Grace Notes: First Sunday of Advent

Why did we sing THAT today?

That is a good question! Sometimes, the answer is obvious, and sometimes, not so much. It’s a question we hope to answer each week before it gets asked.

Much of what we sing is determined by the liturgy. On the other hand, much of what we sing is discretionary. Today, there are two interesting things about the music, both of which are discretionary, and both owing to the fact that it is the First Sunday of Advent.

First, there is an optional bit of chant that is sung prior to the Introit. It is not part of the liturgy, per se, and so you won’t find it in your missals. It is used to introduce today’s Introit, and, in effect, to introduce the entire liturgical year of Gregorian Chant. Here is a translation of the words:

When the most holy Gregory poured out prayers to the Lord that He might surrender to him from above a musical gift in song, then the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove and enlightened his heart to such a degree that at last he began to sing saying thus: Ad te levavi… (continue with the Introit).

The other interesting thing we will sing today is the Dies Irae. This great poem is normally associated with the Requiem Mass. So why sing it today? Because originally, it was the Sequence for the First Sunday of Advent. Once upon a time, many Masses had Sequences. These days, only five Masses do: Easter, Pentecost, Corpus Christi, Our Lady of Sorrows, and the Requiem.

The theme of the Dies Irae is Judgement Day and the Second Coming of Our Lord. Recall that Advent is not only about preparing for the First Coming of Christ, but it is also (as is evident from the Gospels throughout Advent) about preparing for the Second Coming.

Although the Dies Irae is no longer sung as a Sequence on this day, we will sing it as a hymn, at Communion.

What we must choose

For each Sunday, we must choose:

  • The Propers
  • The Ordinary
  • The Credo
  • Hymns
    • The Processional
    • The Offertory hymn
    • The Communion hymn(s)
    • The Recessional

In many instances, there is no decision to be made. It is simply a matter of determining what is prescribed. Otherwise, consideration must be given to many other factors.

The Propers

The Schola sings all of the full Gregorian propers as contained in (the 1962 edition of) the Liber Usualis. These propers consist of (according to the season):

  • Introit
  • Gradual (or Tract or first Alleluia)
  • Alleluia (or second Alleluia)
  • Sequence (rarely)
  • Offertory antiphon
  • Communion antiphon

The Ordinary and Credo

Traditionally, the Ordinary and Credo are sung at St. Anthony’s ad alternatim, alternating between the Cantors alone, and the Cantors, the Schola, and the Congregation, all together. 

St. Anthony’s has a fairly rich repertoire in singing the Ordinary, singing the following capably:

  • Asperges (or Vidi Aquam)
  • Mass I
  • Mass IV
  • Mass VIII
  • Mass IX
  • Mass XI
  • Mass XVII (both Kyrie A and B)
  • Mass XVIII
  • Credo I
  • Credo III
  • Credo IV

Hymns

Customarily, at St. Anthony’s, the congregation sings the Processional and Recessional. Normally, they do not sing the Offertory and the Communion. [My preference is that only the schola or choir sing during the Mass, and so I avoid hymns the congregation would likely sing. Note that this is just a personal preference.]

Typically, the Processional and Recessional are sung in English, although this is by no means required. On the other hand, for a sung Mass, necessarily, the Offertory and Communion are sung in Latin.

The Choir, consisting of male and female voices, sings polyphonic works, typically, on the first and third Sundays of each month. This varies from time to time according to the availability of the members of the Choir and according to the Liturgical feast. In general, the Choir will be expected to sing on all great feasts, regardless of the Sunday during the month on which they occur.

At times, the Offertory and Communion are Gregorian melodies, sung by the Schola. At other times, the Offertory and Communion are sung in several parts by the Choir.

Choosing which hymns will be sung is complicated by the fact that there are a lot of considerations. 

Choosing which hymns will be sung for the Processional and Recessional is simplified by the fact that we are fairly constrained by the small number of possibilities offered in our hymnal.

As to the Offertory and Communion, though the number of hymns in the hymnal is small, there are other possibilities for sheet music. In any event, the repertoires of both the Schola and the Choir continue to grow and offer greater possibilities.

Considerations in choosing the music

A number of factors influence the choice of music for a given Sunday. These factors include:

  • The liturgical feast
  • The readings and propers of the day
  • The liturgical season
  • The calendar month
  • Musicality
  • Timing

The Liturgical Feast

The propers are sung as prescribed by the Mass of the day. Beyond that, at St. Anthony’s, we typically sing the following Masses on the Sunday following the feast, in lieu of the prescribed Sunday Mass:

  • The Sacred Heart
  • Corpus Christi
  • Pope St. Pius the X 
  • St. Anthony
  • Holy days of obligation that fall during the week

Though we have not yet done so, it is permitted to solemnize the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul on the Sunday following the feast.

