Wondering about added alleluias for Paschaltide
  • MarkThompson
    Posts: 768
    Long-time learner, but first-time asker here! I've noticed that the Graduale and the Liber Usualis have tables for the "Method of singing Alleluia in Paschal Time" for each of the eight tones, for the introit, offertory, and communion chants. So, do these apply any more, particularly in the Ordinary Form? Do people use them? And how are they to be used -- just once apiece, at the very end of the entire chant?

    I've got the same question too about the Gloria Patri according to the eight tones for the introit. What's the reason these aren't in, e.g., the Gregorian Missal? I guess it's now customary to do antiphon-verse-antiphon, but is antiphon-verse-doxology-antiphon still licit? Or, say, antiphon-verse-antiphon-doxology-antiphon-alleluia? I've tried to figure out where, if anywhere, these things are laid down for the OF, and I don't think I've missed anything obvious so I figured it was time to ask the experts.
  • MarkThompson
    Posts: 768
    ... or, since no one's answered this yet, maybe I *am* totally misunderstanding this. Why would I need a "Method of singing Alleluia in Paschal Time at the Introit" when, for instance, today's introit already has four alleluias in the text, next Sunday's has three, and Jubilate Sunday's has five? What exactly are you supposed to do with these? (By the way, I'm referring to the tones on pp. 95-97 of the Liber Usualis and 138*-140* of the Graduale Romanum in their 1961 editions posted on this website.)
  • David Sullivan
    Posts: 355
    The use of added Alleluias for Introit, Offertory, and Communion applies more to the chants for saints day Masses or votive Masses than the Eastertide propers, which, as you note, have Alleluias built in. So for those, there's no need add more Alleluias.

    But for some saints days or votive Masses, one uses propers that may fall in Eastertide or outside it, or may use commons that don't include Alleluias. For example, the feast of the Visitation, May 31 (1970 calendar), may fall in Eastertide or not. The Communion, Beatam me dicent (GR 592) doesn't have an Alleluia. So when this feast is not in Eastertide (as this year), the Alleluia is not added. When the feast is in Eastertide, the Communion mode VI Alleluia would be added at the end of the antiphon. If you sing verses and repeat the Communion chant, you add the Alleluia at the end each time. Likewise with the Introit.

    This also happens with the older form of the Missal. For example, the feast of St Peter, February 22 never falls in Eastertide. But a votive Mass of St Peter in Eastertide would have the Alleluias added. (And two Alleluias instead of Gradual and Tract after the Epistle.)

    I don't have the definitive word on use of the Gloria Patri in the post 1970 Mass, but they are in the Graduale and definitely part of long standing tradition, so I would think that's within bounds, but not required.
  • MarkThompson
    Posts: 768
    Ah, that makes a high degree of sense. I suppose there was a time when these things were well known and seemed perfectly obvious, which is why the tones could be printed without any rubric more explanatory than "At the Introit." Thanks!
  • dvalerio
    Posts: 341
    Concerning the Gloria Patri at the Introit (and at the Communion) in the OF, it can indeed be ommitted or sung, ad libitum. (This is specified in §1 of the Praenotanda of the Ordo Cantus Missae or the 1974 Gradual.) You can use any of the following orders:

    Antiphon (this is the shortest option)

    Antiphon - Verse - Antiphon

    Antiphon - Verse - Gloria Patri - Antiphon (this is what is usual in the EF)

    Antiphon - Verse - Antiphon - Gloria Patri - Antiphon

    Antiphon - ||: Verse - Antiphon :|| - Gloria Patri - Antiphon (using different verses, of course; this is also possible in the EF, as set forth in the 1962 Versus Psalmorum et Canticorum)
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