Posted on by Adam Bartlett

Simple Propers for the First Sunday of Advent

I would like to express a special word of gratitude to all of you who have supported the Simple English Propers Project at the Chant Café from the bottom of my heart. It is truly a miracle how this project has come together and I think that we have all seen the transformative power of Divine Charity when we choose to participate with it. The sacred music community was able to gather for the Simple Propers project $5000 in exactly two weeks which will enable the project to be properly done in a timely and productive fashion. I am personally grateful to each benefactor who has seen value in this project and who has communicated that value through a financial contribution. When the project is complete it will be shared with everyone forever. Your gift will “keep on giving”. Thank you for your generosity.

As a result of the completed patronage campaign, the Simple English Propers Project has been able to organize itself for the production of the competed book, and just in time–We’re now able to offer a set of propers for the beginning of the new Church Year, the First Sunday of Advent, in a polished design that will form the beginning of the completed collection.

Download Simple Propers for the First Sunday of Advent Here

Please keep in mind that the “beta” phase for this collection is not quite over yet. Time is still needed for the melodic formulas to stabilize, and for the Modified Douay Psalms to stabilize as well. I am working with a small team on these efforts and we are making great progress. I suspect in a month or so we will be well on our way toward finishing the entire book.

Note in this week’s offering that we have decided to part ways with the “Simple Setting”. I would like to hear in the comment box if this will be missed. The general consensus has said that it will not. If there are some among you who have relied upon having these simple settings I will do my best to get you the resources you need. The decision was made essentially because of the size of the book would be over 500 pages with two antiphons for each proper, and is under 300 with only one.

Please offer any feedback that you might have as we are rolling very quickly into locking in on production and completion of this collection.

UPDATE: Here are additional “Simple Setting” antiphons for those who need them

13 Replies to “Simple Propers for the First Sunday of Advent”

  1. thank you Adam. You have started my small choir on an awesome mission to learn gregorian chant. I am still using the simple settings, as my group is not musically trained. We are trying to use simple settings, such as yours or St Meinrad Abbey simple chant modes, and have the more beautiful complete chants as a goal to reach later.
    thanks again to your resources and inspiration, we are introducing the chanted entrance antiphon on the first Sunday of advent.
    happy Advent!
    Michael Franzwa
    Saint Maria Goretti Church, Elk Grove CA.

  2. I would suggest that the Simple Setting may actually be a more valuable project for the church at this time than the more ornate version – which too is very welcome.

    However, the Simple Settings are very approachable and give confidence to singers, especially those who are moving from the commercial offerings to chant. People may be shy to support the Simple Setting, but if you, like I, think that the simple settings are golden, then I'd propose that the Simple Settings continue and the complex ones be added as the spirit moves you…and the books be printed separately as an option.

    The church we were in in Pittsburgh was the home of the Rossini Propers, simple psalm tone ones that I sang at 7 every morning and Mrs. Kuniewicz sang at 8 while I was on my way to school. Rossini's simple propers is the only music to have survived and be in use today from the era, aside from some selections from the St. Gregory Hymnal.

    Possibly, the Bartlett SImple Settings may be of much more value than you might perceive at this time.

  3. Just as a point of clarification: Up until this point each proper setting, each Introit, et cetera, had had two different antiphon settings. Both are "simple". The first is slightly more elaborate, but is still "simple". The first of the two is essentially an elaborated psalm tone in a formulaic setting that will repeat 10-20 times per year. The second was set to a St. Meinrad psalm tone. There are 8 of these–that's it! These are purely syllabic and are probably the most basic way possible to sing a proper antiphon.

    Michael–Were you planning to use the 1st or 2nd antiphon? Which one did you have the most success with before? Which one did you plan to begin singing on the First Sunday of Advent?

    Noel–I hear you loud and clear. I think that the sheer size of the book is what is prohibiting the Meinrad tone setting. The first antiphon is really not elaborate! But certainly more elaborate than a Meinrad tone.

    Perhaps the thing to do is to publish a second set of antiphons, all employing Meinrad tones, but setting the same texts in the same modes. That way the same psalm verses could be used, only the simpler antiphon could be used when needed. What do you think?

    To others who are considering these settings: Have you used the second, Meinrad tone "Simple Setting"? Or the first antiphon? This is very valuable information to have!

  4. I think that a second set using the Meinrad tones would be an excellent idea. This way it would be like having the Gradual Romanum & Simplex in the same book – the Meinrad to fall back on, the more ornate to challenge the schola.

  5. Hi Adam,
    we have started practicing the english text of the antiphon with the St Meinrad Mode 8 (chosen to follow the gregorian mode from the graduale romanum). It was very quickly, just 4 melodic shapes for us.
    then we plan to try out each week's antiphon with the corresponding meinrad simple mode.
    but our real goal is to get to singing the more elaborate melodies that you are producing.
    so keep them coming…we may catch up sooner than we think.
    also, the audio examples that you posted earlier were immensely helpful, for me to show my group how beautiful your melodies are. In fact, after listening to an audio recording of the elaborate form, it is quite easy for a non-music reader to then follow along with the notation…as the melody really is learned quickly.
    so keep the audio examples coming if possible!
    Michael

  6. I have updated this post with "Simple Setting" antiphons for those who need them.

    I see value in these settings, as Michael describes, for the parish that is just beginning with chant. Although the primary settings in this collection will be "simple" they still might not be simple enough for many of our musicians across the country at first.

    Any other thoughts on this? What about a supplementary book with just simple antiphons, no verses, that could be used in conjunction with the main book when and where needed. The goal would be to do as Michael is doing and slowly wean yourselves off of the simplest setting and into the main antiphon.

    Thoughts?

  7. A couple weeks ago, I used the simple setting of 28th OT introit for a sung prayer at a middle school youth group. We split people in the room in half, and the group of about 150 people sang antiphonally the psalm and the verses. After demonstration and a vocal leader for the antiphon and verses respectively, everyone in the room was able to sing the entire thing!

    So I see value in the Meinrad syllabic chant with the psalm tone verses potentially being sung in the hands of the congregation!
    Jake

  8. Adam,
    I think that we still need both at this time, once choirs get used to the Meinrad version they will then be able to get the hang of the other.

    Fr Alex

  9. thank you Adam for posting the simple setting. May God Bless you and this great work you are doing.
    Your enthusiasm and encouragement is drawing us all back from our 40 year musical diaspora singing random hymns. As we learn to sing the Mass as our Church gives it to us, we become more Catholic, more unified. And, we are "choosing the better portion" now. The Mass is so much more elevated and beautiful with the propers!

  10. I certainly understand the need to keep a publication used weekly by a choir to around 300 pages, and not 500. The idea of a supplemental book is great. As Noel discussed regarding the use of the Rossini Propers, a simple version lends itself to being utilized by more people who may feel that they cannot lead the more ornate ones. This would transfer well in a number of situations: a) use by younger singers; b) use by the time constrained; c) use by congregational members who may attend Mass where there is no officially appointed musician.

    The first step is to reestablish that singing the propers is the norm for Catholic Worship. Retaining a simple setting option makes that more quickly accessible and helps to point out that chant does not require a paid scuola but is in the grasp of all who attend Mass.

    My personal preference is the ornate, but I am not at Mass to serve my own preferences. To have a simple supplement is like saying the more ornate is the Ideal and the simple settings allow us to participate at some level until we can grow into the Ideal.

    Thanks and God Bless you for all this generous work from which so many will benefit.

  11. We sang the simple propers this morning. They were beautiful on the First Sunday of Advent. Historically, we've chanted them in Latin from the Graduale, but this year, Father wanted the congregation to have immediate understanding. These fit the bill beautifully and worked for the few voices that we have. I know that you are working hard on the other Sundays of Advent. I for one am praying for you…and anticipating the simple propers to come. Thank you for being a servant to this work…May He smile upon you abundantly for helping bring His music back into His church. Where will you be posting the propers for the coming weeks?

  12. The links above are dead ends. I have been looking for some English Chant and I thought I had found it!

    What do I do now? Love and Peace!

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