the same Gloria. That could be handy in your situation.
  • Out of curiosity, I just checked my "Ordo Solesmiensis" (Ordo for the Solesmes Congregation) to see what they sing on Holy Thursday. I was almost surprised to discover they sing Mass IX in that day.