Question about "Libera me Domine"
  • SNW
    Posts: 8
    Hello everbody

    I have a question about the interpretation of the well-known responsory "Libera me Domine" from the Missa pro Defunctis.

    this is a scan of the chant: http://www.musicasacra.com/images/libera.jpg

    now there are three signs which seem to subdivide the chant into smaller parts: an asterisk (*), a dagger (†) and a "V/" (which means "versicle" to my knowledge). I think some (probably the versicles) have to be sung by a cantor or the schola, and some (propably the responds) by the choir only.

    can anybody tell me what the asterisks and the daggers are indicating with regard to the interpretation of the chant? and following from that, how is "Libera me Domine" usually sung/interpreted?

    any help is highly appreciated, and although studying musicology, I have not been much into gregorian chants yet...
    thank you very much in advance for any assistance!
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,180
    Welcome, SNW!

    The asterisk indicates the trade-off between two parties: cantor(s) and choir, or two halves of a choir.

    The "V/." marks a versicle, as you know.

    In many "responsory" chants, the entire antiphon is not always repeated after a versicle; instead, the choir resumes at the dagger. It's not obvious why the dagger is marked in this example, where the repeats are already written out in full -- except I suppose there is a repeat after the last versicle.
  • SNW
    Posts: 8
    hi chonak, thanks a lot for your further explanation! this really helps me understanding the signs!

    greetings!
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,180
    By the way, I looked in the Liber Usualis (which you can download from CMAA too) and found that the final repeat of the antiphon, after the last versicle, starts from the beginning. (p. 1767-1768).
  • JahazaJahaza
    Posts: 469
    It's perhaps worth pointing out that this responsory is part of the absolution that follows the Mass and not part of the Mass itself.
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