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Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Sarum Christmas Mass


Above is a recording of the full midnight Mass in the Sarum rite according to the ordinary and propers of the Sarum chant tradition (minus readings and orations). A few things to notice:

  • In the Roman rite, the Introit is: verse A, verse B, Gloria Patri, verse A. In Sarum it goes: verse A, verse B, verse A, Gloria Patria, verse A
  • The Kyrie is Sarum can be "troped" (interpolated with exclamations) according to the season. Christmas season called for Deus Creator Omnium
  • Christmas has three sequences, one for each Mass. Midnight warrants Nato canunt omnia
  • The Creed is Credo I as found in the Roman rite. It is the oldest surviving Credo in continuous use and enjoyed popularity throughout Europe
  • The chant at the Preface sounds a bit off key, but it is not. These chants were meant to be sung by priests of any vocal quality, so the chants accommodated their capabilities. The preface dialogue resembles that of the Roman rite on ferial, simple, and funerary days
  • The method of singing is more robust and deeper than the Solesmes method continued by the various Solesmes congregations scattered throughout the world and the Institute of Christ the King. I like this method better.
  • It is much better than the Missa de angelis!

7 comments:

  1. You've called to my attention another common feature between the Sarum and Bragan rites: the Introit structure on important feast days. Curiouser and curiouser...

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  2. At my school (Thomas Aquinas College), the director of the schola for the Tridentine Mass likes to sing the Introit with the Sarum arrangement. I quite like it.

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    Replies
    1. Sing the black, but not according to the red? I love it!

      Marco: I am convinced that there is a strong connection between the two that will require some original research to uncover.

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    2. I was in charge of music at Gricigliano from late 1990 to summer 1992. I tried to bring in a more robust style of singing like in English choral music. Fr Mora, the seminary rector, wanted the "old" Solesmes style and replaced me when I got sent for my pastoral stint in France. The Ensemble Organum and Marcel Pérès have done some interesting recordings of medieval chant using the influence of Corsican harmonised chant for faux-bourdon.

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  3. The difference is the more equalist interpretation and total ignorance of the icti and episemae introduced by Solesmes, right?

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  4. The Dominus vobiscum before the Offertorium is the same as in the Dominican Rite.
    Preface sounds nothing as off key. And there are jumps which are harder to do than in the Roman chant so i don't think it has anything to do with bad singing priests.

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    ReplyDelete