The Recovering Choir Director

Here are the answers to the quiz posted a few days ago, from highest to lowest preference, according to a strict interpretation of GIRM 2002.

Please note that other than styles expressly cited by the Church regarding Latin-rite worship (Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony), no mention was made of musical style in these rankings—only the texts, text sources and translations. Furthermore, musical style played no role in ranking the selections.

Christmas Day

I. Entrance Song:

First:
C) “Puer natus est nobis”, Gregorian chant from Roman Gradual

Second:
E) “Dominus dixit ad me”, chant from Simple Gradual

Third (with qualifications):
A) “For unto us a child is born”, G.F. Handel

Fourth, Fifth:
B) “A child is born”, Gregory Norbet
D) “O come, all ye faithful/Adeste fideles”, traditional carol

The Entrance Song for Christmas Mass during the Day, according to the Roman Missal, is Isaiah 9:6 with one or more verses from Psalm 97(98) and the minor doxology (Gloria Patri). Though the antiphon from the Roman Gradual is not an exact quote from Scripture, textually and stylistically it maintains first preference due to the Church’s liturgical legislation.

Second preference goes to the antiphon from the Simple Gradual, whose Christmas introit may be used at all four Christmas Masses (vigil, midnight, dawn, and daytime). Incidentally, the text of this setting (Psalm 2:7, with verses from Psalm 2 and the minor doxology) is exactly the text of the Introit antiphon and psalm from the Christmas Midnight Mass.

Now we deal with gray area (or “emanations and penumbras” in SCOTUS-speak). A strict interpretation of the GIRM would render none of the remainder of the selections as appropriate due to lack of integrity with the liturgical text or official ecclesial approval. But for the sake of this and all future exercises, let us assume that the local ordinary has given express permission to use the following selections.

The Handel is in third place. While it lacks the psalm verses and minor doxology of the introit, it is still a direct quotation of Isaiah 9:6, albeit in a vernacular translation not ratified for Catholic public worship (KJV English).

Bringing up the rear are “Adeste Fideles” and “A Child is Born”—while alluding to Scripture, they are neither Scripture nor “canonized” (listed) by the official liturgical books. (The latter does allude to Isaiah 9:6, but the verses do not correspond to Psalm 97(98).) Ranking will therefore be determined by factors other than the text or liturgical legislation. This is where most of the relativistic “traditional/contemporary” worship wars occur—notice that these skirmishes miss the mark as the texts, strictly speaking, are aliturgical.

Refer to GIRM 47-48 for official Church legislation on the Entrance Song for dioceses in the United States of America.

II. Offertory/Presentation of the Gifts

First:
E) “Tui sunt caeli”, William Byrd

Second:
D) “Laetentur caeli”, chant from Simple Gradual

Third, Fourth, Fifth:
A) “The Virgin Mary had a baby boy”, West Indian carol
B) “O magnum mysterium”, Tomas Luis de Victoria
C) “It came upon the midnight clear”, Edmund Sears/Richard Willis

The Roman Gradual lists Psalm 88(89):12, 15a as the Offertory antiphon. Verses may be found in the Offertoriale Triplex. (Here, in PDF format, is a preview of what the Offertory verses look like on paper.)

The Byrd setting takes first place as the text is exactly the Offertory antiphon for Christmas Day. Why is this? As the Roman Gradual was not listed as an option, we must again look to GIRM to determine the proper criteria. Here, GIRM 74 points us back to GIRM 48—the hierarchy for the Offertory is the same for the Entrance. Here it says for first preference:

…The antiphon from the Roman Missal or the Psalm from the Roman Gradual as set to music there or in another musical setting…

The Byrd makes first preference; while it is another musical setting, it is the antiphon from the Roman Gradual. Moreover, it is a setting expressly cited by the Church as suitable for worship (cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium 116—”especially polyphony”).

