Nuptial Mass Propers
  • doneill
    Posts: 208
    I was just comparing the Nuptial Mass Propers of the 1961 and 1973 Graduale Romanum, in preparation for an upcoming wedding. It will be a Novus Ordo Wedding Mass, but the bride's family are TLM aficionados, and they want Latin chant. The 1961 Gradual, Alleluia, and Offertory appear as options in 1973, but the Introit Deus Israel and Communio Ecce sic benedicitur are nowhere to be found in 1973. Does anybody know why these were omitted? For the life of me, I don't see anything inappropriate about them; in fact, they seem more suited to the Nuptial Mass than the 1973 options. I take it that given the alius cantus aptus option, nothing would prevent us from using the 1961 Propers, right?
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,326
    I don’t know anything about the switch in Nuptial Mass propers, but alius cantus aptus would certainly allow you to use the TLM chants
    Thanked by 1tomjaw
  • rich_enough
    Posts: 1,049
    The 1988 editon of the Ordo Cantus Missae allows the older chant to be used for Masses of saints, and for votive Masses - see pp. 155ff. The chants for the nuptial Mass are listed at the bottom of p. 168. So it's perfectly "legal" to sing the older propers.
    Thanked by 2tomjaw Elmar
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,471
    In general if it was dropped it is probably because it lacks a pedigree in the ancient books, and has been scorned as "neo-gregorian". But I haven't checked these.
    [LATER] the 1570 Missal has no nuptial Mass, it only appears in 1616. Of course, until then there was no canonical requirement to have your marriage witnessed by the church, and even that was not imposed in England until a century ago.
    Thanked by 2Paul F. Ford Elmar
  • francis
    Posts: 10,832
    wow... and the beat goes on...
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,471
    And as a follow up: The Sarum Missal 1521 has a long and elaborate marriage rite, beginning at the church door, moving through to Mass with various blessings added, and ending in the marital home with blessings of the bedroom, the bed, and the couple in the bed. But the Mass is a votive of the Holy Trinity with added prayers (and the Gospel against divorce). There is also a different rite for a second marriage.