Gradual

Gregorian Chant
Plainchant
Neum
Gregorian modes
Gregorian repertoire
Introit - Kyrie - Gloria - Graduale - Alleluia - Trait - Sequence - Creed - Offertory - Preface - Sanctus - Agnus Dei - Communion - Ite Genre: Anthem - Anthem - Rpons
Articles on Sacred Music

• The gradual response means initially piece of Gregorian chant from the Proper of the Mass , sung after the first reading (replaced by a modern psalm in the liturgy).
• By extension, the Gradual is a liturgical book Catholic , is a collection of Gregorian chants that can be sung at mass.

Its name comes from the practice to sing the "gradual response" by two or three singers, who placed themselves on the "steps" (= Latin gradus) of the gallery to be better heard. The name of this song has spread to the whole collection.

The book is the gradual own the Schola Cantorum, in other words the Gregorian choir. It is for people trained in its reading and interpretation.

The texts are in Latin chants, and songs are usually recorded in notation neumatic.

Summary One's own 2 Temporal, and Common Sanctoral 3 The chants of the ordinary 4 Internal Links 5 External Links

/ / The characteristic

A gradual mainly contains songs specific to each Mass :

1. Introit (or Officium): the hymn which accompanies the procession of clergy to the altar.
2. Gradual (or Responsorium) sang the song of meditation in response to the first reading. During Eastertide, the Gradual is replaced by a first Easter Alleluia.
3. Hallelujah: The song that immediately precedes the reading of the gospel. During Lent, the Alleluia is replaced by a line.
4. Offertorium: The offertory song, normally sung during the procession which brings gifts to the altar (but the procession did not necessarily applicable).
5. Communio: The Song of communion, which normally begins when the priest communion and continues for the communion of the faithful.

The characteristic of some days may comprise additional elements: Sequence (formerly sung after the alleluia, immediately before now), responses, or other accompanying antiphons special liturgical functions.

Temporal, and Common Sanctoral

The songs of own are divided into three series, following the liturgical calendar :

1. Temporal contains the essence of the mobile part of the liturgical calendar. He gave week after week to clean every Sunday (each day, for the most comprehensive gradual). He begins the first Sunday of Advent (four Sundays before Christmas).
2. The Sanctoral gives the songs of own festivals associated with the fixed schedule. It is classified in the order of the calendar, but traditionally begins on November 30 to be in phase with the temporal. In most cases, small calendar of festivals do not own song, but use of those common in whole or part.
3. The Common includes the songs own generic, which are "common" to many festivals sanctoral. They are classified as "Mass", each mass being chosen depending on the type of saint celebrated: Mass of the Apostles, the Virgin, Martyrs, Angels ...

For each Mass, the own that is normally sung is determined by specific liturgical rules. However the modern liturgical rules allow most often the choice of another song.

The songs of the ordinary

The gradual also gives ordinary chants of the Mass, that is to say those who are not tied to a particular liturgical day, and the text is always the same. These parts are:

1. Kyrie : Chant of penance and prayer that takes place after the penitential preparation, before the prayer gathering or Gloria if there is one (in the sung Mass in the extraordinary form (liturgy of 1962), it is sung immediately after the Introit). It should be noted that the Kyrie is not strictly part of penitential preparation. Missal from the Second Vatican Council states can use with fixed supplications. This has led to some confusion between Kyrie and penitential preparation. We must be able to separate things in the light of tradition and that prescribes the current missal: Kyrie "continuous" is sung after the "absolution".
2. Gloria : Anthem which immediately follows the Kyrie, it is sung on Sundays and holidays liturgical and is omitted during Lent.
3. Creed : or symbol of faith which is sung after the homily on Sundays and solemnities. The original melody of Credo is based on the Mode IV, was subsequently developed other songs on other modes so that the Roman Gradual provides up to six ways to run this piece.
4. Sanctus : Cheer Chant, sung in the extension of the preface.
5. Agnus Dei : Chant of prayer asking for a final purification before communion.
6. (Ite): Song of reference of the assembly, usually on the same theme music as the Kyrie. The Graduale Romanum according to the conciliar reform of the Second Vatican Council no longer has as much to "Ite missa est" but only one sober enough elsewhere.

These pieces are grouped by "Masses", except the Credo, each Mass is scheduled for a degree of solemnity or special liturgical season: Sundays ordinary festivals of the Virgin Mary Lent ... But this award is for indication only, the liturgical norms have always accepted the possibility to choose the songs from the ordinary (with some restrictions: the ornate songs should be used only for circumstances sufficiently solemn ). This grouping is called Kyriale with 18 masses, 6 credo, and an appendix of Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus.

Then there are songs from other parts of the Mass: greetings, prayers, reading, Epistle, Gospel, Pater, etc..

Internal Links

• Gradual of Eleanor of Brittany.

External Links

• Roman Gradual on Musicasacra.Com
• Cistercian gradual Dixon - 200 folio, 13th century.
• Gradual Belleley Ecole des Chartes