Laus Tibi, Christe

Basic Chants for the Assembly: Part I Developing a Core Repertoire

On May 9, 1964, Dom Eugène Cardine, sec- have your group speak the text together with retary of Study Group XXV, presented a memo great care for its diction and its meaning. Then to the Consilium in which he stated that para- sing the melodic setting as “sung speech” in the graphs 54 and 117 of Sacrosanctum Concilium same rhythmic flow and word/phrase accentua- expressed a need for a more simple collection of tion. In line with these suggestions is the follow- Columba Gregorian chants. The Kyriale Simplex appeared ing paragraph that was added to the end of the Kelly, OSB on January 30, 1965, but failed to be promoted Preface to the Liber Hymnarius of 1983: “The Benedictine Father by the Congregation of Rites. Abbot John Prou [performance instructions] given here flow from Columba Kelly is of the abbey of Solesmes once remarked that this the perfect correspondence of a sacred text to a the director and book and the Graduale Simplex “were among Gregorian melody. It is for this reason that sing- composer for the ers who show respect for the Latin diction, by that Gregorian Schola the best kept secrets of the Second Vatican at St. Meinrad Council”! Article 75 of the USCCB document very fact already possess the greater part of what Archabbey in St. Sing to the Lord (OCP 20995TL) renews that is required to execute well a Gregorian piece.” Meinrad, Indiana. request for a basic repertory of chants that will Since English is the native tongue for most of He is considered us, it should be no problem to apply this prin- one of the foremost be capable of being sung by every worshipping experts on community. It also proposes some basic build- ciple to an English-language setting modeled on Gregorian chant in ing blocks of simple chants: Sanctus XVIII and the same melodic formula of the original Latin the United States. Agnus Dei XVIII. To these, I would add Glo- Sanctus. For this reason, I suggest that your Father Columba group begin by speaking the English-language holds a doctorate ria XV in both Latin and English for use by any in Church music worshipping community, large or small. Along setting given below as a solemn proclamation in from Musica Sacra with these pieces I will propose some guidelines a good speech rhythm. The word accents should in Rome. He has based on the current Solesmes teaching on how receive adequate stress and lengthening, while set the current the other syllables should be spoken very softly Lectionary text for to sing these chants. St. John’s Passion and more quickly. Take a breath at the end of to the traditional, Getting started: Speak then sing each phrase or sense unit. That breath should ancient tone for One of the most important acclamations to be an energetic one that uses the diaphragm this proclamation be sung is that of the response to the Preface, muscle. It should feel like being pushed up by (www.ocp. org/20016TL). His the Sanctus. One of the most ancient and sim- the spring of a swimming pool diving board. memories of the ple chants of the Sanctus is that found in Mass That kind of energetic breath launches the next Second Vatican XVIII. It is a continuation of the melodic pat- phrase. The singers should speed up at the be- Council are found terns used for the Preface and forms an intimate ginning of each new phrase and coast softly to in Voices from the Council (www.ocp. link with it. Eucharistic Prayer II responds to this the end of each phrase. The effect will be that of org/12222TL). chant by continuing the eucharistic prayer with rocking back and forth on a swing. When there the words “Lord, you are holy indeed.” Eucha- are two or more notes on a single syllable, move ristic Prayer III continues in a similar manner quickly to the last note and give it the full value with the words “Father, you are holy indeed.” of that syllable, as for example on the accents of From this it is clear that the Sanctus chant is in- the words “Hosanna” and “highest.” Using that timately bound into the eucharistic prayer itself. same type of speech rhythm, sing the melodic Before singing the melody of this Sanctus, setting itself. [Ex. 1, p. 19]

18 Ordinary Time 1 2010 Today’s LITURGY Ex. 1

syllable of those words is given the accentual stress, and not the last syllable! The text is First English, then Latin Note thatthat theof melodythe newly for therevised first two translation words has that been will Afterbecome working the official with their version own language, in the near the singers modified to ensure that the first syllable of those words should be ready to apply the same practice techniques is givenfuture the accentual in the new stress, Order and ofnot the the Mass. last syllable! to the original Latin version. Add stress and length to The text is that of the newly revised translation that will the first syllable of the word “Sanctus” and then soften become the official version in the near future in the re- the final syllable. Apply the same technique for all the vised Order of Mass. (It has not yet been promulgated word accents of the Latin text. Have the singers speak for use in the US.)After working with their own language,the the Latin singers text with should great be energy ready and to onlyapply then the let them sing the melody itself. [Ex. 2] same practice techniques to the original Latin version. Add stress and length to the first

syllableEx. 2 of the word Sanctus and then soften the final syllable. Apply the same technique

for all the word accents of the Latin text. Have the singers speak the Latin text with great

energy and only then let them sing the melody itself.

Text and Music: Chant; Graduale Romanum, 1974. 3

Today’s LITURGY Ordinary Time 1 2010 19

The Agnus Dei of Mass XVIII is another chant that was designed to follow the natural flow of the Latin Speed up at the beginning of each new phrase language and can be easily learned and coast softly to the end…. The effect will be by an assembly. Start first with the following English adaptation and then that of rocking back and forth on a swing. apply the same feel of flowing speech to the original Latin version: [Ex. 3, 4] Lamb of God

Ex. 3 & œ œ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ Lamb of God, you take a– way the sins of the world: have mer– cy on!!!!!!!!us.!!(2)!

