A New Opportunity: Chanting the Introduction and Conclusion
to the Readings on Solemn Occasions
Music Ennobles the Liturgy
and Enables Participation
Most of us are familiar with a key teaching of the Second
Vatican Council, expressed in Sacrosanctum Concilium
(Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy), that “the Church
earnestly desires” the active participation of the faithful in the liturgy (14). One of the ways to enable this
participation, the document says, is through sacred
music: “To promote active participation, the people
should be encouraged to take part by means of acclamations, responses, psalmody, antiphons, and songs, as
well as by actions, gestures, and bearing” (30). In fact,
the Constitution places great emphasis on the importance of sacred music: “A liturgical service takes on a
nobler aspect when the rites are celebrated with singing, the sacred ministers take their parts in them, and
the faithful actively participate” (113).
Since that document’s promulgation in 1963, the
vision of music ennobling liturgy and encouraging participation has been taking more concrete shape, and
the English-speaking faithful in the United States
have seen increased evidence of that in the past several
years. Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship, written by the United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops in 2007, asserts in its first pages that “Singing
is one of the primary ways that the assembly of the
faithful participates actively in the Liturgy” (26).
The new English translation of the third edition of
The Roman Missal, which will be in use on the First
Sunday of Advent of 2011, provides chant notation for
many more parts of the Mass than appeared in The
Sacramentary. While the use of these particular chant
notations is optional—other styles of singing are welcomed—the provision of so many chant notations
indicates the Church’s intention that singing or chanting the texts of the Mass should be encouraged.
The More Solemnity, the More Music
“God has bestowed upon his people the gift of song”
(1), Sing to the Lord begins, and then it articulates the
expectation of “progressive solemnity” in music for
the Mass. This term, progressive solemnity, means
that the more solemn the Mass, the more parts of it
should be sung. “Music should be considered a normal
and ordinary part of the Church’s liturgical life” (110),
and so even on days without memorials, feasts, or
solemnities, some parts of the Mass are chanted or
sung. On very solemn and festive occasions, many
more parts of the Mass should be sung.
Among the many parts that might be sung on solemn occasions, it may surprise us to read that this
document names the readings from scripture:
153. While the readings are ordinarily read in
a clear, audible, and intelligent way (see
Lectionary for Mass, no. 14), they may also be
sung. “This singing, however, must serve to
bring out the sense of the words, not obscure
them. (‘On occasions when the readings are in
Latin, the manner of singing given in the
Ordo cantus Missae is to be maintained’
Lectionary for Mass, no. 14).”
154. Even if the readings are not sung, the
concluding acclamation The Word of the Lord
may be sung, even by someone other than the
reader; all respond with the acclamation
Thanks be to God. “In this way the assembled congregation pays reverence to the word
of God it has listened to in faith and gratitude
(Lectionary for Mass, no. 18).”
In fact, Sing to the Lord was simply quoting the
Introduction to the Lectionary, written in 1981, but
these suggestions have not been taken as a practical
option by most parishes.
In the English translation of the third edition of
The Roman Missal, the intention of the Church for
more music on solemn occasions stands out to us more
sharply because tones are provided for chanting the
introduction and concluding acclamation for the First
Reading, the Second Reading (the epistle or book of
Revelation), and the Gospel. In the case of the Gospel,
The Roman Missal furnishes both a simple and a
solemn version of the chanted introduction and conclusion. Tones are also provided for chanting entire
readings, although musical notation is given only for
examples.
To Chant or Not to Chant?
And Who Will Chant?
Chanting the introduction and conclusion to the readings (“A reading from . . . The word of the Lord”)
would be especially appropriate for solemn celebrations. The Easter Vigil, Mass during the Night (formerly Midnight Mass), Pentecost, or the parish’s patronal feast would be examples of occasions when the
parish might consider chanting these parts.
For many ministers of the word, this prospect may
seem daunting. Deacons are often trained in some
chant, but lay ministers of the word do not usually
find it a part of their preparation for the ministry. If no
readers are willing, the chanting may be done by a
cantor, with the reader doing the proclamation as
usual in between the introductory and concluding
chants. But some ministers of the word may be willing
to take up this challenge.
