Music for traditional adult baptism
  • JDBading
    Posts: 10
    I’ve been tasked with singing the psalmody that begins the traditional rite for Adult Baptism (I’ve attached the rite). For the life of me, I cannot find a musical version of the antiphon: “Effundam super vos.” Anyone know where I could find this if it exists? Happy to point the psalms myself, but I just need to know which mode we’re in!
    Ordo_Baptismi_Adultorum_LatinEnglish.pdf
    229K
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    See: this page.
  • JDBading
    Posts: 10
    @CHGiffen, I came across this, too: Isn’t that a chapter from lauds? And I think the prophetic tone…I’m looking for a proper antiphon for the rite of adult baptism, esp as the rubrics mention singing it.
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,185
    I don't think there is a “proper” chant for this antiphon. Because if there was it would be easier to find.

    This forum has looked before : https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/8753/schema-for-baptismal-rite-ef without success.

    The Rituale (where the above form comes from) contains chantelodies, including some antiphons, but none for baptism.

    I looked for a while and couldn't find anything either: not even a hint, which i think is significant. (I wonder if historically solemn adult baptism is rather rare: also possibly it didn't have this form
    universally before 1614 first edition of the Roman Ritual.)

    There is no entry for this antiphon in Cantus, although admittedly the baptism ritual is not in Cantus's wheelhouse. The various introits (eg Pentecost Vigil) that incorporate the text, are there. And they're in the Liber too, of course.

    In summary, I don't think this text has a proper chant.

    That said, Fr Weber's Propers for Sundays does have a melody, #2306, p 970. It's in mode 6. I suppose you could fit the Latin to it. Weber gives no reference: I expect he composed it.
    Thanked by 4tomjaw CHGiffen CHGiffen JDBading
  • JDBading
    Posts: 10
    @Andrew_Malton

    So helpful, thank you! Yes, I imagine that solemn adult baptism would’ve been rare in Christendom—never thought of that.

    I had previously pointed the 8th Psalm in Mode I (funnily enough, for the Solemn Blessing of a Fishing Boat…which does have a notated antiphon!), so I ended up putting the other two psalms and the antiphon to that. It worked out. Maybe I’ll work on a Mode I setting of the “Effundam…” or if anyone has both time on their hands and competence in chant composition, I’d welcome any effort.
    Thanked by 1Chris Garton-Zavesky
  • FSSPmusic
    Posts: 285
    Yes, it exists.
    image
    The source can be found in a previous thread.
    Effundam.jpg
    716 x 1189 - 187K
    Thanked by 5Andrew_Malton igneus CHGiffen Chris Garton-Zavesky JDBading
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,185
    Excellent to know that this book exists.

    I would love to know where. If anywhere, the MSS of those chants exist. Is it possible that they were composed recently, e.g. for the book itself?
Add a Comment