Gradual and Antiphonary

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Contents of the Guide

The 2 Categories of Chants

The chants and melodies in Cantus Firmus are primarily divided into two categories: those of the Mass and those of the Office.

Understanding this distinction is crucial for various reasons and practical applications, including polyphony.

For instance, when we read that a Motet is an Offertory, we are referring to a chant belonging to the Mass, not the Office.

Similarly, when performing or listening at a concert to one of Palestrina’s Magnificat settings in the eight tones, we are engaging with a chant that belongs to the Office, not the Mass.

G. P. Palestrina, Offertoria, Rome 1593
G. P. Palestrina, Offertoria, Rome 1593

The Deep Root of Cantus Firmus

The deepest root and mother of sacred Renaissance polyphony is Cantus Firmus, both from a modal and contextual perspective.

Modal, because the modes of the Cantus Figuratus—that is, polyphony—derive from the 8+1 ecclesiastical tones of the Cantus Firmus.

Contextual, because one cannot truly understand the nature of a Motet functioning as an Introit without knowing the form and function of the Introit in the Cantus Firmus.

The polyphonic music of the Renaissance, as exemplified by composers like Palestrina, Lassus, Willaert, De Victoria, and others, is an amplification of the Cantus Firmus.

This is why these compositions often incorporate the very melody of the Cantus Firmus Repertoire.

It is thus undeniably clear that knowing where to consult these chants and texts is fundamental and necessary.

The Council of Trento, Missale and Breviarium

The Council of Trent produced extensive doctrinal and liturgical material, creating an Editio typica, or official edition, of the Missale Romanum and Breviarium Romanum.

However, it never issued an official edition of the books for chant and music.

Instead, it simply provided general guidelines, deliberately leaving practical decisions to local dioceses and different rites.

Missale Romanum
Missale Romanum
Breviarium Romanum
Breviarium Romanum

This proved to be a great advantage, as it allowed for the development of a vibrant repertoire. While the texts remained relatively uniform, the melodies exhibit significant diversity and variety.

The Mass, Graduale, and its Chants

We have mentioned the Missale Romanum, the book containing the texts of the Mass that the priest is to recite.

Corresponding to the Missale is the book of Mass chants, the Graduale, named after the Gradual, one of the Proper chants of the Mass.

The chants contained in the Graduale—belonging to the Mass and particularly to its Proper—are: Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Tract (for Lent), Offertory, and Communion.

Then there are the chants of the Ordinarium Missae, which include: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei.

These Ordinarium chants are often found separately in another book called the Kyriale, which takes its name from the Kyrie.

Graduale Romanum
Graduale Romanum

The Divine Office, Antiphonarium, and its Chants

The other book we mentioned is the Breviarium Romanum, which contains the texts for the prayers of the Divine Office, divided into various canonical hours: Matins (or Nocturns), Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, and Compline.

The Antiphonale Romanum corresponds to the Breviarium Romanum and contains the musical settings for its texts.

Thus, the chants for the Magnificat at Vespers and the Benedictus at Lauds are found in the Antiphonale Romanum.

Antiphonarium Romanum
Antiphonarium Romanum

Graduale or Antiphonarium?

Now, let’s do a quick test: If you want to locate the origins of Mozart’s Requiem, in which book should you look?

Ask yourself: Does the Missa pro defunctis contain chants for the Mass or the Office?

The Missa pro defunctis is a very specific Mass, with its own melodies for the Mass, and it is generally found in the Kyriale, which is part of the Graduale, because it pertains to the Mass, not the Office.

What about Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore?

Since we are talking about Vespers, you would need to consult the Antiphonale Romanum.

Perfect!

Learn Cantus Firmus!

Learning to place the repertoire of Cantus Firmus and its related and derived works is of utmost importance for a deep understanding of Music.

You can learn how the Cantus Firmus works, especially its modality, in the Cantus Firmus level of the Renaissance Musicus Practicus course: 128 lessons to master the Cantus Firmus as if you were living in Palestrina’s era!

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