Thursday, March 1, 2012

Long Responsories at the Little Hours

On Septuagesima, Sexagesima and Quinquagesima Sundays – and above all on all the days of Lent from the first Sunday onwards until the eve of the Paschal Triduum – the Little Hours according to the Use of the Friars Preachers feature not the usual short responsories, but long responsories of the type normally reserved to Matins.

(Likewise, the Dominican Office also inserts a long responsory after the chapter of First Vespers of many Sundays and greater feasts, which was a common mediæval practice aiming at lending greater solemnity to the Hour.  However, at the Little Hours during Lent, the accent is rather on penitential solemnity rather than such festal solemnity.)

While I do not have a book of Dominican chant to hand, other than a Libellus Completorii (Compline booklet), it would be my understanding, based on the chant for the responsory therein (number 5 below), that all these responsories would have the sort of melismatic chant that Matins responsories do, rather than the far simpler syllabic chant usually found in the normal short responsories of the Little Hours at all the other seasons of the year.


(1) For Septuagesima, Sexagesima and Quinquagesima Sundays —


at Terce (Ps 70:5b-6a):

R/. Spes mea, Domine, * A juventute mea.
[This R/. is not repeated, but rather the versicle follows at once:]
V/. In te confirmatus sum ex utero: de ventre matris meæ tu es meus protector. * A juventute mea.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.
R/. Spes mea, Domine, * A juventute mea.

(My hope, O Lord, * From my youth.
(By thee have I been confirmed from the womb: from my mother's womb thou art my protector. * From my youth.
(Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
(My hope, O Lord, * From my youth.)


at Sext (cf. Ps 60:4b):

R/. Esto nobis, Domine, * Turris fortitudinis.
V/. A facie inimici. * Turris fortitudinis.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.
R/. Esto nobis, Domine, * Turris fortitudinis.

(Be to us, Lord, * A tower of strength.
(Against the face of the enemy. * A tower of strength.
(Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
(Be to us, Lord, * A tower of strength.)


at None (Ps 141:8a (Roman Psalter); Ps 141:5b):

R/. Educ de carcere animam meam, * Ut confiteatur nomini tuo, Domine.
V/. Periit fuga a me, et non est qui requirat animam meam. * Ut confiteatur nomini tuo, Domine.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.
R/. Educ de carcere animam meam, * Ut confiteatur nomini tuo, Domine.

(Bring my soul out of prison, * That I may praise thy name, O Lord.
(Flight hath failed me: and there is no one that hath regard to my soul. * That I may praise thy name, O Lord.
(Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
(Bring my soul out of prison, * That I may praise thy name, O Lord.)


(2) Sundays and ferias of the first and second weeks of Lent (drawn from Psalm 118) —


at Terce (Ps 118:63,132):

R/. Participem me fac, Deus, omnium timentium te * Et custodientium mandata tua. 
V/. Aspice in me et miserere mei secundum judicium diligentium nomen tuum * Et custodientium mandata tua.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.
R/. Participem me fac, Deus, omnium timentium te * Et custodientium mandata tua. 

(Make me, O God, a partaker with all them that fear thee, * And that keep thy commandments.
(Look thou upon me, and have mercy on me, according to the judgment of them that love thy name. * And that keep thy commandments.
(Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
(Make me, O God, a partaker with all them that fear thee, * And that keep thy commandments.)


at Sext (Ps 118:101-102):

R/. Ab omni via mala prohibui pedes meos, * Ut custodiam mandata tua, Domine.
V/. A judiciis tuis non declinavi, quia tu legem posuisti mihi, * Ut custodiam mandata tua, Domine.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.
R/. Ab omni via mala prohibui pedes meos, * Ut custodiam mandata tua, Domine.

(I have restrained my feet from every evil way: * That I may keep thy words, O Lord.
(I have not declined from thy judgments, because thou hast set me a law. * That I may keep thy words, O Lord.
(Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
(I have restrained my feet from every evil way: * That I may keep thy words, O Lord.)


at None (Pss 118:164a; 27:3a; 118:176):

R/. Septies in die laudem dixi tibi, Domine Deus meus: * Ne perdas me.
V/. Erravi sicut ovis quæ perierat: require servum tuum, Domine, quia mandata tua non sum oblitus. * Ne perdas me.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.
R/. Septies in die laudem dixi tibi, Domine Deus meus: * Ne perdas me.

(Seven times a day I have given praise to thee, Lord my God: * Destroy me not.
(I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost: seek thy servant, Lord, because I have not forgotten thy commandments. * Destroy me not.
(Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
(Seven times a day I have given praise to thee, Lord my God: * Destroy me not.)


