In our parish, most of the priests leave during the first verse of the recessional hymn. When they are out of sight, people start to leave. So, I follow these guidelines
1. It should be a hymn that people know "by heart". Many will not even have a book open.
2. It should have a hymn text that can stand on its own with just one verse. Singing one verse of a hymn about the Trinity would not work. As would other, similar, texts that "tell a story" over many verses.

My favorites are:
NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD
FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH
FOR THE FRUIT OF ALL CREATION, THANKS BE TO GOD
GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR HE IS GOOD
LIFT HIGH THE CROSS

Many, many years ago, I was privileged to have a pastor who treasured the integrity of the hymn texts. He believed in singing all the verses always. Frequently, he reminded people in the pews that "the Mass has not ended until the final verse of the final hymn is sung." He would stay in the sanctuary until the last verse of the recessional hymn was sung.

One time, the Cardinal came to celebrate Mass; it was a Sunday that was on November 1st, All Saints. The final hymn was SINE NOMINE. The Cardinal, and entourage, departed during verse one. Outside the church, the Cardinal was waiting for the people to leave. No one left their pew. His Eminence wondered where everyone was. Of course, they all stayed in the church for the singing of all 8 verses. They were well trained. That's when the pastor, gently, reminded the Cardinal that "the Mass has not ended until...."

We cannot stop people from leaving... ite, Missa est means ite, Missa est after all. So keep it short and sweet. Have one verse of a hymn that everyone knows by heart, OR try repeating the first verse of another hymn you've done in the liturgy. We are experimenting with that right now at my parish and folks are slowly starting to pick up on it.

Although, yes, the mass IS ended at Ite Missa Est ... There is a thing called "politeness," or "manners." Should you really get up and walk out while a hymn is being sung? It's just bad form.

Sure, you don't HAVE to stay ... neither do you HAVE to, under penalty of sin, chew with your mouth closed or excuse your self should you accidentally burp in public.

PGA,
Etiquette at this moment really isn't part of the equation. To the contrary, if the zeal shown by exiting congregants was a manifestation of their taking their missio seriously rather than getting to the car, we'd soon see the end of days! Furthermore, as I understand it, it is only manners and custom that the faithful remain in the nave until after the celebrant has crossed the plane, so to speak. Technically, you can bolt for the door after singing (ha!) Deo gratias est. I advocate none of the above actions, just saying.
As far as choice of repertoire vis a vis post Mass private prayer, we've had both rousing hymn and gentle chant as examples this week at colloquium. At my parish we sing a closing hymn generally complete as it takes a very long time to empty the church, so an individual that wants "SERENITY NOW!" has to wait in any case. And let's not forget, the organ provides a liturgical and theological "singing" quite appropriate to this moment that is, no matter grand or subtle, an inducement to prayer, devotion and reflection.

All of this reflects a lack of respect for music, musicians and prayer through music, that's all.


This does not:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaY1zBoJOsY

Then choose any appropriate (to your discretion) psalm in a chanted (through or psalm tone or recto tono) manner. End of story.

I realize that music directors, etc. have to pay something of attention to the congregation is doing. But this is getting kind of micromanage-ish. Long before Vatican II, there were always people who slipped out early or as soon as Father finished saying his piece. I've read at least one book from Victorian times complaining about it. (The same woman's book complained about people staying too long, too. She also complained about people paying attention to missals and not owning missals to pay attention to. It got to sound like one of those complainers at church, but apparently she was a legitimate literary figure. Sheesh.)

Either people have a legitimate reason to leave like a flash, or they don't. If they don't, that's between them and God, or them and Father. Why not let them worry about their own conduct? If you're reasonably sure they're not fleeing the music because of its stinkitude, how is their leaving your problem?

(Yeah, sometimes we have to practice "custody of the brain" when it comes to this stuff. Just to stay sane.)

There's an old saying, that has been found in a few parishes, "And Judas left early too"

(This is also a question regarding principles in hymn selection. Mentioning one hymn or another --- my Mass also does Marian hymns --- doesn't help so much.)

Given that something must be sung, a seasonal Marian antiphon is the best option. Doing the same five or six vernacular hymns over and over just reenforces the idea that we have "nothing better to do" at this point, that we're just killing time, especially if only one or two verses are sung.

With a self-contained piece like the Salve or Regina Caeli you don't have to worry about "doing all the verses," people will eventually memorize it, and the music is anything but perfunctory.

Sure. For example, http://www.adoremus.org/0907MarianAnthems.html.

Greetings! At my parish, Holy Rosary, Bronx, NY, altar servers, choir and priests gradually assemble during the 3 verses of the final hymn. They recess during the postlude, which comes immediately after the 3rd and final verse. If an organ postlude is in a different key than the final hymn then an improvisation, with modulation, is needed before playing the actual postlude. Blessings!

I'm not for recessional hymns. I prefer to play an organ postlude, even if only a short prelude, voluntary or a fugue of some sort.

I only make use of hymns for recessionals during Lent and Advent when organ postludes are not permitted.

Another option is to use a Marian Antiphon appropriate to the liturgical season such as the Salve Regina.