EF Music Rubrics
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    I may be asked, once I have a grasp on things, to sub for my area's innumerable EF Masses (I can't even count them all) However, I don't know the rubrics for when music is or isn't appropriate at High Mass or Low Mass, as I'm only used to the OF and intend to employ a liberal amount of improvisation. Is there any relatively complete guide to this, all in one location? The "rubrics for the Low Mass" and such on CMAA's website are, sadly, useless for me. The best resource I found is the Intro from one of the chant books (also under "Teaching Aids") but even that doesn't discuss specific rubrics, such as how long music may last between the elevation and the end of the canon. Anyone know of anything, or do I just have to learn it by rote?
  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    It's all here, all questions answered.
  • Dan F.Dan F.
    Posts: 205
    Whoa, Gavin. You walked right into that one. It's like one of the "spontaneous" stories recalled by celebrities on late night TV. Did you guys rehearse that?
  • das
    Posts: 16
    Gavin wrote: "...my area's innumerable EF Masses (I can't even count them all)"

    So Gavin, what area do you live in? I'm very envious wherever you are. In NYC, it's St. Agnes or, it's St. Agnes...
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,937
    Thanks for the reference to the guide for the 62 missal. My pastor does not want EF masses, although the assistant pastor would gladly do them if the pastor allowed. However, who knows what the future holds?
  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    Good going Gavin! Actually we usually like to put these things online too but no one has had the time. Also, I think we need to check with the author first.
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    My current financial situation, of which I have none, prevents me from buying the book, but I'll check the university interlibrary loans for it.

    I don't disclose personal information online, but I will say that besides Assumption Grotto, there's also Old St. Mary's, St. Josaphat, Sweetest Heart of Mary, St. Joseph's, St. Albertus, and that's just within this particular city which has a massive metropolitan region. I should mention I'm walking distance from a weekly EF at one of those, but the heavy crime in this city makes that an undesirable trip except by car. That should be enough to clue you in to what "motorized" city I live in, let the reader understand!
  • Michael O'Connor
    Posts: 1,637
    Go Tigers!
  • nullapara
    Posts: 4
    Gavin, I offer a little prayer for you nearly every day when I drive past a nearby subdivision that has a street called "Gavin's Point."

    May I piggyback on this with a question about the rubrics? In Psallite Sapienter it states that the Agnus Dei should be intoned by the cantor each time... I've never encountered this in an EF in real life - what's the practice? Also, if doing the Rossini propers (no groaning please, we're learning the 'real' ones as we can, starting with major feasts) - the Introit verses given are too short to cover the entire procession through the prayers at the foot of the altar, so we cover the procession with organ music until Fr. gets to the foot of the altar, then the Introit... what do other parishes do?

    Also, I think Gavin's organ-playing question isn't *really* answered in that volume - my questions weren't, not really. Here's where organ playing happens in our EF 'Missa Cantata' weeks (outside of Lent/Advent with cantor or minimal schola, no choral settings beyond propers):
    Organ prelude
    Bells ring, then organ plays processional until Fr. and entourage arrive at foot of the altar
    Introit sung (all service music with light organ accompaniment; beefier for the Ordinary bits)
    Kyrie sung
    Gloria sung
    Gradual sung
    organ music for Fr's processing to the ambo
    organ music to cover his walking back
    Credo sung
    Offertory verse sung
    Offertory (organ)
    Sanctus sung
    Agnus Dei sung
    Communion antiphon
    Organ plays during distribution of Blessed Sacrament
    Marian Antiphon sung at conclusion of the Last Gospel
    Organ postlude

    Does that line up with what other people are doing?

    Best,
    LR
    Taylors, SC
  • vincewoo1231
    Posts: 13
    At the EF in my parish, the cantor intones the Agnus Dei each time. We just follow what is prescribed in the Liber, as you see there is an asterisk after each Agnus Dei.

    As for your question about the Introit, the following is from the 1962 Liber usualis:
    If the priest and his ministers go in procession by a long aisle, it would be permissible for the choir, after the singing of the Introit antiphon, and its psalm verse, to continue singing additional verses of the same psalm. The antiphon itself may be repeated after each verse or after every other verse; when the celebrant has reached the altar, the psalm ceases, and the Gloria Patri is sung, and finally the antiphon is repeated to conclude the Introit procession.

    So I guess you can probably do extra verses for the Introit, which can be downloaded from the CMAA website.

    And Gavin, if you don't want to buy that book, you can get some info about the EF rubrics from the following site:
    http://www.sanctamissa.org/en/music/musical-guidelines-for-the-traditional-roman-rite/
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