How to chose Propers for a Weekday Mass
  • willschill
    Posts: 12
    Hello all. I have been asked to plan the music for a future priest's first mass at my parish. He has asked that I use the Propers (specifically the introit and communion antiphon). The date of this mass is 6/11/19 which happens to be on the Feast of St. Barnabas, Apostle (and martyr I believe) and is also a Tuesday. Where may I find the propers for this day, or how do I go about selecting them? Thanks in advance!
  • OraLabora
    Posts: 218
    Are we talking Ordinary or Extraordinary Form? The Graduale Romanum would have it.

    For the OF:

    The Introit is Mihi autem nimis, p. 425
    The Communion Antiphon is Vos qui secuti estis me, p. 438, either version in mode I or II is OK.

    There might be a PDF of the Graduale floating around.

    For the EF, same chants, only the Mode I version for the communion. Not sure about the page numbers, they might vary from edition to edition.

    Ora
  • GambaGamba
    Posts: 539
    My process each week is (OF):

    1. Determine date of Mass
    2. Consult Ordo (small book specific to diocese which indicates which masses must/may be said on each day). This is an important step, since it is more specific than the Missal’s calendar, and takes into account the Saints whose cults are most developed in one’s particular country, region, and diocese.
    3. If Ordo is explicit and there is a proper Mass to be said, I look in the Graduale Romanum/Triplex/Novum and find the propers for the feast/memorial either in the Proper of Saints section at back, or from the various Commons, or if a privileged Advent:Christmas/Lent/Easter weekday, then I go in the Proper of Time section at the beginning and find the appropriately numbered Feria (the day in the given week).
    4. If Ordo gives multiple options, or it is an empty green day, then I confer with the celebrant and make sure I understand his intentions. Most likely he will just a) celebrate the weekday mass, but b) he may particularly like a saint whose optional memorial is that day, or c) may choose to celebrate a votive Mass or Mass for a particular intention (e.g. peace) when permitted.
    5. In the case of A, then as above, go in the proper of time and find the appropriate week and day. Watch for indications of Anno I and Anno II; rarely there is a particular chant chosen for a day the 2-year daily Mass cycle. It’ll always be the same year-to-year unless indicated.
    6. In the case of B, go in the proper of Saints and find the appropriate chants. If it’s a Common (e.g. of a martyr), the Ordo will tell you what sort of Common, and then you find chants for such a Mass in the Commons section (between Proper of Time and Proper of Saints)
    7. In the case of C, find the appropriate votive mass or Missa pro diversis in those sections of the gradual.

    Where multiple options are given for one of the chants, you may wish to look up and match where possible what was used in the EF, if you’re a hermeneutic-of-continuity type; or read the readings and orations appointed and see which seems to most agree with the rest of the Mass; or pick the one that your schola already knows or can sightread....

    Best wishes!
    Thanked by 3Andrew_Malton roy2 ServiamScores
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    WillSchill,

    Feasts of Apostles are always 2nd Class, I believe, so while it's possible that something other than St. Barnabas may be celebrated, the likelihood isn't likely.

    If you're in the EF, the next question is simple: chanted or polyphonic propers. Since your priest wants you to use the Introit and the Communion I'm going to go out on a limb and say your in the OF (because otherwise he doesn't have the choice) but you must still answer the question: chanted or polyphonic settings.

    Yes, St. Barnabas is both and Apostle and a Martyr, since the distinction of being an apostle but not a martyr is reserved to St. John. Martyrs aren't always apostles.


    That the Mass is on a Tuesday in June is of little or no significance. IF it were on a Thursday, Corpus Christi would displace St. Barnabas. If it were on a Sunday, the Sunday would displace St. Barnabas. If it were on a Friday, Sacred Heart is around that time of year. Oh, and on Thursday, Ascension would also displace St. Barnabas.

    Rejoice that you have a newly minted priest who wants the Propers used.
  • smvanroodesmvanroode
    Posts: 966
    According to the General Calendar, June 11 is the obligatory memorial of St. Barnabas, Apostle. The Graduale Romanum, in its section Proprium de Sanctis, lists the following chants:

    IN Mihi autem nimis (p. 425)
    GR In omnem terram (p. 427)
    AL Ego vos elegi (p. 429)
    OF Constitues eos (p. 434)
    CO Vos qui secuti estis me (p. 438) (either the mode I or mode II melody; according to the Graduale Novum II, both options are mode I, p. 154), with verses from Psalm 31(30).

    From the Graduale simplex, you have the following options:

    IN In omnem terram (p. 339)
    RP Constitues eos (p. 283)
    AL In convertendo (p. 284)
    OF Spiritus Dominus super me (p. 340)
    CO Vos qui secuti estis me (p. 341 = GR 438) (also mode I, instead of mode II in the Graduale Romanum)

    Thanked by 2CHGiffen willschill
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,371
    WillSchill: You do not say that he wants Latin, so I point out that there are settings of the English from the Simplex in By Flowing Waters (by Paul F Ford) p547-7. Unfortunately most books of English propers don't bother setting the Commons.
    Thanked by 3willschill Paul F. Ford CHGiffen
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,371
    The Burgess&Palmer Plainchant Gradual does have the GR propers in English, right at the beginning of of the second part (Vols 3&4) as downloadable from CMAA.
    Thanked by 2M. Jackson Osborn willschill
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,767
    I've added those pp. to the index here. Anybody is welcome to continue!
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
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