The particular Liturgical feast should certainly also influence the selection of the Ordinary. So, for example, if a Marian feast (such as the Assumption) should fall on a Sunday during the time after Pentecost, it would make sense to sing Mass IX.

The Liturgical feast of the day should also influence the selection of hymns. Which hymns, and how many, are determined as much by what is available in the hymnal, or what is in the respective repertoires of the Schola and Choir, as by the importance of the feast.

If a hymn is to be chosen to honor a feast that occurs during the week, it is preferable to honor the feast on the Sunday following the feast rather than the Sunday before.

The Liturgical Season

The Liturgical Season plays a prominent role in the selection of the Ordinary. In some instances, the choice is suggested by the Church. In other cases, we have made selections from various alternatives proposed by the Church.

  • Advent Mass XVII (customarily, at St. Anthony’s, Kyrie A)
  • Christmastide Mass II
  • Epiphany Mass VIII
  • Septuagesima Mass XI
  • Lent Mass XVII (customarily, at St. Anthony’s, Kyrie B)
  • Eastertide Mass I
  • Time after Pentecost Mass XI (Mass IV for feasts)

The use of either the Asperges or the Vidi Aquam is prescribed, according to the Liturgical season. In any case, they are used only on Sunday. Neither is used if a liturgical event (e.g., a procession) precedes Mass directly.

The Liturgical Season influences the selection of hymns, as well. The Season should be acknowledged in either the processional or recessional, and possibly both. And clearly, where possible, the Season should also influence the selection of the Offertory and Communion.

The Readings and Propers

On major feasts, or during the various liturgical seasons, the scriptures reflect the corresponding feast, and so choosing hymns based on the feast essentially also reflects what is in the readings and propers for the day. On the other hand, particularly during the long period after Pentecost, there is no specific theme for the feast to use as the basis for choosing hymns. It’s useful, in that case, to refer directly to the readings and propers, to choose hymns that correspond to the theme or themes of the readings. It’s especially useful to look at the themes of the Offertory and Communion antiphons when choosing the hymns for those parts of the Mass.

The Calendar Month

The calendar month can also influence the selection of hymns. The following is a list of customary dedications for each of the months of the year.

  • January The Holy Name of Jesus
  • February The Holy Family
  • March St. Joseph
  • April The Blessed Sacrament
  • May The Blessed Virgin
  • June The Sacred Heart
  • July The Precious Blood
  • August The Immaculate Heart
  • September Our Lady of Sorrows and the Holy Cross
  • October The Holy Rosary
  • November The Poor Souls
  • December The Immaculate Conception

Musicality

Because the Mass is a whole, it’s desirable to consider the musical aspects of the various pieces so as to create a certain “musical wholeness”. This primarily influences the selection of the Credo and the Hymns. The following table shows the common pairings we use at St. Anthony’s for the Ordinary and the Credo.

  • Mass I Credo I
  • Mass IV Credo IV
  • Mass VIII Credo III
  • Mass IX Credo III
  • Mass XI Credo I
  • Mass XVII Credo I 

Apart from the liturgical season, the Ordinary (and thus the Credo) are also influenced by the desire for variety, particularly during the long period after Pentecost.

The musical character of a particular hymn must suit its use. Each must have a sound that is fitting, given its purpose, be it Processional, Offertory, Communion or Recessional.

The key signature of the various pieces can also be a deciding factor in choosing hymns. 

Timing

The duration of the Gregorian Offertory antiphon can leave insufficient time for a long hymn, and in some cases, not leave enough time for any hymn at all. This is not usually a problem at the Communion.

In choosing hymns, consideration must be given as to whether or not the Choir will be singing that day.

How it works

The first thing to decide upon is the propers. Usually, this is predetermined, except as noted, above.

The Ordinary is then chosen, with the primary consideration being the liturgical season, then, where possible, the desire for variety is taken into account.

Then, the hymns are chosen, according to the Feast, the Season, the Calendar month and general musical considerations as well as the availability of the Choir. 

It is a good idea to refer to what was done in previous years both for A) the solar calendar date, and B) the particular Sunday.

Where there is no clear rationale, we may choose something just because we like it. We might also repeat the same hymn several times to help people learn it.

