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Printed antiphonary (ca. 1700) open to Vespers of Easter Sunday. (Musée de l'Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris)

An antiphonary or antiphonal is one of the liturgical books intended for use in choro (i.e. in the liturgical choir), and originally characterized, as its name implies, by the assignment to it principally of the antiphons used in various parts of the Latin liturgical rites.

Medieval antiphonaries varied with regional liturgical tradition. In 1570, following the Council of Trent, the Roman Rite antiphonary was declared universal. The Roman Antiphonary (Antiphonale Romanum) contains the chants for the canonical hours for the hours of Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline for every day of the year. The Vesperale Romanum is an excerpt of the Antiphonary containing the chants sung at Vespers. The music for use at the Mass is contained in the Roman Gradual (Graduale Romanum), the chants of the ordinary are also edited as an excerpt from the Gradual, the Kyriale Romanum. The Antiphonale Romanum was substantially revised in 1910–11 in the course of the reform of the Roman Breviary under Pope Pius X, notably restoring authentic Gregorian melodies. For the 1971 "Liturgy of the Hours", there are two volumes, Antiphonale Romanum II and Liber Hymnarius.

Terminology

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Alternative terms for Antiphonary are Antiphonal or Antiphony. The term comes from the Latin antiphonarium, antiphonarius, antiphonarius liber, antiphonale, which came from the Greek antíphonon "antiphone, anthem".

In current usage, Antiphonary refers more narrowly to books containing the chants for the Divine Office in distinction to the Gradual (Graduale or more rarely antiphonarium Missarum), which contains the antiphons used for the Mass.[1]

The Antiphonary thus included generically the antiphons and antiphonal chants sung by cantor, congregation, and choir at Mass (antiphonarium Missarum, or graduale) and at the canonical Hours ( antiphonarium officii); but now it refers only to the sung portions of the Divine Office or Breviary.

Other English equivalents for antiphonary are antiphonar (still in reputable use) and antiphoner (considered obsolete by some English lexicographers, but still sometimes used in the early 20th century). In the "Prioress' Tale" of Chaucer it occurs in the form antiphonere:

He Alma Redemptoris herde synge / As children lerned hir antiphonere.

The word Antiphonary had in the earlier Middle Ages sometimes a more general, sometimes a more restricted meaning. In its present meaning it has also been variously and insufficiently defined as a "Collection of antiphons in the notation of Plain Chant", and as a liturgical book containing the antiphons "and other chants". In its present complete form it contains, in plain-chant notation, the music of all the sung portions of the Roman Breviary immediately placed with the texts, with the indications of the manner of singing such portions as have a common melody (such as versicles and responses, the Psalms, the Lessons, the Chapters). But the Lessons of Matins (First Nocturn) in the triduum of Holy Week, styled "Lamentations", have a melody proper to themselves, which is not therefore merely indicated but is placed immediately with the texts of the Lessons.

An old Antiphoner from the Church of St. Francis, Evora, Portugal

In order to show as clearly as possible the exact position of the antiphonary amongst the liturgical books, it is proper to recall that the Roman Missal contains all the texts used at Mass; the Roman Breviary, all the texts used in the Divine Office or Canonical Hours. While in the Missal, the introits, graduals, tracts, sequences, offertories, communions, as well as the texts of the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei are both read by the celebrant and sung by the choir, their notation is not given, only the accentus or chants, of the celebrant and deacon have the music furnished (such as the intonations of the Gloria, the Credo, the chants of the various Prefaces, the two forms of the Pater Noster, the various forms of the Ite, or Benedicamus, the Blessing of the Font, etc.). The omitted chants (styled concentus), which are to be sung by the choir, are contained in a supplementary volume called the "Graduale" or "Liber Gradualis" (anciently the "Gradale").

