Thoughts on Introit and Entrance hymn?
  • Guidry
    Posts: 2
    Hi, all. I read the thread on this topic from 2009. Are there any new developments? Resolutions? Resources? My new priest (young) hopes to repair some of the remaining issues that started long before he was born. We want to take baby steps in bringing our parish more in line with the standards of Musicum Sacrum, especially in bringing more chant to the mass, including the introit. Some of the young guys coming out of seminary experienced processing to a hymn, then the organist would modulate during a quick decrescendo leading into singing the Introit during the incensing. I look forward to reading information on this topic. Thank you! (My first poste, happy to be here!)
  • trentonjconn
    Posts: 620
    It's a perfectly licit practice, and it allows the proper to be sung while also giving the people their hymn. Absolutely no reason not to do it. Modulating from the hymn to the mode for the introit is neat, but don't feel like that needs to be done always. Simply ending the hymn, pausing a moment, and intoning the introit is fine.
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,883
    I have been using the entrance antiphon hymns from www.AniphonRenewal.com for about four years split between two different parishes. We have the congregation sing the hymn version and then follow it up with a chanted version while the altar is being incensed and it works great. It’s a really neat way to actually get the text of the propers back into the mass without really disrupting. What the average parish expects in terms of having hymnody.
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,325
    This is a very fine practice, in my experience. Processional (entrance) hymn, followed by Introit from Simple English Propers (or another worthy source) during the incense.
  • emac3183
    Posts: 53
    Agree with all so far...at (ad orientem) Masses without incense, our priest pauses at the foot of the steps to the high altar, waits for the end of the hymn, and then reverences the altar as the introit is sung. Helps him prepare to approach the altar.
    Thanked by 2ServiamScores CHGiffen
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 904
    If you have a priest willing to wait for the end of the hymn then sing the antiphon after the hymn. However, if everyone is in a needless rush, it might work to introduce the antiphon by singing it as a prelude before the hymn. Not ideal, but better than not at all and less rushed, especially if there is no incense, typically.
    Thanked by 1tandrews
  • emac3183
    Posts: 53
    Very true. Amazingly, my priest recently asked me to add a psalm verse to my normal practice (which generally just covered the action of reverencing the altar and him heading to the presiders chair...antiphon with no psalm verses unless the antiphon was super short) so that he didn't feel rushed!
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