LTHOUGH I OFTEN remind readers that the EDITIO VATICANA—created by the Vatican Commission on Gregorian Chant, which was assembled by Pope Saint Pius X—remains the official edition of the Church, that doesn’t mean every choice the commission made was perfect in every way. How could it be? We’re speaking about a repertoire that was developed over a millennium. As the centuries rolled along, certain ‘variants’ emerged in different localities and different monasteries—which is only natural. Indeed, the very first idea of Pius X was to have each cathedral produce its own plainchant books, thereby preserving its own particular ‘dialect’. However, the pope was persuaded against such an idea—presumably owing to the disunity that would have resulted. (Liturgical ‘pluralism’ isn’t something we associate with the reign of Pope Saint Pius X.)
Good Friday • I have a special affinity for a particular variant on Good Friday. It happens during the unveiling of the Cross—and therefore happens thrice. Specifically, the Veníte adorémus ends on “Mi,” taking the piece away from the ‘happy’ MODE VI into a Deuterus mode:
This variant ENDING comes from a manuscript I photographed more than 20 years ago, although numerous other manuscripts likewise give testimony to this ‘minor’ or ‘hauting’ or ‘mournful’ ending. The manuscript is one of the most beautiful I have ever had the pleasure of holding in my own hands:
