Ta da! Here it is: the first-ever, universally available, completely free, beautifully scanned, Graduale Romanum 1908 -- on its hundredth anniversary.
Isn't it so exciting?
I'm personally partial to the later editions with rhythmic markings, but some people like this bare-bones version. In any case, it is a monument of civilization, an amazing achievement, the culmination of many years of study and work, and the fulfillment of the wish of Pius X.
By the way, this is the gift of Jeffrey Ostrowski of Chabanel Psalms. Thank him and his generosity--it was a big sacrifice for the good of all and the good of the faith--and also the CMAA which paid for this scan.
Now, you will note that something is missing: bookmarks. This obviously has to be bookmarked. It just has to be! I'm displaying it here without them so you can see how necessary they are.
Here's my request: is someone will to take this on? It is probably an afternoon's work but look at how it will open this book to the whole world. If you are interested, please say so in the comment box and download it. We can make arrangements for FTPing later.
In this case, I did nothing (hardly unusual actually). I posted a link. It is you who gave up your Graduale! This was a great thing. And now it is there! Yeah!
I'd like to ask your help to clarify my some confusions on chant books. Graduale Romanum 1908, is this the Vatican Edition, which is the work done by Dom Pothier? Now, how Liber Usualis, which first published in 1896, became 'the common book for our liturgy with 'ictus' markings'? I'm definitely missing something here. Thanks.
The Liber was published by Solesmes, which, in a strange turn of history stemming from a dispute, claimed copyright over the ictus. In any case, the Liber was never an official book, just a useful one.
Thanks, Jeffrey, then Graduale Romanum 1974, with ictus became an official one? Was it part of the Second Vatican's reformation, accepting 'ictus' to help people sing chants together more easily? (Sorry, I'm doing crach study for my talk on chants for high school students. Although I'll not be doing thorough presentation of different chant books, it's a good chance for me to straighten out my knowledge. All the books I have don't explain this very well.)
The official Vatican Edition (with no ictus markings) was published by Pothier (nominally by a Commission). It was based on the 1883 version Pothier published while he was at Solesmes, but also included a few melodic changes he found in the 1903 Solesmes Liber Usualis (published by Mocquereau/Solesmes) which, incidentally, had ictus markings. No ictus markings have ever been included in the official editions.
When Pothier published the official Vatican version of the chants (starting in 1905), Mocquereau (in a spectacular feet of speed) immediately went through all of them (Kyriale in 1905, Graduale in 1908, and Antiphonale in 1911, I think) and added ictus markings. Solesmes eventually published these "ictused" versions together in one big book as the LIBER USUALIS (the Vatican edition with ryhthmic signs added). Think of the LIBER USUALIS as a collection, with the most important parts of the KYRIALE, GRADUALE, and ANTIPHONALE. Neither the Solesmes Liber Usualis nor the 1908 Vaticana Graduale has changed in 100 years. Not one marking has been changed. The Liber Usualis IS an official book.....if you erase all the ictus markings! :-)
To sum up: In reality, there are three DIFFERENT versions of the Liber Usualis, and they are all quite different. Pothier's (in 1895 I think), Mocquereau's (in 1903/1904), and the final edition (the Vaticana with Solesmes ictus markings).
Thanks, Jeff O. I really appreciate your info and reminding me of the journal. (I'll be reading it tonight after the practice.) Maybe you are referring to Liber Gradualis by Dom Pothier (1883) as one of the three?
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