It is my understanding that the Solemn Entrance (Option II) proceeds in the same way as the Procession (Option I), just with no long, outdoor procession. So, 1. Outside the doors or right inside of the doors...depending on the church. 2. Yes, the Hosanna filio David is sung) http://www.icelweb.org/musicfolder/openpdf.php?file=CommemorationEntrance.pdf is where you'll find the music. 3. Yep. 4. Can be. Doesn't have to be. 5. Yes. That chant or another chant. You could sing that chant the entire time or sing All Glory, Laud, and Honor the entire time. Given that it would probably be a fairly short procession, I would just sing one or the other. 6. See #5. 7. The collect first. Then the readings.

Since no one else has weighed in here, I'll take a stab. You have it almost right, but usually homily does not take place until after the reading of Christ's Passion...if one is done, it is brief.

Technically, if your congregation is processing into the church from outside, it's called:
The Commemoration of the Lord's Entrance into Jerusalem. I think this is what you meant. The Solemn form is when the congregation is staying inside the church.

While I could just leave it there, I'm going to write out what needs to happen for both of us....priests play with this a lot and often do whatever suits them. So, it's very confusing.
I'll use a. b. c. to designate the three music selections you may need.

pls. someone correct me if I'm wrong......

Your preparation BEFORE:
I. Pick a chant/hymn etc: Hosanna to the Son of David (chant a.) from somewhere...there are many sources. Pick something with a refrain so the congregation and pick it up and sing it.
II. You also need to prepare: "All Glory Laud and Honor" (hymn c.) from whatever hymnal is in your church.
III. Just in case your priest is going to do this ritual exactly as laid out in the rubrics, pick another chant with a Hosanna text. (chant c.)

(I'm using Richard Rice's Simple Choral Gradual for all of this:
http://musicasacra.com/books/simplechoralgradual.pdf )

On Palm Sunday the order is:

1.People show up for mass.
2.They are given palms and directed to stand somewhere outside the church. (Location A)
3. Some choir members join them there (Location A) to lead the music.

(usually other choir members and the organist stay in the church to do music while the priest is processing to the altar.....they are waiting)

4.Priest and procession stay in Sacristy until a "SIGNAL" is given to begin.
5. SIGNAL IS GIVEN
6. Priest and Procession walk to Location A. WHILE they are walking to that place, the choir chants Hosanna to the Son of David (pick one from many sources.)

Think, Christ arriving at the gates of Jerusalem.

7. Priest arrives. CHOIR STOPS. Priest blesses palms and PROCLAIMS the Gospel. (He reads it -- so someone will have to hold the book for him, but he should arrange that.)
8. Priest ends this portion saying, ".....let us go forth in peace...."

At this point, you have three options:
a. Resume chanting the Hosanna to the Son of David you were chanting before
b. Chant or sing another Hosanna text
c. Go directly into "All Glory Laud and Honor and continue that until the priest and procession arrive at the altar and is ready to continue the mass.

If you chose a. or b. above, then: continue with the "hosanna text" for the priest to get to the altar, then you can do All Glory Laud and Honor (hymn c.) as the entrance hymn once he is on the altar.

If you chose c. then just stretch out All Glory Laud and Honor until the priest catches his breath and is standing in front of his chair ready to begin the mass.

9. Then, First reading; Isaiah 50;4-7
10. Psalm: My God, My God....etc.
11. Then the reading of the passion with the congregation.
12. Then homily, which is usually short.

Mass continues as usual. But the Recessional should be in silence or something somber. The Palm Sunday liturgy begins with a joyous event, but foreshadows Good Friday.

That's my best shot. If I've made a mistake or someone has a better explanation, then I'll delete my post....it's confusing enough.

Best of luck Clare. You can email me if you need to.

A homily is typically omitted just because it prolongs a liturgy most priests dread to lengthen any further than necessary (some priest even give only the briefest of homilies, if you can call them that, after the reading of the Passion, preferring instead some extended silence)

That said, a homily after the proclamation of the first Gospel is an opportune moment to touch on the oldest liturgical commemoration of Christ the King (older than Epiphany and way way older than the current CTK feast).

And as a follow up question, would it make sense to sing the other processional antiphons as a prelude before the Solemn entrance? Since we never do the procession we never get to sing them. I suppose almost anything goes for prelude music, but wondered what others thought.

Unfortunately it is a local custom to take the unblessed palms and simply hold them up to be blessed so there isn't much time for any extra music. It was the Schubert settings I had in mind. It just seem a shame not to ever sing them.