(3) Sundays and ferias of the third and fourth weeks of Lent (drawn from Psalm 118) —


at Terce (Ps 118:71a,72,73):

R/. Bonum mihi, Domine, quod humiliasti me: * Bonum mihi lex oris tui super millia auri et argenti. 
V/. Manus tuæ fecerunt me et plasmaverunt me: da mihi intellectum, ut discam mandata tua. * Bonum mihi lex oris tui super millia auri et argenti. 
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.
R/. Bonum mihi, Domine, quod humiliasti me: * Bonum mihi lex oris tui super millia auri et argenti. 

(It is good for me, Lord, that thou hast humbled me: * The law of thy mouth is good to me, above thousands of gold and silver.
(Thy hands have made me and formed me: give me understanding, and I will learn thy commandments. * The law of thy mouth is good to me, above thousands of gold and silver.
(Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
(It is good for me, Lord, that thou hast humbled me: * The law of thy mouth is good to me, above thousands of gold and silver.)


at Sext (Ps 118:125a,73b):

R/. Servus tuus ego sum: * Da mihi intellectum, Domine.
V/. Ut discam mandata tua: * Da mihi intellectum, Domine.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.
R/. Servus tuus ego sum: * Da mihi intellectum, Domine.

(I am thy servant: * Give me understanding, Lord. 
(That I will learn thy commandments. * Give me understanding, Lord. 
(Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
(I am thy servant: * Give me understanding, Lord.)


at None (cf. Ps 118:41,130):

R/. Declara super nos, Deus, * Tuam misericordiam.
V/. Declaratio sermonum tuorum dat intellectum, Domine, * Tuam misericordiam.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.
R/. Declara super nos, Deus, * Tuam misericordiam.

(Declare upon us, O God, * Thy mercy.
(The declaration of thy words giveth understanding, Lord. * Thy mercy.
(Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
(Declare upon us, O God, * Thy mercy.)


(4) Sundays and ferias of Passiontide, until Holy Thursday exclusive (without "Glory be" on account of the season) —


at Terce (Ps 21:21-22):

R/. Erue a framea, Deus, animam meam: * Et de manu canis unicam meam. 
V/. Salva me ex ore leonis: et a cornibus unicornium humilitatem meam, * Et de manu canis unicam meam. 
R/. Erue a framea, Deus, animam meam: * Et de manu canis unicam meam. 

(Deliver, O God, my soul from the sword: * And my only one from the hand of the dog.
(Save me from the lion's mouth; and my lowness from the horns of the unicorns. * And my only one from the hand of the dog.
(Deliver, O God, my soul from the sword: * And my only one from the hand of the dog.)


at Sext (Ps 21:22,21):

R/. De ore leonis libera me, Domine: * Et a cornibus unicornium humilitatem meam.
V/. Erue a framea, Deus, animam meam, et de manu canis unicam meam.  * Et a cornibus unicornium humilitatem meam.
R/. De ore leonis libera me, Domine: * Et a cornibus unicornium humilitatem meam.

(From the lion's mouth save me, Lord: * And from the horns of the unicorns my lowness. 
(Deliver from the sword, O God, my soul, and from the hand of the dog my only one. * And from the horns of the unicorns my lowness. 
(From the lion's mouth save me, Lord: * And from the horns of the unicorns my lowness.)


at None (Ps 118:161-162a,162b):

R/. Principes persecuti sunt me gratis, et a verbis tuis formidavit cor meum. * Lætabor ego super eloquia tua.
V/. Quasi qui invenit spolia multa. * Lætabor ego super eloquia tua.
R/. Principes persecuti sunt me gratis, et a verbis tuis formidavit cor meum. * Lætabor ego super eloquia tua.

(Princes have persecuted me without cause: and my heart hath been in awe of thy words. * I will rejoice at thy words.
(As one that hath found great spoil. * I will rejoice at thy words.
(Princes have persecuted me without cause: and my heart hath been in awe of thy words. * I will rejoice at thy words.)


(5) At Compline, on Sundays and feasts from the first Sunday of Lent until the first Passion Sunday (Pss 4:9; 131:4):




R/. In pace in idipsum * Dormiam et requiescam.
V/. Si dedero somnum oculis meis et palpebris meis dormitationem. * Dormiam et requiescam.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.
R/. In pace in idipsum * Dormiam et requiescam.




(In peace in the selfsame * I will sleep, and I will rest.
(If I shall give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids, * I will sleep, and I will rest.

(Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.

(In peace in the selfsame * I will sleep, and I will rest.)

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