In like manner, the Roman Breviary, practically entirely meant for singing in choro, contains no music; and the "Antiphonarium" performs for it a service similar to that of the "Liber Gradualis" for the Missal. Just as the "Liber Gradualis" and the "Antiphonarium" are, for the sake of convenience, separated from the Missal and Breviary respectively, so, for the same reason, still further subdivisions have been made of each.

The "Antiphonarium" has been issued in a compendious form "for the large number of churches in which the Canonical Hours of the Divine Office are sung only on Sundays and Festivals". This Antiphonarium Romanum compendiose redactum ex editionibus typicis etc., includes, however, the chants for the Masses of Christmas, the triduum of Holy Week, and other desired Offices, and is issued in a single volume. Another separate volume is the "Vesperal", which contains also the Office of Compline; and of the "Vesperal" a further compendium has been issued, entitled "Epitome ex Vesperali Romano".

Associated somewhat in scope with the "Antiphonarium" is the "Directorium Chorii", which has been described as furnishing the ground plan for the antiphonary, inasmuch as it gives or indicates all the music of the chants (except the responsories after the Lessons), the tones of the psalms, the brief responsories, the "Venite Exultemus", the "Te Deum", Litanies etc. The text of all the psalms, the full melody of the hymns, and the new feasts were added to the "official edition" of the "Directorium" in 1888.

The word antiphonary does not therefore clearly describe the contents of the volume or volumes thus entitled, in which are found many chants other than the antiphon per se, such as hymns, responsories, versicles, and responses, psalms, the "Te Deum," the "Venite Adoremus," and so forth. The expression "antiphonal chant" would, however, comprise all these different kinds of texts and chants, since they are so constructed as to be sung alternately by the two divisions of the liturgical choir; and in this sense the word Antiphonary would be sufficiently inclusive in its implication. On the other hand, the corresponding volume for the chants of the Mass, namely the "Graduale", or "Liber Gradualis", includes many other kinds of liturgical texts and chants in addition to the graduals, such as introits, tracts, sequences, offertories, communions, as well as the fixed texts of the "Ordinarium Missæ", or "Kyriale". It may be said, then, that these two books receive the names "Antiphonarium" and "Graduale" from the technical name of the most important chants included in them. Fundamentally all the chants, whether of the Mass or of the Divine Office, are sung antiphonally, and might, with etymological propriety, be comprised in the one general musical title of "Antiphonary."

History

[edit]
The 5th-century abecedarius A solis ortus cardine by Coelius Sedulius,
in a late 15th-century antiphonary from the former Kloster St. Katharina in St. Gallen
Folio 22r of the English Ranworth Antiphoner contains a portion of the Mass of the Nativity. The historiated initial depicts a Nativity scene.
The Poissy Antiphonal, folio 30 (Middle Ages).

Early history

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Gregory the Great is traditionally considered to have revised and collected the various texts and chants of the liturgy, giving rise to the term "Gregorian Chant" for liturgical plainsong melodies. The Gregorian Antiphonary, and the supplemental Antiphonarium Missae, left an enduring influence on the Roman liturgy.

Earlier popes had given, a medieval writer[who?] assures us, attention to the chants; and he specifies St. Damasus (d. 384), St. Leo (d. 461), St. Gelasius (d. 496), St. Symmachus (d. 514), St. John I (d. 526) and Boniface II (d. 532). It is true, also, that the chants used at Milan were styled, in honour of St. Ambrose (called the "Father of Church Song"), the Ambrosian Chant.

But it is not known whether any collection of the chants had been made before that of St. Gregory, concerning which his ninth-century biographer, John the Deacon, wrote: Antiphonarium centonem … compilavit. The authentic antiphonary mentioned by the biographer has not as yet been found. What was its character? What is meant by cento ("patchwork")? In the century in which John the Deacon wrote his life of the Saint, a cento meant the literary feat of constructing a coherent poem out of scattered excerpts from an ancient author, in such wise, for example, as to make the verses of Virgil sing the mystery of the Epiphany. The work, then, of St. Gregory was a musical cento, a compilation (centonem ... compilavit) of pre-existing material into a coherent and well-ordered whole. This does not necessarily imply that the musical centonization of the melodies was the special and original work of the Saint, as the practice of constructing new melodies from separate portions of older ones had already been in vogue two or three centuries earlier than his day. But is it clear that the cento was one of melodies as well as of texts? In answer it might indeed by said that in the earliest ages of the Church the chants must have been so very simple in form that they could easily be committed to memory; and that most of the subsequently developed antiphonal melodies could be reduced to a much smaller number of types, or typical melodies, and could thus also be memorized.