Second place goes to the chant from the Simple Gradual, which is a simpler setting of the antiphon and psalm found in the Roman Gradual for the Christmas Midnight Mass.

The Victoria, West Indian carol and Sears/Willis carol bring up the rear, strictly speaking. All three are poetic glosses of Scripture, other than Scripture itself. An argument may be made for ranking the Victoria setting higher, as it is a liturgical text. However, it is the text of the fourth Responsory of Matins for Christmas, not the Offertory for Christmas.

III. Communion Song

First:
A) “Viderunt omnes fines terrae”, Gregorian chant from Roman Gradual

Second:
E) “Viderunt omnes termini terrae”, chant from Simple Gradual

Third (with qualifications):
C) “All the ends of the earth”, David Haas/Marty Haugen

Fourth, Fifth:
B) “Silent night”, Franz X. Gruber
D) “Lo, how a rose e’er blooming”, German carol

The Roman Missal cites Psalm 97(98):3cd as the Communion antiphon, while the Roman Gradual cites Psalm 97(98):1ab, 1cd, 2, 3ab, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8-9a, 9bc plus the minor doxology as verses to be sung between repetitions of the Communion antiphon. The Roman Gradual’s setting obviously is the most preferred version.

Second place once again goes to the setting in the Simple Gradual; this time, the Simple Gradual’s antiphon corresponds to the Roman Gradual’s antiphon for Christmas Day (and corresponds more closely to the Latin Vulgate translation of the psalm).

Some readers would be surprised, even shocked, that the Haugen/Haas would take third in this list. It is a setting of Psalm 97(98):3, with verses from Psalm 97(98):1-6. Based strictly on the scriptural citation provided by GIA, this selection would fall under:

a song from another collection of psalms and antiphons, approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops or the Diocesan Bishop, including psalms arranged in responsorial or metrical forms (GIRM 88)

although with its gender-neutral modifications to an already loose translation (which I cannot find in a Bible translation approved for worship), this third ranking (both according to this quiz and to GIRM) is a tenuous one at best. An argument similar to those made against ICEL translations of the liturgy may be made.

But assuming that ranking holds, bringing up the rear would be the devotional poetry found in the carols “Silent Night” and “Lo, How a Rose…”

Consult GIRM 86-88 for the relevant liturgical legislation for dioceses in the United States of America.

Lest this be misconstrued merely as an exercise in liturgical legalism, let us look at the proper songs for Christmas: Mass during the Day in translation (Douay OT), and see exactly how much rich fare pastors, homilists, musicians, liturgists and composers omit from the Mass, because of whatever reason:

Introit:

cf. Isaiah 9:6

For a CHILD IS BORN to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called, the Angelic Counsellor.

Verses: Psalm 97(98) [ Douay | NAB ]

Glory to the Father…

Offertory:

Psalm 88(89): 12, 15a

Thine are the heavens, and thine is the earth: the world and the fulness thereof thou hast founded. Justice and judgment are the preparation of thy throne.

V/. Great and terrible above all them that are about him. Thou rulest the power of the sea: and appeasest the motion of the waves thereof. (Psalm 88(89): 8b, 10)

Justice and judgement….

V/. Mercy and truth shall go before thy face: and in thy good pleasure shall our horn be exalted. (Psalm 88(89): 15b, 18b)

Justice and judgement….

V/. Thou hast humbled the proud one, as one that is slain: with the arm of thy strength thou hast scattered thy enemies. Let thy hand be strengthened, and thy right hand exalted. (Psalm 88(89): 11, 14b)

Justice and judgement….

Communion:

Psalm 97(98): 3cd

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Verses: Psalm 97(98) [ Douay | NAB ]

Glory to the Father…

Hopefully this exercise has proved thought-provoking—I look forward to a fruitful, non-polemical discussion in the comment thread. If desired, these quizzes and discussions could occur more regularly on this site—let me know (either in your comments or via e-mail) if this is a good idea.