Whoever will be chanting will need to practice the
chant tones presented here. Audio files demonstrating
each of the tones (separate tones are provided for the
First Reading, Second Reading, and Gospel) may be
found at the URLs indicated below or through the QR
codes given in the introduction of the printed
Workbook for Lectors, Gospel Readers,and Proclaimers
of the Word 2012. Listening to the audio files and
repeating after them will be good preparation.
May we find in this opportunity a new way to
invite the assembly’s attention to the word of God, and
a new way to welcome and praise God dwelling in the
word in our midst!
Notation for Chant Tones
Tones for the Readings
First Reading:
I. Old Testament and Acts of the Apostles
Tone for the Introduction
&á
œ
INTRODUCTION
œ œ
( )
A reading from the Book of the Prophet I -­‐‑ sai -­‐‑ ah.
A reading from the Book of the Prophet E -­‐‑ zek -­‐‑ i -­‐‑ el.
A reading from the first Book of
Kings.
Find the
audio file for this tone at http://bit.ly/l2mjeG.
second
A reading from the Book of
Prov -­‐‑ erbs.
Tone A reading from the Book of
for the Conclusion
Ex -­‐‑ o -­‐‑ dus.
A reading from the Book of
Wis -­‐‑ dom.
á
A reading from the Acts of the A á-­‐‑ pos -­‐‑ tles.
&
œ
&
The
word
of
the
Lord.
RECITING TONE
&á
œ
Thanks
be
to
God.
FLEX
á
accent on
last syllable
Second Reading:
accent not on
last syllable
Tone for the Introduction of the Epistle
&W
á
&
QUESTION
œ œ œ́´œ ( œ ) ( œ )
2
1
œ
œ
A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul
accent on
last syllable
œœ œ
to
Find the
audio file for this tone at http://bit.ly/krwEYy.
CONCLUSION
&á
á
FULL STOP
œ́ ( œ ) œ á
á
œ́ Epistle
œ́
- Paul
Find the audio file for this tone at http://bit.ly/l2mjeG.
œ́
accent on
last syllable
á
œ́
œ œ
( )
accent not on
last syllable
œ́
œ œ
( )
accent not on
last syllable
œ œ œ œ
the Co - rin - thi - ans.
Tones for the Readings
III. The Gospel
Tone for the Conclusion of the Epistle
á œ
&
&
Before
the
Gospel
œ œ œœ
œ& œ á œ
œ
The
word
of
the
Lord.
Thanks
be
to
God.
R. And
with
your
spir‑it.
V. The
Lord
be
with
you.
á
&
œ œœ
Find the audio file for this tone at http://bit.ly/krwEYy.
œ
œ
œ
( )
V. A
reading
from
the
holy
Gospel
according
to
Mat ‑ thew.
Mark.
œ for the Readings Luke.
á Tone œ Tones
Gospel: Simple
John.
III. The Gospel
Gospel
R. Dialogue
Glory
to
you,
O
Lord.
&
Before
the
Gospel
œ œ œ MEDIANT
œ œ
œ œ œ œ œFULL
STOP
& RECITING
TONE
3 2 1
3 2 1
V.
R.
The
Lord
be
with
you.
á
á
œ
œ́
œ And
with
your
á œ́ � œ́ ( œ ) œ �
œ
œ œ́ ( œ ) œ � á
spir‑it.
œ
œ
&
œ ( œ ) accent
not
on
accent
not
on
accent
on
accent
on
œ
& á
last
syllable
last
syllable
last
syllable last
syllable
V. A
reading
from
the
holy
Gospel
according
to
Mat ‑ thew.
Mark.
2 1
á
á Luke.
á œ œœ œ œ́œ ( œ ) ( œ )
John.
R. Glory
to
you,
O
Lord.
&
CONCLUSION
RECITING
TONE
the audio file for
œMEDIANT
á at http://bit.ly/iZZvSg.
œ́œ ( œ ) ( œ )
) tone
œ́œ ( œ ) (this
&á
3 2 1
3 2 1
á œ œ œ œ́ œ œ œ œ́ ( œ ) œ � á
&á
Conclusion
Find
QUESTION
ACCLAMATION
& á
œ
œ
á
accent
not
on
last
syllable
accent
on
last
syllable
QUESTION
The
Gospel
of
the
Lord.