And yet many say that it is scarcely credible that the developed melodies of St. Gregory's time had never possessed a musical notation, had never been committed to writing. What made his antiphonary so very useful to chanters (as John the Deacon esteemed it) was probably his careful presentation of a revised text with a revised melody, written either in the characters used by the ancient authors (as set down in Boethius) or in neumatic notation. St. Augustine, sent to England by St. Gregory, carried with him a copy of the precious antiphonary, and founded at Canterbury a flourishing school of singing. A decree of the Second Council of Cloveshoo (747) directing that the celebration of the feasts, in respect to baptism, Masses and music (in cantilenæ modo), should follow the method of the book "which we received from the Roman Church".

That this book was the Gregorian antiphonary is clear from the testimony of Egbert, Bishop of York (732-766), who in his De Institutione Catholica speaks of the "Antiphonarium" and "Missale" which the "blessed Gregory … sent to us by our teacher, blessed Augustine".

Middle Ages

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It is impossible to trace here the progress of the Gregorian antiphonary throughout Europe, which resulted finally in the fact that the liturgy of Western Europe, with a very few exceptions, finds itself based fundamentally on the work of St. Gregory, whose labour comprised not merely the sacramentary, and the "Antiphonarium Missæ", but extended also to the Divine Office. Briefly, the next highly important step in the history of the antiphonary was its introduction into some dioceses of France where the liturgy had been Gallican, with ceremonies related to those of Milan and with chants developed by newer melodies. From the year 754 may be dated the change in favour of the Roman liturgy. St. Chrodegang, Bishop of Metz, on his return from an embassy to Rome, introduced the Roman liturgy into his diocese and founded the Chant School of Metz. Subsequently, under Charlemagne, French monks went to Rome to study the Gregorian tradition there, and some Roman teachers visited France.

The interesting story of Ekkehard, concerning two monks, Petrus and Romanus, sent from Rome to teach chant,[2] is not to be taken as historical. But a certain Petrus, according to Notker, was sent to Rome by Charlemagne and at the Abbey of St. Gall trained the monks in the Roman style. Besides Metz and St. Gall, other important schools of chant were founded at Rouen and Soissons. In the course of time new melodies were added, at first characterized by the simplicity of the older tradition, but gradually becoming more free in extended intervals. With respect to German manuscripts, the earliest are found in a style of neumatic notation different from that of St. Gall, while the St. Gall manuscripts are derived not directly from the Italian but from the Irish-Anglo-Saxon. It is probable that before the 10th and 11th centuries (at which period the St. Gall notation began to triumph in the German churches) the Irish and English missionaries brought with them the notation of the English antiphonary.

It would take too much space to record here the multiplication of antiphonaries and their gradual deterioration, both in text and in chant, from the Roman standard. The school of Metz began the process early. Commissioned by Louis the Pious to compile a "Graduale" and antiphonary, the priest Amalarius of Metz found a copy of the Roman antiphonary in the monastery of Corbie, and placed in his own compilation an M when he followed the Metz antiphonary, R when he followed the Roman, and an I C (asking Indulgence and Charity) when he followed his own ideas. His changes in the "Graduale" were few; in the antiphonary, many.