Grace Notes: Why we sing what we sing.

Why did we sing THAT today?

That is a good question! Sometimes, the answer is obvious, and sometimes, not so much. It’s a question we hope to answer each week before it gets asked.

Much of what we sing is determined by the liturgy. On the other hand, much of what we sing is discretionary. Today, there are two interesting things about the music, both of which are discretionary, and both owing to the fact that it is the First Sunday of Advent.

First, there is an optional bit of chant that is sung prior to the Introit. It is not part of the liturgy, per se, and so you won’t find it in your missals. It is used to introduce today’s Introit, and, in effect, to introduce the entire liturgical year of Gregorian Chant. Here is a translation of the words:

When the most holy Gregory poured out prayers to the Lord that He might surrender to him from above a musical gift in song, then the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove and enlightened his heart to such a degree that at last he began to sing saying thus: Ad te levavi… (continue with the Introit).

The other interesting thing we will sing today is the Dies Irae. This great poem is normally associated with the Requiem Mass. So why sing it today? Because originally, it was the Sequence for the First Sunday of Advent. Once upon a time, many Masses had Sequences. These days, only five Masses do: Easter, Pentecost, Corpus Christi, Our Lady of Sorrows, and the Requiem.

The theme of the Dies Irae is Judgement Day and the Second Coming of Our Lord. Recall that Advent is not only about preparing for the First Coming of Christ, but it is also (as is evident from the Gospels throughout Advent) about preparing for the Second Coming.

Although the Dies Irae is no longer sung as a Sequence on this day, we will sing it as a hymn, at Communion.

What we must choose

For each Sunday, we must choose:

  • The Propers
  • The Ordinary
  • The Credo
  • Hymns
    • The Processional
    • The Offertory hymn
    • The Communion hymn(s)
    • The Recessional

In many instances, there is no decision to be made. It is simply a matter of determining what is prescribed. Otherwise, consideration must be given to many other factors.

The Propers

The Schola sings all of the full Gregorian propers as contained in (the 1962 edition of) the Liber Usualis. These propers consist of (according to the season):

  • Introit
  • Gradual (or Tract or first Alleluia)
  • Alleluia (or second Alleluia)
  • Sequence (rarely)
  • Offertory antiphon
  • Communion antiphon

The Ordinary and Credo

Traditionally, the Ordinary and Credo are sung at St. Anthony’s ad alternatim, alternating between the Cantors alone, and the Cantors, the Schola, and the Congregation, all together. 

St. Anthony’s has a fairly rich repertoire in singing the Ordinary, singing the following capably:

  • Asperges (or Vidi Aquam)
  • Mass I
  • Mass IV
  • Mass VIII
  • Mass IX
  • Mass XI
  • Mass XVII (both Kyrie A and B)
  • Mass XVIII
  • Credo I
  • Credo III
  • Credo IV

Hymns

Customarily, at St. Anthony’s, the congregation sings the Processional and Recessional. Normally, they do not sing the Offertory and the Communion. [My preference is that only the schola or choir sing during the Mass, and so I avoid hymns the congregation would likely sing. Note that this is just a personal preference.]

Typically, the Processional and Recessional are sung in English, although this is by no means required. On the other hand, for a sung Mass, necessarily, the Offertory and Communion are sung in Latin.

The Choir, consisting of male and female voices, sings polyphonic works, typically, on the first and third Sundays of each month. This varies from time to time according to the availability of the members of the Choir and according to the Liturgical feast. In general, the Choir will be expected to sing on all great feasts, regardless of the Sunday during the month on which they occur.

At times, the Offertory and Communion are Gregorian melodies, sung by the Schola. At other times, the Offertory and Communion are sung in several parts by the Choir.

Choosing which hymns will be sung is complicated by the fact that there are a lot of considerations. 

Choosing which hymns will be sung for the Processional and Recessional is simplified by the fact that we are fairly constrained by the small number of possibilities offered in our hymnal.

As to the Offertory and Communion, though the number of hymns in the hymnal is small, there are other possibilities for sheet music. In any event, the repertoires of both the Schola and the Choir continue to grow and offer greater possibilities.

Considerations in choosing the music

A number of factors influence the choice of music for a given Sunday. These factors include:

  • The liturgical feast
  • The readings and propers of the day
  • The liturgical season
  • The calendar month
  • Musicality
  • Timing

The Liturgical Feast

The propers are sung as prescribed by the Mass of the day. Beyond that, at St. Anthony’s, we typically sing the following Masses on the Sunday following the feast, in lieu of the prescribed Sunday Mass:

  • The Sacred Heart
  • Corpus Christi
  • Pope St. Pius the X 
  • St. Anthony
  • Holy days of obligation that fall during the week

Though we have not yet done so, it is permitted to solemnize the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul on the Sunday following the feast.