& œ œ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ Lamb of God, you take a– way the sins of the world: grant us peace.

A gnus De i, qui tol lis pec cá ta mun di: mi se

ré re no bis. A gnus De i, qui tol lis pec cá ta

mun di: mi se ré re no bis. A gnus De i,

qui tol lis pec cá ta mun di: do na no bis pa cem.

Text and music: Chant; Graduale Romanum, 1974.

In the Roman Rite, the Gloria The Gloria from Mass XV is the the text as a group with careful atten- is the only hymn that has an offi- only truly congregational setting of tion to the flow of the words and their cial place in the Mass. At first, only the Gloria in the entire Kyriale col- accentuation. Begin each phrase with the bishop could intone it, and so it lection. (A possible exception would a downbeat breath and spring for- was only used when the bishop pre- be the Ambrosian Gloria, borrowed ward by increasing the tempo to the sided at the Mass. Later, the newly from the Ambrosian Rite.) Unlike the next accent, then coast to the final ac- ordained were allowed to intone it more through-composed settings of cent of each phrase. The effect is like at their “First Mass.” Then it was the Gloria that are found in the Kyri- that of swinging back and forth on a permitted for any priest to intone it ale, this setting is based on a psalm- swing, or riding the gentle swells on on solemn feasts such as Christmas tone pattern and uses only the notes a large body of water. [Ex. 5, p. 21] and Easter. Finally, its use was ex- of the pentatonic scale, a scale com- tended to all feast days and to all the mon to many cultures. The Amen, Sundays outside of the Advent and with its semitone interval, was a later Lenten seasons. addition to this Gloria. Try speaking

20 Ordinary Time 1 2010 Today’s LITURGY GLORIA XV

Mode IV Ex. 5 Bcvvdcgcgcvçhcvgcvhcvvgcvdc}cdcvvgcv˘hc[cvvv7bb7cvvgcvhcvvhc˝ Glo- ry to God in the highest, and on earth peace to peo- ple

Bcgcvygccdc}cvvdcvvGYccvhc}chcvv¨ugcvvhc}cdcvgcygcvvhc}vÓ of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we a- dore you,

Bchcvvjchcvgcvhc}cdcvgcchcvvhc[cvgcvvhcc¨ugccHUchc}cÎ we glo- ri- fy you, we give you thanks for your great glo- ry,

BcvvDTcchc[cvjcchcgcvhc{cvvDTcvygcvhcvvjccgchjhcvhc}cÎ Lord God, heav- en- ly King, O God, al- might- y Fa- ther. BcvDTccygcjcvvhc[cvhcvgchcvjcvgcvvhc}cDTcvvvhc[cvuhcvvgcvvhc{cÓ Lord Je- sus Christ, only- be- got- ten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God,

Bcvhcvgcvhcvˇtdcvvdc}cdcvgchcvygcvhcvjcvvhcgcvvhc}cvgccvhcvhc˝ Son of the Fa- ther, you take a- way the sins of the world, have mer- cy

Bcgcvdc}cdcgcvvhcygcvhcvjcvvhcgcchc}cgcvvhcvvgccvdcc}cÎ on us; you take a- way the sins of the world, receive our prayer,

BcvdcvvgcvvhcvhcgchccjcvvjcchcgcvHUcvhc}cgcchcvvhcvgcdc}cÎ you are seat- ed at the right hand of the Fa- ther, have mer- cy on us.

Bcvdcvgcvhcvhc[cgcvhccjcgcvhc}cgchcvjcvvhcvvgcvvhc}cÎ For you a- lone are the Ho- ly One, you a- lone are the Lord,

Bcvdcvgchccgcvhvcv¨ugcvvhc{cygcvjcvv÷h÷j÷hc}cdcvcgcvvygcjcvÓ you a- lone are the Most High, Je- sus Christ, with the Ho- ly

Bchjhcvhc{cvhcvhcvjcvhcvgcygcvvjcvh¨jgbbˇtdcvdc}cdƒv!5bb$bb#cß"3cc} Spir- it, in the glo- ry of God the Fa- ther, A- men.