Part of the revision which, together with Elisagarus, he made in the responsories as against the Roman method, were finally adopted in the Roman antiphonary. In the 12th century, the commission established by St. Bernard to revise the antiphonaries of Citeaux criticized with undue severity the work of Amalarius and Elisagarus and withal produced a faulty antiphonary for the Cistercian Order. The multiplication of antiphonaries, the differences in style of notation, the variations in melody and occasionally in text, need not be further described here. In France especially, the multiplication of liturgies subsequently became so great, that when Prosper Guéranger, in the middle of the 19th century, started introducing the Roman liturgy into that country, sixty out of eighty dioceses had their own local breviaries.

That the word antiphonarium is, or was, quite elastic in its application, is shown by the remark of Amalarius in his Liber de ordine Antiphonarii, written in the first half of the 9th century. The work which in Metz was called "Antiphonarius" was divided into three in Rome: "What we call 'Graduale' they style 'Cantatorius'; and this, in accordance with their ancient custom, is still bound in a single volume in some of their churches. The remainder they divide into two parts: the one containing the responsories is called 'Responsoriale'; while the other, containing antiphons, is called 'Antiphonarius'. I have followed our custom, and have placed together (mixtim) the responsories and the antiphons according to the order of the seasons in which our feasts are celebrated" (P. L., CV, 1245). The word "cantatory" explains itself as a volume containing chants; it was also called "Graduale", because the chanter stood on a step (gradus) of the ambo or pulpit, while singing the response after the Epistle. Other ancient names for the antiphonary seem to have been Liber Officialis (Office Book) and "Capitulare" (a term sometimes used for the book containing the Epistles and Gospels).

Modern history

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Changes in the antiphonary were made in the Counter-Reformation, resulting from the reform of the Roman Breviary ordered by the Council of Trent and carried out under Pius V. The term antiphonarium, printed as a title to many volumes of the early modern period, is made to cover a very varied selection from the complete antiphonary. Sometimes it means practically a "Vesperale" (sometimes with Terce added; sometimes with various processional chants and blessings taken from the "Processionale" and "Rituale"). These volumes meet the local usages in certain dioceses with respect to Church services, and offer a practical manual for the worshipper, excluding portions of the Divine Office not sung in choir in some places and including those portions which are sung. (See also names of Antiphonaries, as Armagh, Antiphonary of Bangor etc.)

In the second half of the 19th century, there was a movement to restore medieval Gregorian music. Louis Lambillotte reproduced various antiphonaries and graduals, as did the "Plain Song and Medieval Music Society" and especially by André Mocquereau (1849–1930), whose Paléographie Musicale (established 1889) published phototypic reproductions of antiphonaries of Einsiedeln, of St. Gall, of Hartker, of Montpellier, of the twelfth-century monastic antiphonary found in the library of the Chapter of Lucca, which in course of publication illustrated the Guidonian notation that everywhere replaced, save in the school of St. Gall, the ambiguous method of writing the neums in campo aperto, Mocquereau was succeeded as editor of Paléographie Musicale by his leading disciple, Joseph Gajard (1885-1972) in 1930.

This appeal to early tradition has resulted in Pius X taking away its official sanction from the Ratisbon edition. The Ratisbon "Graduale", founded on the Medicean (which gave the chants as abbreviated and changed by Anerio and Suriano), and the "Antiphonarium" (which was based on the Antiphonale of Venice, 1585, with the responsories of Matins based on the Antwerp edition of 1611), would be replaced by the chants as found in the older codices.

The so-called "Ratisbon edition" of the Roman antiphonary, entitled Antiphonarium et Psalterium juxta ordinem Breviarii Romani cum cantu sub auspicis Pii IX et Leonis XIII Pontif. Maxim. reformato. Curâ et auctoritate S. Rituum Congregationis digestum Romæ, (edited by Friedrich Pustet, 1879)[3] was most widely used in the late nineteenth century, and commended for use in all the churches of the Catholic world by Pius IX and Leo XIII.

