Proper Antiphons for DAILY mass
  • cantabilesp
    Posts: 2
    I'm planning music for a DAILY mass on October 8th and I'd like to use the proper texts of course.
    It seems that I have a few options and I wanted to know which, if any, would be best. (I realize this could also bring up a discussion about daily masses, whether they should be sung, or should have a more "low mass" quality, etc. that would require a separate thread I think :)

    Options:
    1 - Use the Entrance and Communion antiphon texts (for the day) from the Roman Missal (which I think is what Magnificat prints in their publication) with my own newly composed plainsong melody
    2 - Use the Entrance/Off/Comm antiphon texts (from the previous Sunday) from the Roman Missal (I think this is what was done for daily masses before Vatican II? please correct me if I'm wrong) with my own melody
    3 - Use the Ent/Off/Comm antiphon texts (from the previous Sunday) from the Graduale Romanum with a simple english setting, such as Richard Rice, or my own melody
    4 - Use the Ent/Off/Comm antiphon texts and Gregorian melodies (from the previous Sunday) from the GR (which I think would be too elaborate for a daily mass, but I'm just trying to list all the options)
    5 - don't sing anything, just speak the texts from the Roman Missal for the day

    Thank you in advance for your suggestions!
  • SkirpRSkirpR
    Posts: 854
    I've been thinking about sung propers at daily Mass myself lately, so I'm happy to talk through some of this with you. Your options appear correct, except for a few minor points.

    1 - I don't have a Sacramentary handy (only a Missalette), but since October 8 is not a solemnity, feast or memorial, it does not have its own antiphons. The only antiphons available are those from:
    2 - The previous Sunday, in this case, the 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time. Also, note there are no Offertory antiphons given in the Sacramentary. These are only available in the Graduale Romanum.
    3 - For daily Mass, the Graduale will from time to time substitute (or suggest ad libitum substitutions) to align the antiphons of daily Mass more closely with the readings. For example, during the 27th Week of Ordinary Time, there is a suggested substitution for the Entrance Chant on Tuesday during Year II, and the Communion has substitutions for Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Since October 8 falls on a Friday this year, this doesn't concern us.
    4 - Too elaborate is completely your call. If there is some special gathering and you have the time and resources - why not?
    5 - Yes. If only the priest/lector/congregation/someone(!) would recite the Propers at all daily Masses!

    [In my previous attempt to reply, I posted the texts in English and Latin for all your options, but my login timed out and I lost it all! Sorry, but I just cannot go through and type them all again. Please let me know if you need additional help!]

    --Rich
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