Where Can I Find...?
  • scholistascholista
    Posts: 109
    Where can I find an explanation of the purpose and relationship between the following resources?

    Liber Usualis, Graduale Romanum, Graduale Simplex, Liber Cantualis, Kyriale and Gregorian Missal
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,182
    Some are generic chant books, some are specifically for the 1962 Missal, some are for the current Missal. There are two editions of the Graduale Romanum to consider, so I'll list both.

    Here are the relevant facts about each book:
    • Missal: To which Missal does it pertain: 1962 or 1970 (i.e., current)?
    • Ordinary: Does it include Mass Ordinary chants?
    • Propers: Does it include Mass proper chants?
    • Calendar days: For which Masses in the calendar?
    • Other features:


      Graduale Romanum 1961
    • Missal: 1962
    • Ordinary: Y
    • Propers: Y
    • Calendar days: all
    • Other features: The standard edition of Gregorian chant for the Mass.


      Liber Usualis
    • Missal: 1962
    • Ordinary: Y
    • Propers: Y
    • Calendar days: all
    • Other features: adds readings; adds Office chants. Published in various national editions with introductions and rubrics in English, French, Latin, etc., and additions for national calendars.


      Graduale Romanum 1974
    • Missal: 1970
    • Ordinary: Y
    • Propers: Y
    • Calendar days: all
    • Other features: This Solesmes edition is the de facto replacement for the GR 1961, since no Vatican edition was produced.



      Gregorian Missal
    • Missal: 1970
    • Ordinary: Y
    • Propers: Y
    • Calendar days: Sundays and solemnities
    • Other features: published in several language-specific editions with vernacular translations of the texts


      Kyriale
    • Missal: either
    • Ordinary: Y
    • Propers: N
    • Calendar days: all
    • Other features: This extract from the Graduale Romanum contains only the Mass Ordinary chants.



      Liber Cantualis
    • This introductory book contains several dozen chants; a few Mass Ordinaries, a few hymns, a few chants for Lent and Advent; chants for Benediction; chants in honor of Our Lady; plus Sunday Compline.



      Graduale Simplex
    • Missal: 1970
    • Other features: This book presents simple chants that can be used "in smaller churches" as a substitute for the authentic Gregorian Mass Ordinary and Propers. Many of its chants are derived from Office chants. It presents settings for Solemnities and presents seasonal settings for the rest of the church year.


    Thanked by 4canadash E_A_Fulhorst CHGiffen scholista
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    Liber Usualis
    Don't know much about this book, other than the fact that it is similar to the Graduale Romanum, but also contains some (all?) music for the office, and is arranged for the older calendar. Someone else may be able to post more information about it.

    All the below books are designed for the OF (with the exception of the Kyriale, which can be pretty easily used in either rite):

    Graduale Romanum
    The official and primary music book of the Roman Rite for the ordinary form. Contains propers for the procession, gradual (after the first reading), alleluia and verse, offertory, and communion, as well as proper chants for the kyrie, sanctus, and agnus dei, and the rest of the order of Mass as well. It also contains other misc. chants used throughout the year, such as the various chants for the funeral Mass. It is completely in Latin.

    Graduale Simplex
    Is similar in concept to the GR, but the melodies are simpler and the texts for the propers are shorter, while the texts for the ordinary obviously remains the same. It is completely in Latin.

    Liber Cantualis
    This is a small collection of chant which seems like it might be designed for the pews. It contains the order of Mass and several more popular ordinaries, as well as various chants, such as "adoremus in aternum," "O Salutaris," "Tantum Ergo," "Christus Vincit," all the well known marian antiphons, Sunday compline, and much more. Completely in latin.

    Kyriale
    A book that contains the Ordinaries from the Graduale Romanum. It is basically the "ordinary" section of the GR in it's own book for the convenience of those who don't need to have the propers handy.

    Gregorian Missal
    A new-ish book that contains all the propers for Sundays and Holy Days from the GR, as well as some (all?) of the ordinaries from the GR. The goal is to have everything from the GR that is needed for Sundays without being weighed down by all of the things that are only used on weekdays, and therefore, rarely sung. This is probably the most practical book for many choirs, since it doesn't have lots of things you won't need, and while the music is still completely in Latin (from the GR), the instructions are in english, and there is translations for all the latin texts as well. It's also available in other languages other than english.
    Thanked by 3canadash CHGiffen scholista
  • E_A_FulhorstE_A_Fulhorst
    Posts: 381
    Where can I find an explanation of the purpose and relationship between the following resources?


    On this thread!
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