The first of these volumes to be issued, entitled: Tomus II. continens Horus Diurnus Breviarii Romani (Vesperale), contained the antiphons, psalms, hymns and versicles of the Canonical Hours styled Horæ Diurnæ, i. e. Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline. It comprised in one volume what in some editions had been distributed in several, such as the "Antiphonarium" (in a very restricted sense), the "Psalterium", the "Hymnarium", the "Responsoriale". The Office of Matins was divided into the other two volumes, one of which contained the invitatories, antiphons, hymns, etc., of Matins for the Proprium de Tempore (Proper of the Season), and the other, for the Commune Sanctorum (Common Office of the Saints) and the Proprium Sanctorum (Proper Office of the Saints).

A brief study of the divisions and arrangement of the Marquess of Bute's translation into English of the Roman Breviary will make clear from the above description the general character of a complete Roman antiphonary. It is suggested by some that this Ratisbon edition has lost its authentic and official character by virtue of the Motu proprio Tra le sollecitudini (22 November 1903), and the Decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites (8 January 1904).

Pope Pius X rejected the Ratisbon edition and ordered the creation of a new Vatican edition, in which both the texts and the melodies were to be revised in order to bring them into conformity with the results of recent palaeographic studies in Gregorian chant. The Ratisbon editions were replaced with the Vatican edition of 1912

The Antiphonale monasticum (1934) was produced by the Benedictines of Solesmes. In 1971 the Office was substantially revised and renamed the Liturgy of the Hours (Liturgia Horarum) and new books appeared: the Psalterium monasticum (1981) and the Liber hymnarius (1982).

