Problem: Gospel Acclamation too short (Where to find other verses?)
  • Laura
    Posts: 13
    Does anyone know of any Lenten Gospel acclamation on this site or on corpuschristiwatershed (or anywhere else, for that matter) that are fairly long (and have organ accompaniment)?
    We do a procession with the Gospel at my parish. Alleluias can be easily repeated if necessary, but the Gospel acclamation might sound a bit funny if repeated too much.

    I think my parish can only really handle "Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ King of Endless Glory" or something like that -- CC watershed has some really nice Latin chant, but my parish isn't ready for this yet. Can I do two verses with the Gospel acclamation if I need to? (I have heard that done at other parishes, but I don't know whether it is allowed.)
    If it is allowed, where do I find the text for additional verses?
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    Aristotle Esguerra published Psalm-Tone Lenten Tracts at Musica Sacra, which at least has the English texts. If you wish to use one of the Lenten Gospel acclamations, you could augment them with these texts set to Anglican chant - or simply use Ari's Psalm tone chants.
  • Paul F. Ford
    Posts: 864
    Two verses are provided throughout the Graduale Simplex.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Aristotle Esguerra
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    If you can, I'd try to use Aristotle's tracts. They work with a gospel procession very well.
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    The Alleluia is not a processional chant but constitutes an act in itself. Whether you sing a long melismatic Alleluia from the Graduale Romanum (or an English equivalent like the American Gradual) or a short triple alleluia with a psalm tone verse, it need not correspond with the length of the procession. (How far do you have to carry to Book of the Gospels, anyway? And does this really take more than 15-20 seconds?). If you really require more music, I don't see why the organist couldn't improvise after the chant.
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    incantu,

    At my (old) parish, our gospel procession was just barely covered by an organ improvisation, alleluia, choral verse in english, and the repetion of the alleluia. Laura's parish isn't the only one.

    btw, this was probably because we used always incense and candles, always had a deacon (who needs to be blessed before the procession), and had a nice procession. If only that kind of gospel procession was more common.

    Laura, another thing to consider, as I mentioned above, is a choral verse. I believe our MD wrote them for the occasion, so I'm not sure there's a good collection of them out there, but it can be very effective. They don't have to be very long or polyphonic, but they do add some time, and sound very nice as well!
  • Laura
    Posts: 13
    Thank you very much for all of your responses - they are very helpful! (You have no idea how much help this forum has been! I can only believe that it was providence. I have a lot of liturgy questions, but most of the other music directors around here largely play Marty Haugen and Dan Schutte, so I'm kind of on my own.)

    Dumb questions of the day: Where do I find the Simple Gradual? Is it not online?
    (Also, if I understand correctly, "tract" is the name for the Gospel acclamation in the extraodinary form, but we can use additional "tract" verses in the OF, and I find those in the SImple Gradual? Please correct me if I am confused. Is there an official English translation for these verses? I'm assuming Aristotle would have used the official English translation?)
  • Patricia Cecilia
    Posts: 400
    Laura,
    The Simple English Propers (Adam Bartlett) page is here:
    http://www.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/5101/simple-english-propers-page/p1 You can either buy the book or download the individual propers for free.

    RE the Gospel Acclamation and Tract: The items in the EF that correspond with the "Gospel Acclamation" in the OF are:
    1) the Alleluia [and verse(s)] outside of Lent; and
    2) the Tract from Septuagesima Sunday (beginning of Pre-Lent in the EF, three Sundays before Ash Wednesday, abrogated in the OF) through Holy Thursday.

    In Eastertide in the EF, there are two Alleluias with two different melodies and one verse with each: Alleluia 1-verse 1-Alleluia 2-verse 2-Alleluia 2. Also, in the EF at any time when there is an Alleluia (single or double), a cantor chants the Alleluia up to the asterisk, then the schola repeats the Alleluia from the beginning, adding the jubilus after the asterisk. On the repeat of the Alleluia the full schola just sings the full Alleluia.

    So the pattern outside Eastertide is:
    Alleluia to asterisk-Alleluia entire-verse 1-Alleluia entire

    The pattern during Eastertide is:
    Alleluia 1 to asterisk-Alleluia 1 entire-verse 1-Alleluia 2 to asterisk- Alleluia 2 entire-verse 2-Alleluia 2 entire.

    You can see from the outside of Eastertide version how the OF version came about:
    Alleluia (cantor) - Alleluia (all including congregation) - verse (cantor) -Alleluia (all)

    I hope that helps!
  • Patricia Cecilia
    Posts: 400
    And it's not a dumb question at all. Keep asking!

    The lack of musical and liturgical training for Catholic musicians over the past 40 years is scandalous, because it follows on the corresponding lack of orthodox general catechesis over the same period. Which is why we are where we are now, with people of good will and intent doing their best with what they know, regardless of what musical 'style' within which they work. I think we forget that.
  • RPBurke
    Posts: 25
    Go ahead and do multiple psalm verses, repeating the antiphon.
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