To master this style of “sung Ex. 6 GLORIA XV speech,” it would be good to start with Priest All the English-language setting and then apply the same feel to the Latin setting & œœœœœœ œ œ œ œœœ of this Gloria. The English text is that Glóœ - ri - a in ex - cél - sis De - o.˙ Etœ in ter - ra pax of the new translation that will be used in the revised Order of Mass. & œ œ œ˙ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ ho - mí - ni - bus bo - nae vo - lun - tá - tis.˙ Lau - dá - mus te.˙ Accents and resonant space Liturgical Latin used stressed accents, similar to what we experience & œœœœœœ˙ œœœœœ ˙ in speaking English. In singing the Be - ne - dí - ci - mus te. A - do - rá - mus te. Latin version, be sure to have enough energy built up on each accent to car- & œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ ˙ ry you rapidly and lightly to the next Glo - ri - ﬁ - cá - mus te.˙ Gráœ - ti - as á - gi - mus ti - bi accent, until you can coast to the last accent of the phrase. This will help & œœœœœœ œ œ œ œœœ avoid a “punched” singing of each pro - pter ma- gnam gló - ri - am tu - am.˙ Dóœ - mi - ne De - us, syllable of the text. Both Latin and English chant need a resonant space. According to Allan Kozinn in his New & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Rex cae - lé - stis,˙ Deœ - us Pa - ter o - mní - potœ˙ - ens. York Times review (July 2, 2009) of the newly renovated Alice Tully Hall, œ even Beethoven symphonies need a & œ œ œœœœ œ œ˙ œ œ œ ˙ hall with a natural resonance: “Dur- Dó - mi - ne Fi - li u - ni - gé - ni - te Je - su Chri - ste. ing those silences you should hear the notes just played hanging in the air, & œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ supporting and seconding the power Dóœ - mi - ne De - us,˙ GALORIA - gnusXV De (C -ONT i, 2) Fí - li - us Pa - tris.˙ of the music just heard and creating a tension that anticipates the music to Text and music: Chant, Mode IV; Graduale Romanum, 1974. come.” Then the pauses for breath at & œ œœœ œ œ ˙ œœœ œ œ Quiœ tol - lis pec - cá - ta mun - di, mi - se - ré - re no - bis.˙ the end of each phrase in the Gloria XV chant will not sound empty, but will be full of tension for what is to & œ œ œœœ œ œ ˙ œ œœœœœ come. [Ex. 6] Qui tol - lis pec - cá - ta mun - di, sú - sci - pe de - pre - ca -

& œ œ œ œ œ œœœœ œ œ ˙ ti - ó - nem no - stram.˙ Quiœ se - des ad déx - te - ram Pa - tris, To master this style of & œœœ œ œ ˙ œ œ œœœ œ œ ˙ “sung speech,” it would mi - se - ré - re no - bis. Quó - ni - am tu so - lus san - ctus.

be good to start with the & œ œ œ œ œ œœœ Tu so - lus Dó - miœ˙ - nus. Tuœ so - lus Al - tís - siœ˙ - mus, English-language setting - and then apply the same & œ œ- œ œ- ˙ œ œ œ œ˙ œœœœ Jeœ - su Chri - ste. Cumœ San - cto Spí - ri - tu, in gló - ri - a feel to the Latin setting of this Gloria. & œ œ œ œ œœ œm œ œ De - i Pa -œ˙ tris. Aœ -œ men.˙ ˙

Text and Music: Chant, Mode IV; Graduale Romanum, 1974.

22 Ordinary Time 1 2010 Today’s LITURGY In an address given in 2004, Abbot Philip Dupont of Solesmes told his Roman audience: “Why not ask Gre- gorian chant to reveal its secrets in the languages and in the cultures of our time? That which was the fruit of one “Why not ask Gregorian chant to reveal its secrets of the greatest cultural turnovers in in the languages and in the cultures of our time?” the history of the Church, could it not help us to face the challenges of our time? And to lead finally all peoples to sing ‘the great deeds of God in our own tongues’ (Acts 2:11).”

Chant Resources For further development of a core Celebrate Mass in Latin! repertoire, I recommend the use of the Liber Cantualis, published by Solesmes and available from OCP (12244TL; www.ocp.org/12244TL). More English-language settings of the ordinary of the Mass are available in a collection entitled The Saint Meinrad Kyriale from the following Web site: saintmeinradmusic.org. Another helpful St. Meinrad publica- tion is Liturgical Music for the Priest and the Deacon at the Eucharist. A cocp.org/12099TL practical manual for singing prayer tones, the prayers of the faithful, Laus Tibi, Christe the Exsultet, and more, this book Latin Music Supplement comes with a CD offering sung ex- Laus Tibi, Christe presents a balanced repertoire of amples. A more extended treatment 71 chant and choral settings to meet the needs of of these chants appears in Chanting communities new to Latin chant, as well as those with a on our Behalf by Paulist Father Ricky long tradition of using them. Manalo (OCP 6138TL; www.ocp. Selected with the help of internationally recognized org/6138TL). Other chant-style set- Gregorian chant experts Columba Kelly, OSB, Dean tings of liturgical texts are available Applegate, Edward Schaefer and Anthony Ruff, OSB, this meticulously researched music resource gives you for free download on the Web site everything you need for the celebration of Mass in Latin! sacredmusicproject.com. Assembly Edition (12098TL) $3.00 Part Two of Basic Chants: De- Keyboard/Guitar/Vocal Accompaniment (12099TL) $30.00 veloping a Core Repertoire, which will appear in the 2010 Ordinary Time 2 issue of Today’s Liturgy, Order Today will show how the various musi- cal forms of these basic chants can support the liturgical forms that make up our Sunday Eucharist. 1-800-LITURGY (548-8749) | ocp.org © 2010 OCP. All rights reserved

Today’s LITURGY Ordinary Time 1 2010 23