Editions

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Printed editions
  • 1571-1573. Antiphonarii, juxta breviarium Romanum restitutum, pars hyemalis/aestiualis. Christopher Plantin, Antwerpen
  • 1596. Antiphonarium Romanum, Venetiis, Ad ritum Brevarii, ex decreto Sacrosancti Concilii Tridentini restituti, & Pii V. Pont. Max. iussu editi. Venetiis apud Iuntas.[1]
  • 1602. Antiphonarium Romanum. Egidio Forcellini.
  • 1607. Antiphonarium Romanum. Giacomo Pergamini.
  • 1625 Antiphonarium Romanum. Wilhelm Eder, Ingolstadt.
  • 1617. Antiphonarium Romanum : Iuxta Novum Breviarium Recognitum, Pro Ecclesiis Maxime Ruralibus Dioeceseos Frisingensis accommodatum [2]
  • 1687. Antiphonarium Romanum, juxta Breviarium Pii quinti pontificis maximi authoritate editum. Cujus modulatio concinnè disposita; in usum & gratiam monialium ordinis Sancti Avgvstini. Operâ & studio Guillelmi Gabrielis Nivers.
  • 1620. Antiphonale Romanum juxta Breviarium. Sacrosancti Concilii Tridentini restitutum. A. Clemente VIII. Maximo nuper recognitum. Parisiis, Apud Societatem Typographicam librerum Ecclesiasticiex Decreto Concilii Tridentini Via Iacobaea.
  • 1672. Antiphonarium Romanum nova et accurata notarum editione modulatum ad usum canonicorum regularium sancti Augustini ordinis S. Antonii. (Ep. ded. M. D. I. N. Joanni Rasse) sumptibus Abbatiae S. Antonii Viennensis.[3]
  • 1690. Antiphonarium Romanum de tempore et sanctis ad normam Breviarii ex decreto sacrosancti Concilii Tridentini restitut, S. Pii V Pontificis Maximi iussu editi. Apud Nicolaum Pezzana, Venice. 448 + lx pages. New editions printed in 1701, 1705, 1714, 1717, 1718, 1725, 1729, 1735, 1737, 1739, 1741, 1759, 1770, and 1771 (and possibly more), with up to 478 + lxxvii pages.
  • 1726. Antiphonarium Romanum, officio vesperarum præcipue accomodatum. ex typographia Gerardi à Bloemen [4]
  • 1750. Antiphonarium seu vesperale romanum totius anni, juxta breviarium sacrosancti concilii tridentini auctoritate recognitum, Clementis VIII et Urbani VIII jussu editum et emendatum. Tolosae, J.H Guillemette.
  • 1760. Antiphonarium romanum juxta breviarium Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae... typis Amati Delaroche.[5]
  • 1842. Antiphonarium seu Vesperale Romanum una cum Officio trium posteriorum dierum hebdomadae majoris editum ad usum Dioecesis Basileensis jussu. Joseph Antonii Episcopi Basileensis.
  • 1854. Vesperale romanum cum psalterio ex antiphonali romano fideliter extractum, cum cantu emendato. Editio prima, Mechliniae.
  • 1863. Antiphonarium Romanum Cantum Gregorianum ad vesperas et alia divina officia Breviarii Romani et proprii Coloniensis continens jussu . Joannis . presbyteri Cardinalis de Geissel Archiepiscopi Coloniensis.
  • 1865. Antiphonarium Romanum ad Normam Breviarii, ex decreto sacrosancti Concilii Tridentini restituti S. PII V Pontificis Maximi S. PII V Pontificis Maximi Jussu Editi Clementis VIII et Urbani VIII Auctoritate Recogniti Complectens Vesperas et Horas Tum De Tempore, Tum De Sanctis, Nec Non Praecipuorum Festorum Officia Nocturna, Adjecto in Fine Supplemento Officiorum Quibusdam Locis ex Apos.
  • 1872. Antiphonaire Romain, Comprenant les vêpres, les petites heures et les laudes pour toute l'année. Les Matines. L'office de l'Immaculée Conception.
  • 1875 Vesperale Romanum Juxta Ordinem Breviarii Romani cum cantu emendato editum sub auspiciis Ss. D. N. Pii PP.IX curante Sacr. Rituum Congregatione
  • 1887. Compendium Antiphonarii et Breviarii Romani. Concinnatum ex editionibus typicis, cura et auctoritate sacrorum rituum congregationis publicatis. Cum privilegio.
  • 1891. Pothier's Monastic Antiphonale.
    • Liber Antiphonarius Pro diurnis horis. Juxta ritum monasticum kalendario proprio Congregationis Gallicae ordinis Sancti Benedicti accommodatus.
    • Liber Antiphonarius pro Vesperis et Completorio. Officii Romani. Cum supplemento pro aliquibus locis.
    • Libri Antiphonarii Complementum pro Laudibus et Horis. Officii Romani. Cum supplemento pro aliquibus locis.
  • 1899. Vesperbuch (Vesperale Romanum) lateinisch und deutsch, enthaltend die Vespern des Kirchenjahres. Für Laien bearbeitet.
  • 1901. Vesperale Romanum. Antiphonarii Et Breviarii Romani.
  • 1912. Antiphonale Sacrosanctae Romamae Ecclesiae pro diurnis horis : SS. D.N. Pii X Pontificis Maximi jussu restitutum et editum. [6]
  • 1913. Vesperale Romanum: Excerptum Ex Antiphonali S. R. E. Jussu Ss. D. N. Pii X Pontificis Maximi Restituto Et Edito
    • editio Ratisbonensis juxta Vaticanam, Ratisbonae : F. Pustet.
    • editio Parisiensis juxta Vaticanam, Société d'Éditions du Chant Grégorien [7]
Manuscripts

Reproductions by Paléographie musicale, 1st series (23 volumes, 1889–2014):