FULL
STOP
á œ́ � œ́ ( œ ) œ �
œlast
syllable
œ œlast
syllable
accent
not
on
accent
on
Praise
to
you,
Lord
Je
‑
sus
Christ.
á
á
œ œ́œ ( œ ) ( œ )
œ
&
The
mediant
is
used
at
the
end
of
major
clauses
within
a
sentence.
In
short
sentences
it
may
2
1
Find
the audio
file
for
sentences
this tone
http://bit.ly/iZZvSg.
be
omitted,
and in
long
it at
may
be used more than once. It should not be used to
introduce
a
question.
The
full
stop
is
used
at
the
end
of
every
sentence.
The
question
formula
is
CONCLUSION
used
for all questions,
except when
the question
occurs
at
the
end
of a
Gospel
reading.
In
the
( leaves
) ( ) the reciting tone( two
) ( syllables
)
before the last accent. In long
question
Gospel:
formula,
Solemn
one
Tone
questions,
the
ending
is
used
only
for
the
last
clause
of
the
question,
with
the
reciting
tone
for
the
first
clause.
The
conclusion
with
its
two
elements
is
used
for
the
last
two
lines
of
the
reading.
Gospel Dialogue
(Solemn Tone)
ACCLAMATION
For
each
of
these
two
elements,
one
leaves
the
reciting
tone
on
the
last
accent.
Before the Gospel
&á
œ
á forœ́œtheœ Readings
œ́œ œ œ Tones
& á œ
&
œ œ œ œ œœ
III. The Gospel
The
Gospel
of
the
Lord.
V. The Lord be with you.
á
&
á œ
œ
œ
œœ œ œ
œ
Praise
to
you,
Lord
Je
‑
isus
t. Christ.
R. And with your spir-­‐‑
œ œ œ œ œ
á
œ
œ
The
mediant
is
used
at
the
end
of
major
clauses
within
a
sentence.
In
short
sentences
it
may
be omitted, and in long sentences it may be used more than once. It should not be
to
( used
)
introduce
a
question.
The
full
stop
is
used
at
the
end
of
every
sentence.
The
question
formula
is
V. A reading from the ho-­‐‑ly Gos-­‐‑pel according to Mat -­‐‑ thew.
used
for all questions,
except when
the question
occurs
at
the
end
of
a
Gospel
reading.
In
the
Mark.
question formula, one leaves the reciting tone two syllables before the last accent. In long
Luke.
questions,
the
ending
is
used
only
for
the
last
clause
of
the
question,
with
the
reciting
tone
for
John.
the
first
clause.
The
conclusion
with
its
two
elements
is
used
for
the
last
two
lines
of
the
reading.
R. Glory to you, O Lord.
For
each
of
these
two
elements,
one
leaves
the
reciting
tone
on
the
last
accent.
á
&
œ
RECITING TONE
MEDIANT
Find the audio file for this tone at http://bit.ly/lwf6Hh.
3 2 1
3 2 1
&á
á œ œ œ œ́ œ œ œ œ́ ( œ ) œ � á
accent on
accent not on
FULL STOP
á œ´ � œ́ ( œ ) œ �
accent on
accent not on
CONCLUSION
&á
Conclusion
œ́œ ( œ ) ( œ ) á
ACCLAMATION
& á
œ
œ
The Gospel of the Lord.
œ́ œ ( œ ) ( œ )
œ œ œœ
œ œ œ
œ
Praise to you, Lord Je -­‐‑ sus Christ.
The mediant is used at the end of major clauses within a sentence. In short sentences it may Find
the audio
file
for sentences
this tone
http://bit.ly/lwf6Hh.
be
omitted,
and in
long
it at
may
be used more than once. It should not be used to introduce a question. The full stop is used at the end of every sentence. The question formula is used for all questions, except when the question occurs at the end of a Gospel reading. In the question formula, one leaves the reciting tone two syllables before the last accent. In long questions, the ending is used only for the last clause of the question, with the reciting tone for the first clause. The conclusion with its two elements is used for the last two lines of the reading. For each of these two elements, one leaves the reciting tone on the last accent.