Second Alleluia for Ordinary Form Votive Mass of the BVM in Paschaltide
  • balaanghuni
    Posts: 27
    We're planning to offer a Votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary on one Saturday this coming Easter season. This will be in the Ordinary Form.

    The Graduale Triplex (p. 663) and Graduale Romanum 1979 (p. 663) list the following sung propers for such a votive Mass:

    IN. Salve, sancta Parens
    AL. Virga Iesse floruit
    OF. Beata es, Virgo Maria
    CO. Diffusa est gratia in labiis tuis

    Isn't there supposed to be two Alleluias during the Easter season? Any idea why the two sources above list only one Alleluia?

    In the Extraordinary Form, the Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday for Paschaltide indicates AL. Virga Iesse and AL. Ave Maria. Can we follow this pattern for our upcoming OF Mass (i.e., sing the two Alleluias as is done for this specific Mass in the EF)? Would appreciate a brief explanation why or why not.
  • madorganist
    Posts: 906
    I believe the presumption in the Ordinary Form is that there is only one chant immediately preceding the Gospel, with the exception of the few Masses with a sequence. There would only be one reading before the Gospel at a Saturday votive Mass and therefore only one alleluia verse between the first reading and the Gospel. Refer to the rubrics on p. 10 of the Triplex. No. 9 states that "either/one or the other (alterutrum)" of the alleluia chants is sung, which would exclude singing both if there's only one reading before the Gospel. That's why only Virga Jesse is listed for the votive Mass.
    Thanked by 1rich_enough
  • rich_enough
    Posts: 1,048
    You can find the Introduction / Instructions to the OF Graduale (1974) here.
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,798
    !

    7. The second reading is followed by the Alleluia or the Tract. The Alleluia chant is arranged in this way: Alleluia is sung completely, with its melismatic neume, by the cantors and is repeated by the choir …

    8. The Sequence, if there is one, is sung after the last Alleluia, in alternation by cantors and a choir, or by two parts of a choir, omitting the Amen at the end.
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,467
    COLLECTION OF MASSES OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
    ..................
    General Introduction #31 c) During the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter, the biblical readings are to be those assigned in the Lectionary for Mass for each day of the particular season except in the case of a celebration in the manner of a Feast or Solemnity.
    Which would entail just one reading and therefor just the Alleluia.
    I imagine this is why the Gradual does not provide an Alleluia Psalm, it is never needed.
    [Under what circumstance would/could one celebrate 'in the manner of' a Feast or Solemnity?]
    EDIT GS does provide an Alleluia Psalm p.326, and remarkably dull and boring it sounds!
  • JonathanKKJonathanKK
    Posts: 542
    In case it is of interest:
    I recently noticed a similar thing with the GR (1974/1979) with respect to the propers for a wedding Mass in Eastertide. There is only one alleluia listed at all on p. 645 et seq. However, I believe for a wedding Mass you could have two readings, and would therefore have need for another alleluia.

    Important thing to know:
    The GR (1974/1979) does not include all of the possibilities allowable by the Ordo Cantus Missae; the GR omits the neo-gregorian chants, which OCM says may be used ad libitum. The OCM has a whole section devoted to this, starting on p. 155.

    In the case of the wedding Mass, as far as I can tell the neo-gregorian alleluia could thus at least arguably be used for the second alleluia.
    Thanked by 1madorganist
  • balaanghuni
    Posts: 27
    The Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Missale Romanum cum Lectionibus (1977) has the following:

    11 options for the First Reading outside Paschal Time
    3 options for the First Reading in Paschal Time
    4 options for the Second Reading
    11 options for the Gospel

    My understanding is that a Votive Mass could use 3 readings (First, Second, and Gospel). If so, wouldn't this justify the use of the Graduale in betwen the First and Second Readings?

    a_f_hawkins wrote:
    [Under what circumstance would/could one celebrate 'in the manner of' a Feast or Solemnity?]


    I suppose a Votive Mass would be one such circumstance.

    For the Votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin, GT and GR79 exclude a Gradual only for Paschal Time. All the other seasons have Graduals. I wonder why this is so.

    Is there anything in the norms that prohibits us from singing both AL. Virga Iesse and AL. Ave Maria in our OF Mass even if there are only two readings? Also, is there any norm prohibiting us from using three readings for this Votive Mass?
  • madorganist
    Posts: 906
    Is there anything in the norms that prohibits us from singing both AL. Virga Iesse and AL. Ave Maria in our OF Mass even if there are only two readings?
    Two consecutive chants between readings are not envisioned in the OF rubrics except in the case of an alleluia plus sequence. I refer you again to no. 9 in the Gradual, which specifies either/or for the chants when there is only one reading before the Gospel.
    Also, is there any norm prohibiting us from using three readings for this Votive Mass?
    Not that I'm aware of.
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,467
    A votive Mass of the BVM during Eastertide must use the readings of the day. The choice of readings given in the Missal/Lectionary is only for use in Ordinary Time, as shown in the instruction 31.c which I quoted above.
    I cannot see how to reconcile the Gradual with the Lectionary.
    In GR the Masses from Easter Sunday to Friday have Graduals, but from Easter Saturday through to Pentecost, inclusive, there are no Graduals in GR, the Masses which have two readings before the Gospel have two Alluluias instead. [In the EF there are also no Graduals but two Alleluias]. And OCM indicates that there is only one chant between readings.
    The Lectionary Introduction #19-#23 however seems to take a quite different view (in the copy I have). Stating the Responsorial Psalm is 'an integral part of the liturgy of the word' and the Alleluia is 'a rite or act standing by itself' (which must be sung).
    So turning to GIRM #61 & #63, it seems we should say the Responsorial Psalm (of the day) and then sing the Alleluia (of the BVM).
  • balaanghuni
    Posts: 27
    @a_f_hawkins:

    My copy of the Missale Romanum cum Lectionibus (1977) has the following under the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary (which is indicated also as appropriate for the Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday):

    11 options for the First Reading outside Paschal Time
    3 options for the First Reading within Paschal Time
    4 options for the Second Reading
    11 options for the Gospel

    Meanwhile, the Ordo Lectionum Missae (1981) has the following in the Common of the Blessed Virgin:

    11 options for the First Reading from the Old Testament
    5 options for the First Reading from the New Testament for Paschal Time
    5 options for the Responsorial Psalm
    4 options for the Second Reading from the New Testament
    6 options for the Alleluia and Verse before the Gospel
    12 options for the Gospel

    That both the MRCL and OLM provide reading options for Paschal Time seem to be inconsistent with the assertion that a Votive Mass of the BVM at Paschal Time must use the readings of the day during Paschal Time. This is getting me really confused.
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,467
    @balaanghuni
    The Common is for use if proper texts have not been provided. However at a Votive Mass of the BVM in Eastertide (and Advent, Christmastide and Lent) the proper texts of the readings are those given in the proper of time (assigned in the Lectionary for Mass for each day of the particular season).
    Our Lady of Fatima has some proper texts, and some chosen from the Common for Eastertide, I think that in a church where she is titular it would be neccessary to choose a second reading from the Common. We have a local feast of Our Lady for which all the texts are chosen from the Common.
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