Incorporating the Graduale Communion Chant Alongside SEP
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    This morning for First Friday, I used the Graduale communio after I chanted the same chant from SEP, since on First Fridays, the daily Mass attendance doubles, so communion was longer. It got me thinking that I'd like to try and incorporate the latin communio on a more regular basis, but throwing out the english is also out of the picture for the time being. With that in mind, Father takes his time purifying, so I have enough time that the SEP usually "runs out," so I have some flexibility. Below are a couple of arrangements that came to mind. Warning, I'm thinking out loud in this post (always an interesting thing!).

    -Complete SEP chant, followed by the complete GR chant
    -GR Antiphon, Complete SEP chant, GR antiphon (From Andrew Motyka)
    -SEP antiphon, english verse, GR antiphon, english verse, SEP antiphon, english verse, etc.

    What does everyone think of these arrangements? Has anyone else tried to do something like this, or do you have a different arrangement that might work well that I didn't put bere?
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,821
    I usually do the Latin antiphon from the Gregorian Missal, in which I have pointed the English translations to use in place of the verse. This gives the choir just time to receive and reassemble for the OCP 'anthem'/hymn.
  • David Sullivan
    Posts: 355
    I often sing the Communio at daily Mass when the day is ranked as feast or solemnity. (For instance Visitation last on Thursday). I sing first an English translation on a psalm tone, then the Graduale chant. This arrangement partly came about because a previous pastor wanted to hear the translation to get a better sense of the Latin text.

    I really appreciate, by the way, that the SEP uses the same mode for the English as the Graduale, which makes this discussion even possible. Because I do this on weekdays, the SEP isn't an option for me most of the time.
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    You might check this resource out, David. It doesn't include verses (yet), but the antiphons are there, and you can easily get your own verses, point them, and sing them to the corresponding psalm tone from SEP.
  • Mark M.Mark M.
    Posts: 632
    Here's what I do (and yes, I've mentioned this before a number of times):

    Introit as prelude: SEP unaccompanied (antiphon only), followed by GR (ant-verse-GP-ant) with NOH accompaniment

    Offertory: SEP antiphon over a drone, then segue into a hymn

    Communion: SEP unaccompanied (antiphon only), then GR with Rice's English verses, all accompanied with NOH. I'll use all English verses and will proceed to Latin verses as found in "Communio" if I need more. I conclude with the GP and then Rice's English translation of the antiphon on the psalm tone.

    We don't provide a written program of any sort that would contain the translations, so that's why I begin with the SEPs (in light of the request in Sing to the Lord that translations be provided).
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