Penitential Act (third form) using Gregorian chant
  • smvanroodesmvanroode
    Posts: 998
    In the Ordo Cantus Missae (nr. 491 on page 174) something is said about the performance of the third form of the Penitential Act ("You were sent to heal the contrite of heart, ..."):

    3. Cum Kyrie tamquam responsio ad aliquam invocationem in actu paenitentiali usurpatur, melodia huic muneri respondens eligatur, scilicet Kyrie XVI vel XVIII Kyrialis Romani, necnon melodiae Kyrialis simplicis.


    I translate this as:

    3. When the Kyrie is used as a response to an invocation during the Penitential Act, one should choose a melody which corresponds to this function, i.e. Kyrie XVI or XVIII from the Kyriale Romanum, and the melodies from the Kyriale Simplex.

    How do you combine Kyrie XVI and XVIII with the invocations during the Penitential Act? And how are the invitation and the absolution sung when this form is used?
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    It's referring to the Kyrie in the form of a litany:

    V. Lord, you were sent to heal the contrite: Kyrie eleison.
    R. Kyrie eleison.
    V. You came to call sinners: Christe eleison.
    R. Christe eleison.

    etc.
  • Ioannes Andreades
    Posts: 311
    It's the Novus Ordo; they expect you to make it up as you go along. Really...I'm serious.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    For example, here's a made-up Kyrie XVI with invocations.

    For the invitation and absolution, you could take an example from the settings in the Marier hymnal Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Canticles.
  • smvanroodesmvanroode
    Posts: 998
    Thank you chonak, these are most useful.

    I also came across two other performances of the Kyrie with invocations:

    Ambrosian chant: a simple Kyrie is used. I could identify the Kyrie (see attachment), but I have trouble writing down the melody of the invocations. Can someone help me with those?

    Missa in Cena Domini at the Lateran Basilica: another simple Kyrie is used, but no music is given for the invocations (page 7-8). I'm curious if there is a recording of the Penitential Act of the Missa in Cena Domini.
    KyrieD.pdf
    79K
  • smvanroodesmvanroode
    Posts: 998
    I think I have written down the melody of the invocations () correctly (see attachment). Can anyone confirm this?

    I'm still thinking about a fitting melody for the invitation and absolution.
    main-KyrieD.pdf
    70K
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    chonak,

    I am curious to know: are the tritones on the part of the priest intentional? The reason I ask: most priests would have a hard time singing them I think.

    http://www.gabrielmass.com/rac/cmaa/kyrie16-with-invocations.pdf
  • Carl DCarl D
    Posts: 992
    You're doing "eleison" as three syllables instead of four? That's different than I would have expected.
  • smvanroodesmvanroode
    Posts: 998
    Carl,

    The Kyrie is taken from Prières litaniques de l'office (Solesmes, 1995). Here, the 'e' from 'Kyrie' and 'eleison' share the same note, and 'eleison' has three syllables instead of four. The modern convention is due to Dom Pothier, see Pierre Combe et.al., The Restoration of Gregorian Chant: Solesmes and the Vatican Edition (2008), p. 307.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    Good catch, Jeff. That was intended to be a fa-sharp, so it needs fixing in a couple of ways.
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    it was quite beautiful the way you had it, but difficult to sing
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    I've never heard a priest sing the Kyrie with invocations (with any setting), only cantors.
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    ah . . . we did it with the priest singing ... I assume that is allowed?
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    Oh, sure.
Add a Comment