OR THOSE WHO ATTEND the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, we have a very short Epiphany season this year. There will be only 3 Sundays of Epiphany before we get into the season of Septuagesima and then Lent. Easter Sunday comes very early this year, on March 31st. While it may seem too soon to even think about that while we are in the Octave of Christmas, choirmasters must plan ahead. If you are leading a choir of any size, it is not just about picking a lineup a week beforehand. You have to consider the abilities of your singers, how long it will take them to learn something, and how ambitious your selections are.
Fun Fact: If Epiphany were any longer than three Sundays, you would repeat the same propers for 3rd Sunday of Epiphany in the same way that you do for the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost.
A Bit Of History • The season of Septuagesima, which was entirely eliminated in the Novus Ordo is a sort of “pre-Lent”. In the Extraordinary Form, we prepare (Septuagesima) for the preparation (Lent) of the resurrection of Christ (Easter)! I admit I have always struggled to completely understand it from a musical perspective and to program songs for it, but essentially you can sing anything that would be considered Sundays after Pentecost. In the Novus Ordo this is called “Ordinary Time.” Anything Eucharistic is always appropriate. I always want to program something specifically matching the propers, but our former priest, Fr. Philip O’Donnel (requiescat in pace), once advised me once that the propers already perfectly contain everything necessary for that particular Sunday. That idea has released me from the bond of trying to be too specific, although I still combat the instinct to do so. By the way, it turns out there’s actually a hymn specific to the season of SEPTUAGESIMA.
To assist other choirs, I am sharing my lineup for the season Septuagesima. Feel free to copy whatever parts of this works for your choir.
Septuagesima Sunday
23 January 2024
Opening: Organ Processional
Introit: Polyphonic Circumdederunt Me (SATB) by Heinrich Isaac1
Kyrie XVI
Gradual: Men, pg. 94 Goupil Gradual (top)
Tract: Men, pg. 95 Goupil Gradual (bottom)
Credo VII
Offertory Antiphon: Treble, full offertory pg. 97
Offertory Hymn: Jesu Dulcis Memoria chant, alternatum
Sanctus XI, Orbis Factor
Agnus Dei XI, Orbis Factor
Comm. Ant.: Men, pg. 98 Goupil Gradual
Communion Hymn: CONFITEOR DEO OMNINPOTENTI, Kevin Allen
Post-Communion: Organ postlude
Close: Ave Regina Caelorum chant
Sexagesima Sunday
4 February 2024
Opening: Organ Processional
Introit: Men
Kyrie XI, Orbis Factor
Gradual: Men, pg. 100
Tract: Men, pg. 100
Credo VII
Offertory Antiphon: Treble, full offertory pg. 103
Offertory Hymn: Misericordias Domini, Henryk Jan Botor
Sanctus XI, Orbis Factor
Agnus Dei XI, Orbis Factor
Comm. Ant.: Men, pg. 104
Communion Hymn: Jesu Dulcis Memoria, Victoria
Post-Communion: Organ postlude
Close: Ave Regina Caelorum chant
Quinquagesima Sunday
11 February 2024
Opening: Organ Processional
Introit: Men
Kyrie XI, Orbis Factor
Gradual: Men, pg. 106
Tract: Men, pg. 106
Credo VII
Offertory Ant.: Adv. Treble, full Offertory
Offertory Hymn: Pange Lingua chant (alternatum)
Sanctus XI, Orbis Factor
Agnus Dei XI, Orbis Factor
Comm. Ant.: Adv. Treble
Communion Hymn: Anima Christi, Marco Frisina2
Post-Communion: Organ postlude
Close: Ave Regina Caelorum chant
1 My choir will attempt a somewhat long polyphonic Introit, but we will chant it as a psalm tone the first time, then the polyphonic version the second time. To make up for the extra length of time it will take to sing a polyphonic Introit, we will sing the shortest Kyrie we can, which is Kyrie XVI. Kyrie XVI is well known to many as the typical Kyrie for a Sunday Mass but is, technically, a Kyrie meant for Masses during the week.
2 “Anima Christi” is under copyright, so I cannot provide it here. You will have to find a copy for purchase.