  1. (1889) Introduction générale et Codex 339 de la bibliothèque de Saint-Gall, Antiphonale missarum sancti Gregorii (s. X) ISBN 978-2-85274-144-7
  2. [1891] Le répons-graduel Justus ut palma reproduit en fac-similé d'après plus de deux cents antiphonaires manuscrits d'origines diverses du IXe au XVIIe siècle [8]
  3. [1892] Le répons-graduel Justus ut palma reproduit en fac-similé d'après plus de deux cents antiphonaires manuscrits d'origines diverses du IXe au XVIIe siècle, deuxième partie
  4. (1894) Codex 121 de la bibliothèque d'Abbaye territoriale d'Einsiedeln|Einsiedeln Antiphonale missarum sancti Gregorii (Xe-XIe siècle) ISBN 978-2-85274-145-4[9]
  5. (1896) Codex additional 34209 du Musée britannique, Antiphonarium Ambrosianum (s. XII) ISBN 978-2-85274-179-9
  6. (1900) Codex additional 34209 du Musée britannique, Antiphonarium Ambrosianum (x. XII),
  7. (1901) Codex H. 159 de la bibliothèque de l'École de médecine de Montpellier, Antiphonarium tonale missarum (s. XI) ISBN 978-2-85274-177-5 [10]
  8. (1901-1905) Codex H. 159 de la bibliothèque de l'École de médecine de Montpellier, Antiphonarium tonale missarum, phototypies (première publication chez Desclée, Tournai) [11]
  9. (1906) Codex 601 de la bibliothèque capitulaire de Lucques, Antiphonaire monastique (s. XII) ISBN 978-2-85274-175-1 [12]
  10. (1909) Codex 239 de la bibliothèque de Laon, Antiphonale missarum sancti Gregorii (s. IX-X) ISBN 978-2-85274-146-1 [13]
  11. (1912) Codex 47 de la bibliothèque de Chartres, Antiphonale missarum sancti Gregorii (s. X) ISBN 978-2-85274-187-4 [14]
  12. (1922) Codex F. 160 de la bibliothèque de la cathédrale de Worcester, Antiphonaire monastique (s. XIII) ISBN 978-2-85274-178-2 [15]
  13. (1925) Codex 903 de la bibliothèque nationale de Paris, Graduel de Saint-Yrieix (s. XI) ISBN 978-2-85274-153-9[16]
  14. (1931) Codex 10673 du fonds Latin de la bibliothèque vaticane, Graduel bénéventain (s. XI) ISBN 978-2-85274-163-8 [17]
  15. (1937) Codex VI 34 de la bibliothèque captulaire de Bénévent, (s. XI-XII), Graduel avec prosaire et tropaire ISBN 978-2-85274-154-6 [18]
  16. (1955) Antiphonaire du Mont-Renaud, s. X, Graduel et Antiphonaire de Noyon, ISBN 978-2-85274-129-4
  17. [1958] Fragments des manuscrtis de Chartres, présentation par le chanoine Yves Delaporte. [19]
  18. [1969] Roma, Angelica Codex 123 (s. XI), à la bibliothèque Angelica de Rome, 70 p. et 265 planches de photos (publié chez Herbert Lang, Berne). [20]
  19. [1974] Le manuscrit 807, Universitätsbibliothek Graz (s. XII), Graduel de Klosterneuburg, ISBN 978-3-261-00304-1 [21]
  20. [1983] Le manuscrit VI-33, Archivio arcivescovile Benevento, Missel de Bénévent, début du s. XI. [22][23]
  21. (1992) Les témoins manuscrits du chant bénéventain par Thomas Forrest Kelly ISBN 978-2-85274-147-8
  22. (2001) Codex 21 de la bibliothèque capitulaire de Bénévent, Antiphonale monasticum (XIIe et XIIIe siècles) ISBN 978-2-85274-219-2
  23. (2014) Montecassino, Archivio dell' Abbazia, Ms. 542, Antiphonaire du s. XII, ed. Katarina Livljanic.

