VERSION. Those who have read this blog (for the last fifteen years) know of my ardent aversion to ‘slogans’ vis-à-vis the sacred liturgy. After all, we are not children; nor is the SANCTISSIMUM a type of game. Online authors who traffic in slogans frequently attract followers who mindlessly repeat the slogans without grasping their meaning.* That having been said, it may be time to invent a slogan for the Ordinary Form. You see, after Vatican II everybody started replacing the Proprium Missæ 100% of the time, in spite of the 1969 Vatican statement warning that doing that “is to cheat the people.”
Slogan Suggestions? • I’m considering something like “AFAS” (Alleged Freedom, Actual Slavery). You see, some musicians in the 1970s felt that annihilating the Mass propers would lead to freedom. With the passage of time, they realized the opposite was true. It became a type of slavery. That’s because if one jettisons what’s been handed down to us, one must “invent” or “create” or “fabricate” the sacred liturgy each week—and that quickly becomes tedious, burdensome, and stressful. These days, conscientious choirmasters are rediscovering the Mass propers.
Entrance Chant • In light of the confusion of the last 70 years, we must make sure our congregations have the Mass proper texts (“lyrics”) in front of their eyes as they’re being sung. I spoke about this recently, and I won’t repeat what I’ve already said. Here’s a live recording of the “Entrance Chant” sung on the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (7 July 2024):
Those who wish to download the PDF file may do so at this link.
More To Come • The CHAUMONOT COMPOSERS GROUP is currently searching for a publisher. I am trying to convince them to provide organ accompaniments—but let’s just say some people strongly feel plainsong should be sung a cappella. Until their collection appears in print I’ll be publishing their compositions on our blog—so make sure to check our blog regularly.
1964 Setting • In 1964, Father Paul Arbogast published a collection called: Complete English Propers for the High Mass for All Sundays and Principal Feasts Set to Gregorian Melodies Adaptable to Psalm Tones or Harmonized Settings under the auspices of the “John XXIII Series of Liturgical Music.” Here is Father Arbogast’s setting of the ENTRANCE CHANT for 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B:
1984 Setting • In 1984, Deacon Patrick Cunningham published a collection called “Chants for the Church Year” dedicated to the memory of Rev. Charles Dreisoerner, a Latin professor at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. Here is Deacon Cunningham’s setting of the ENTRANCE CHANT for 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B:
2016 Setting • In 2016, Richard Rice released a collection called English Chant for the Modern Roman Rite. Here is Mr. Rice’s setting of the ENTRANCE CHANT for 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B:
2014 Setting • In 2014, the Benedict XVI Institute (Archdiocese of San Francisco) published a book called Proper of the Mass: Entrance, Offertory and Communion Antiphons for Sundays and Solemnities, with English adaptations by Father Samuel Weber, OSB. Here is Father Weber’s setting of the ENTRANCE CHANT for 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B:
2011 Setting • In 2011, the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music began publishing the GRADUALE PARVUM, taking as their model the chants of the Divine Office. Here is their setting of the ENTRANCE CHANT for 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B:
1965 Version • The Anglicans produced a book of plainsong adaptations in 1965. Here is their setting of the ENTRANCE CHANT for 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B:
2013 Setting • In the 2013, the Lalemant Propers were made available (in print and as a free PDF download). These settings are extremely simple. Here is the Lalemant setting of the ENTRANCE CHANT for 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B:
2011 Setting • In 2011, the Church Music Association of America released a collection called: “The Simple English Propers.” It was made available as a hard copy and also free online (licensed in the Creative Commons). Here’s the SEP setting of the ENTRANCE CHANT for 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B:
2020 Setting • In 2020, Bruce Ford produced The American Gradual: Proper Chants of the Mass Adapted to English Words. Here is Ford’s setting of the ENTRANCE CHANT for 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B:
* One example that instantly springs to mind has to do with promoters of the ‘unreformed’ (i.e. pre-Pius XII) Holy Week. Close to 90% of articles published on this subject are written by people who have no clue what was actually changed in the 1950s. In other words, they profess to “love” the old Holy Week—and, of course, “hate” the reformed Holy Week—but couldn’t list the differences if their lives depended on it. I’d love to write about this topic someday, because many have inadvertently been promoting outright falsehoods.