The particular Liturgical feast should certainly also influence the selection of the Ordinary. So, for example, if a Marian feast (such as the Assumption) should fall on a Sunday during the time after Pentecost, it would make sense to sing Mass IX.

The Liturgical feast of the day should also influence the selection of hymns. Which hymns, and how many, are determined as much by what is available in the hymnal, or what is in the respective repertoires of the Schola and Choir, as by the importance of the feast.

If a hymn is to be chosen to honor a feast that occurs during the week, it is preferable to honor the feast on the Sunday following the feast rather than the Sunday before.

The Liturgical Season

The Liturgical Season plays a prominent role in the selection of the Ordinary. In some instances, the choice is suggested by the Church. In other cases, we have made selections from various alternatives proposed by the Church.

  • Advent Mass XVII (customarily, at St. Anthony’s, Kyrie A)
  • Christmastide Mass II
  • Epiphany Mass VIII
  • Septuagesima Mass XI
  • Lent Mass XVII (customarily, at St. Anthony’s, Kyrie B)
  • Eastertide Mass I
  • Time after Pentecost Mass XI (Mass IV for feasts)

The use of either the Asperges or the Vidi Aquam is prescribed, according to the Liturgical season. In any case, they are used only on Sunday. Neither is used if a liturgical event (e.g., a procession) precedes Mass directly.

The Liturgical Season influences the selection of hymns, as well. The Season should be acknowledged in either the processional or recessional, and possibly both. And clearly, where possible, the Season should also influence the selection of the Offertory and Communion.

The Readings and Propers

On major feasts, or during the various liturgical seasons, the scriptures reflect the corresponding feast, and so choosing hymns based on the feast essentially also reflects what is in the readings and propers for the day. On the other hand, particularly during the long period after Pentecost, there is no specific theme for the feast to use as the basis for choosing hymns. It’s useful, in that case, to refer directly to the readings and propers, to choose hymns that correspond to the theme or themes of the readings. It’s especially useful to look at the themes of the Offertory and Communion antiphons when choosing the hymns for those parts of the Mass.

The Calendar Month

The calendar month can also influence the selection of hymns. The following is a list of customary dedications for each of the months of the year.

  • January The Holy Name of Jesus
  • February The Holy Family
  • March St. Joseph
  • April The Blessed Sacrament
  • May The Blessed Virgin
  • June The Sacred Heart
  • July The Precious Blood
  • August The Immaculate Heart
  • September Our Lady of Sorrows and the Holy Cross
  • October The Holy Rosary
  • November The Poor Souls
  • December The Immaculate Conception

Musicality

Because the Mass is a whole, it’s desirable to consider the musical aspects of the various pieces so as to create a certain “musical wholeness”. This primarily influences the selection of the Credo and the Hymns. The following table shows the common pairings we use at St. Anthony’s for the Ordinary and the Credo.

  • Mass I Credo I
  • Mass IV Credo IV
  • Mass VIII Credo III
  • Mass IX Credo III
  • Mass XI Credo I
  • Mass XVII Credo I 

Apart from the liturgical season, the Ordinary (and thus the Credo) are also influenced by the desire for variety, particularly during the long period after Pentecost.

The musical character of a particular hymn must suit its use. Each must have a sound that is fitting, given its purpose, be it Processional, Offertory, Communion or Recessional.

The key signature of the various pieces can also be a deciding factor in choosing hymns. 

Timing

The duration of the Gregorian Offertory antiphon can leave insufficient time for a long hymn, and in some cases, not leave enough time for any hymn at all. This is not usually a problem at the Communion.

In choosing hymns, consideration must be given as to whether or not the Choir will be singing that day.

How it works

The first thing to decide upon is the propers. Usually, this is predetermined, except as noted, above.

The Ordinary is then chosen, with the primary consideration being the liturgical season, then, where possible, the desire for variety is taken into account.

Then, the hymns are chosen, according to the Feast, the Season, the Calendar month and general musical considerations as well as the availability of the Choir. 

It is a good idea to refer to what was done in previous years both for A) the solar calendar date, and B) the particular Sunday.

Where there is no clear rationale, we may choose something just because we like it. We might also repeat the same hymn several times to help people learn it.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *