1. The Roman liturgy, its forms, and musical expressions, were to become the most important influence on European music in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Understanding those aspect of the liturgy as they had developed by the high Middle Ages is central to understanding the development of both sacred and secular music of the West.
   
2. The Roman public liturgy consists of two large classes: the Mass and the Office, or Canonical Hours.
   
   1. A Mass may be a High Mass (Missa Solemnis), for an important occasion such as a feast day, a major holiday, or the dedication of a new church; or a Low Mass (Missa Privata), for a less important occasion or a private chapel. A Missa Solemnis is marked by more elaborate music and ritual plus "full dress" on the part of the celebrant and other participants. A Missa Privata is marked by less formality in ritual and dress, and often by the absence, or minimalization of music.
   2. The mature form of the mass is made up of three principal sections. Following an introductory section, the two principal parts of the mass are known as the "Liturgy or the Word" and "Liturgy of the Eucharist." In addition, there are two classes of prayers within the mass: those which always remain the same, called the "Ordinary" prayers of the mass, and those which change from day to day and are appropriate for only specific days of the year, known as the "Proper" of the mass. The form of the mass can be seen in the following table, with musically significant prayers shown in bold-faced italics:

1. Section	Proper	Ordinary
   Introduction	Introit Collects	Kyrie Gloria
   Liturgy of the Word	Epistle Gradual Alleluia (Tract in penitential season) Sequence (rare now, common in middle ages) Gospel [Sermon]	Credo
   Liturgy of the Eucharist	Offertory Preface Communion Post-Communion	Sanctus Agnus Dei Ite missa est (Benedicamus Domino)

   ---

   1. The Offices or Canonical Hours consist of liturgical prayers and readings obligatory at specific times during the day. First codified in the Rule of St. Benedict (ca. 520), they include prayers, psalms, canticles, antiphons, responses, hymns, and readings. They are obligatory for the clergy and members of religious orders, but are publicly recited only in monasteries and certain cathedral churches. The Music for the offices is found in a book called the Antiphonale (or Antiphoner). The times at which offices are recited are:

      MATINS (before daybreak)
      PRIME (sunrise; generally about 6 AM)
      TERCE (3 hours later; i. e., about 9 AM)
      SEXT (3 hours later; i. e., about noon)
      NONES (3 hours later; i. e., about 3 pm)
      VESPERS (at sunset)
      COMPLINE, or COMPLETORIUM (usually immediately after vespers)

      Note that these hours varied with the length of the day (according to the season of the calendar year).

2. Here is a mnemnonic for helping to memorize the musically significant Sections of the Mass Ordinary in order:

   - - - - - - Kinky Gregorian Chants Sound Awful!

   Kinky = Kyrie
   Gregorian = Gloria
   Chants = Credo
   Sound = Sanctus
   Awful = Agnus Dei

3. The liturgical year is defined by two separate, but interacting cycles: the cycle of the time and the cycle of the saints. The cycle of the saints, the lesser of the two, cycles through the name-days of all the saints, each of which has their own rank in the hierarchy of importance. The cycle of the time rotates through the liturgical seasons of the year, each season of which centers on a particular festival. The liturgical seasons are:

   ADVENT, starting the fourth Sunday preceding Christmas
   CHRISTMAS (25 December), which includes not only that day, but also the twelve days leading to . . .
   EPIPHANY (6 January), and the following weeks
   PRE-LENTEN SEASON, beginning 9 weeks before Easter
   LENT, from Ash Wednesday to Easter
   EASTERTIDE, from Easter (including Ascension, 40 days after Easter) continuing to . . .
   PENTECOST, or WHITSUNDAY (10 days after Ascension, or 7 weeks after Easter
   TRINITY, the first Sunday after Pentecost to the beginning of Advent

   NB: Advent and Lent are sometimes called the "Penitential Seasons."

(top) or (home)