Tools at the Ready (Part 2)

• The Graduale Romanum – This is the Church's official book for the choir. Just like the Sacramentary belongs to the priest, and the Book of Gospels belongs to the deacon, and the Lectionary belongs to the lector, so too does the Roman Gradual belong to the choir, or schola, as its proper book. The General Instruction on the Roman Missal (2002) indicates this book to be the primary source for the processional music at Mass (Entrance, Offertory, Communion) and for the chants after the First Reading and before the Gospel. The roots of this volume date back earlier than the ninth century to the Roman Antiphonarium. All the texts in the Graduale Romanum are in Latin, the official liturgical language of the Roman Rite. All music is in neums (chant notation).
   
• The Gregorian Missal – A "user-friendly" version of the Graduale Romanum; chants are identical to those in the Graduale (with Latin texts and in Gregorian notation), but with an English translation of all the texts and rubrics — soon to be available from CNP.
   
• The Graduale triplex – A scholarly reprint of the Graduale Romanum, which, in addition to the familiar Vatican Gregorian neum notation, includes more ancient notations (from the Laon and Saint Gall schools) above and below the staff. Useful for those directors and singers interested in subtle nuances and historically appropriate chant. Definitely not for the beginner.
   
• The Graduale simplex – While the Graduale Romanum is the Church's official book for the choir, some beginning scholas (chant choirs) may not be up to the full, extensive chants presented in this book. For them the Church offers the Graduale simplex for use in smaller churches. The General Instruction on the Roman Missal (2002) indicates this book as a secondary source for the processional music at Mass (Entrance, Offertory, Communion) and for the chants after the First Reading and before the Gospel. The number of Mass propers has been streamlined and the music has been simplified considerably, making the Graduale simplex accessible to beginning choirs and to the congregation. All the texts are in Latin, the official liturgical language of the Roman Rite and the music is in neums (chant notation). Unlike the larger Graduale Romanum, this is definitely a book that invites congregational participation. The short refrains allow the congregation an easily-learned phrase, which can be sung between the choir's or cantor's verses.
   
• By Flowing Waters (Paul F. Ford) – An approved, though unofficial, English translation of the Graduale simplex, available from Liturgical Press.
   
• The Mass Propers for Advent (Gary Penkala) – In this volume, the Entrance and Communion antiphons come from the Sacramentary; the scriptural citations for the Offertory antiphons (which have never been translated into English) come from the Graduale Romanum, and are realized with text from the New American Bible, the approved translation for liturgy in the United States. Psalm verses are also from the NAB. The single psalm tone used for Advent (other seasons use a different tone) is taken from CNP's Universal Music for Morning Prayer, and sets the English Proper texts to an easily-grasped melody. The refrain and verse format allows a great deal of flexibilty; these can be sung by cantor or choir alone, or by cantor and/or choir with congregation.
   
• The Mass Propers for Lent (Gary Penkala) – Like the listing above, this volume sets the processional antiphons and psalms verses for the Lenten season to a psalm tone from CNP's Universal Music for Morning Prayer. A different tone is used for each season. Propers for others seasons and Ordinary Time will be added in future CNP catalogs.