Do you intone the Alleluia?
  • CatholicZ09
    Posts: 284
    I’ve noticed some parishes don’t have the cantor intone the Alleluia and instead bring everyone in from the start. What do you do?
    Thanked by 1Don9of11
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Doesn't everyone need a starting pitch and notice of a melody?
    Thanked by 3a_f_hawkins Don9of11 toddevoss
  • Marc Cerisier
    Posts: 537
    I’ve done it both ways depending on the circumstances and local custom.

    CGZ—in 99% of circumstances, there would be an introduction, or do you commonly just start singing out of the blue? When we don’t have accompaniment in Lent, I still play the first few notes of everything to establish pitch and tempo. If it’s purely a capella, the congregation comes in 2-3 notes in.
  • CatholicZ09
    Posts: 284
    Yes, I should’ve had added that I always experience an instrumental intro, but the intoning is sometimes not there.
  • MarkB
    Posts: 1,085
    My parish: usually accompanied, so there is an introduction; the whole congregation begins singing at the first "alleluia." Not intoned by the cantor.

    When the alleluia is chanted unaccompanied, it is intoned by the cantor and then repeated by the congregation.
  • GambaGamba
    Posts: 548
    When it’s a lectionary alleluia + verse with a “congregational” “refrain”: Organ plays it, cantor/choir sings it, people sing it, on to verse. In Masses without organ (outdoors or etc.), cantor/choir sings it, all repeat it.

    When it’s from the gradual: Schola or subsection of Schola (“cantors”) sing to the asterisk, go back to top, all repeat it, Schola alone go on to jubilus and verse. All repeat Alleluia thereafter, straight through without a repeat.
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,933
    Doesn't everyone need a starting pitch . . .


    Oops - why did I think this was another conversation about a recently printed booklet? :)
    Thanked by 4Schönbergian CHGiffen Salieri tomjaw
  • CGM
    Posts: 700
    At my parish there is an instrumental introduction and then the congregation enters right away, with no cantorial intonation. This is the pastor's mandate, and I don't recall ever being anywhere else where it was done this way. From this thread, though, I see that there are many parishes who skip the cantor's intro. Learn something new every day...
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    [accidentally duplicated]
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    [accidentally triplicated]
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,415
    Alleluya should be intoned by the cantor and repeated by choir-people. What is comically redundant and silly is the widespread practice of having it played by the organ, sung by the cantor, and finally, sung by the people. This holds true, also, of the responsory of the responsorial psalm.
    Thanked by 2a_f_hawkins CHGiffen
  • TCJ
    Posts: 986
    Intoned by cantor, followed by congregation. No organ introduction.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    I do it the same as TCJ for the Alleluia.

    For the Responsorial Psalm (pax MJO), I play the respond on the organ, then the cantor intones, followed by the people. This is mainly because the chanting of the Responsorial Psalm is new* where I am, and is only done at the "High Mass" at 10:30: so the organ bit is more to remind the reader that the Psalm is sung and not to start reciting it.
    --
    * New from when we switched to the Ignatius Pew Missal as our Missalette in autumn 2018 (Advent, year B). I tried before then to introduce the sung Psalm on some special occasions (mainly where the readings are ABC) from various sources, but I got pushback because they were "too hard" or "too long". The exceedingly simple responds (office tones) in the Pew Missal, while not ideal, are simple enough that people are catching on, and it is sung quite well now.
  • Bobby Bolin
    Posts: 420
    We do: Organ intro, cantor, congregation, verse, congregation

    The timing works out and the cantor doesn't forget which Alleluia we do.
    Thanked by 1Carol
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 708
    At St. Paul's in Akron, the Alleluia is intoned and sung as the deacon is blest and picks the gospel book up from the altar and proceeds to the Ambo.

    The responsorial psalm is always intoned the first time by organ, sometimes by piano or flute if we have a flutist that day.
  • toddevoss
    Posts: 162
    Salieri - what did you do before? Gradual? Or are you saying previously your parish just "said" the Psalm?
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    Toddevoss: It was recited. And still is, apart from the Sunday 10:30 and some Major Solemnities like Christmas and the Paschal Triduum; though all of the Psalms at the Easter Vigil are recited, except the Alleluya.
    Thanked by 1toddevoss
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