"Proper-style" Seasonal Alleluias
  • Schönbergian
    Posts: 1,063
    I have become convinced of the superiority of the melismatic single Alleluia in the Gregorian tradition; however, I wish to balance this with practical considerations of the congregation and choir only learning a handful of these per year, with Proper Alleluias perhaps reserved for solemnities. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find something Simplex-like with seasonal options in the same vein, and the Simplex triple alleluias are simply inferior. Any ideas?
  • NihilNominisNihilNominis
    Posts: 986
    http://www.ccwatershed.org/goupil/ sets the proper vss to a psalmtone with one of two Alleluia refrains from the Graduale.
    Thanked by 1Schönbergian
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,369
    Have you considered Chants Abrégés? They lack the jubilus of course, but have the proper texts (for 1926). And there is only one for each mode.
    Thanked by 2tomjaw Schönbergian
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,365
    At Walsingham for the past few years we have used the brief mode IV Alleluia for Advent III for Advent, with the verses being sung to a psalm tone. The people latch onto it right quickly. While this is highly desirable it means, curiously, that the Advent Alleluia is more elaborate than the one (from the AUG) that we use during festal seasons and the rest of the year.There are a number of other brief and not difficult Alleluias throughout your Graduale which would work quite well for congregational use.

    I laud and encourage you in this. Genuine mass Alleluias have jubiluses - that's all there is to it.
    Thanked by 1Schönbergian
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    There are 3 alleluias (alleluiae?) with jubiluses (jubili? jubiluseseses?) in the Parish Book of Chant, 2nd ed.: Mode VIII ('Ostende nobis'); Mode II ('Dies sanctificatus'); and Mode IV ('Excita, Domine'), with the simple office tone supplied for the verses.

    We have been using Mode II exclusively for some time, even at daily Masses (though at dailies we only sing up to the incise, and omit the whole jubilus). At daily Masses, the cantor chants the verse from the lectionary to the simple office tone; at Sunday Mass, the verse is sung to the solemn introit tone, though with opening neum from 'Dies sanctificatus' replacing the standard intonation, and the concluding jubilus replacing the usual termination. I am currently working on extrapolating a expandable and contractible tone for the verse based on the formulae for that particular Alleluia in the Graduale.
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,369
    MJO - yes but in the OF we no longer have a Mass Alleluia, we have a Gospel Acclamation.
    GIRM#62 :- It (meaning one of the phrases used during Lent, or the word Alleluia) is sung by everybody, standing, and is led by the choir or a cantor, being repeated as the case requires.

  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    Re: my comment above: here is a quick gregorio version of the tone that I have been working on: There is the tone itself; then a note about singing recitations; then a sample setting. A quick flip through the Graduale Romanum will show how the various parts of this tone are used in the authentic Gregorian repertoire as it is expanded and contracted to fit texts of differing lengths.
    Alleluia Verse Mode II Tone and Sample.pdf
    19K
    Thanked by 5Incardination GerardH CHGiffen ryand GregoryWeber
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,369
    Lectionary General Introduction #23
    ... The Alleluia or the verse† before the gospel must be sung‡ and during it all stand. It is not to be sung only by the cantor who intones it or by the choir, but by the whole congregation together*
    However the footnote drives a coach and horses through this simple assertion, since it permits the Gregorian Alleluias.
    *See also ibid., nos. 37 -39. Missale Romanum ex Decreto Sacrosancti Concilii Oecumenici Vaticani II instauraturm, auctoritate Pauli Pp. VI promulgatum, Ordo cantus Missae, Praenotanda, nos. 7-9; Graduale Romanum (1974), Praenotanda, no. 7; Graduale simplex (2nd ed. typ., 1975), Praenotanda, no. 16.
    † not to be confused with the verse proper to the celebration !
    ‡ regardless of whether there is any other singing at this Mass !
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,703
    but by the whole congregation together*


    Whoever wrote this must of had a very sheltered life, perhaps working at a choir school. Anyone that thinks every congregation will be able to sing together is very mistaken, or perhaps a high church Anglican!
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,939
    Or a Methodist, or a Lutheran, or Austrian/southern German Catholic. Definitely not . . . Irish.
    Thanked by 2tomjaw CHGiffen
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,369
    At least in England, there is one thing almost any Catholic can and does sing (excepting those who will not ever sing), and that is the mode VI triple Alleluia from the end of the Paschal Vigil, currently assigned as a Communion Antiphon. It appeared in Jubilate Deo for the Gospel Acclamation, and is the one thing that stuck.
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,365
    Time was (and ought still to be) when a triple Alleluia was reserved for the Easter Vigil's mass, indeed, was unique to it. It complemented and recollected the triple Ecce Lignum of Good Friday. There was a powerful symbolism in the way in which these two elements echoed one another and underscored the Paschal victory. Never to be bothered by such 'niceties' the church opted for three cute little happy-clappy Alleluias (or sanctioned using the triple Alleluias from the office*) rather than teaching people some mass Alleluias with jubiluses.

    *Just because the office Alleluias are officially sanctioned for use at mass is no reason for those who know better to use them. As we all know, not everything that comes from Rome (such as approval for female servers and EMs, to name just two) is desirable or correct.
    Thanked by 1tomjaw
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