Paléographie musicale, 2nd series:

  1. (1900) Antiphonaire de Hartker, manuscrits de Saint-Gall 390 - 391 ISBN 978-2-85274-143-0
  2. (1924) Cantatorium de Saint-Gall, s. IX ISBN 978-2-85274-121-8

See also

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References

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An antiphonary, also spelled antiphonal, is a liturgical book used in the Roman Catholic Church that contains the antiphons, responsories, and other musical chants performed during the Divine Office, the cycle of daily prayers recited at the canonical hours. Antiphons are brief excerpts from Psalms, Scripture, or other sacred texts sung by a choir as refrains before and after psalms, canticles, or during key parts of the Mass such as the Introit, Offertory, and Communion. These books typically feature Gregorian chant notation—plainsong melodies without harmony or accompaniment—and are organized by the liturgical year, including sections for the Temporale (advent to Pentecost), Sanctorale (feasts of saints), and Commons (general occasions). Designed in large formats for shared use by choirs in monasteries, cathedrals, and convents, antiphonaries often include rubricated text, illuminated initials depicting saints or biblical scenes, and neumes or staff notation to guide singers. The antiphonary emerged in the as part of the development of Western , with roots traceable to the when books began standardizing the sung elements of the . By the , efforts to harmonize regional variations were underway, as exemplified by liturgist Amalarius of , who compared antiphonaries from Corbie and to create unified versions marked by origins such as "R" for Roman or "M" for , drawing on traditions attributed to . Medieval manuscripts, often produced on with elaborate decorations, served religious orders for centuries, as seen in examples like the late 12th-century Gottschalk Antiphonary, which remained in use at Lambach Abbey until the 15th century. From the , antiphonaries were increasingly integrated into breviaries for portability, though standalone volumes persisted for choral settings. Following the (1545–1563), the antiphonary underwent reforms to emphasize textual clarity and simplicity in chant, leading to printed editions that became widespread in the post-Reformation era. Notable 18th-century examples, such as those from Spanish convents, retained neumatic notation and focused on for daily observances and feast days. Today, while the Divine Office has evolved with the post-Vatican II, historical antiphonaries remain vital artifacts in libraries and archives, preserving the oral and musical traditions of medieval .

Definition and Purpose

Overview

An antiphonary is a liturgical book used in the choir for the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, containing the antiphons and associated chants for the Divine Office, also known as the Liturgy of the Hours. These antiphons are short biblical verses or sentences, typically drawn from Scripture, that frame the singing of psalms and canticles during the canonical hours such as Lauds and Vespers. The book's primary purpose is to provide the musical notation and texts necessary for the chanted portions of these daily prayer services, facilitating responsive singing by clergy and choir members in liturgical worship. The antiphonary originated in the early Christian Church, with the practice of antiphonal singing dating back to the fourth century; dedicated books for chants emerged in the early Middle Ages, with musical notation developing around the 9th century. It was further developed and attributed in tradition to Pope St. Gregory the Great in the late sixth century, who is said to have compiled the chants into a more uniform collection. As part of the broader liturgical reforms following the Council of Trent, including Pope St. Pius V's revised Roman Breviary in 1568, the texts for the antiphonary were standardized for the Roman Rite. Basic components of the antiphonary include the antiphons themselves, along with responsories, versicles, and hymns, with musical settings in notation, such as neumes; psalm texts are referenced via incipits, with full versions in complementary books like the . It also features rubrics—instructional notes often in red ink—guiding the performance according to liturgical seasons like Advent or , as well as indices for navigating feasts of saints and common offices. This structure ensures the book serves as a practical resource for the rhythmic and melodic execution of the Divine Office.

Liturgical Role

The serves as an essential in the Catholic Divine Office, providing the chants and antiphons for the , including , , Prime, , , None, , and . It integrates seamlessly with the or of , hymns, versicles, and responsories, where antiphons are placed before and after these texts to frame and contextualize them within the structure. This arrangement supports the rhythmic flow of the , enabling its use in both private devotion and communal worship. Antiphons in the antiphonary enhance the meditative and theological depth of the by highlighting Christological themes and key scriptural sentences, thereby aiding participants in understanding the ' typological significance. These short chants vary according to the liturgical , with proper antiphons assigned to seasons such as Advent, , and , as well as solemnities, feasts, and memorials, ensuring that the reflects the Church's seasonal and saintly commemorations. Even in non-sung recitation, antiphons are retained to maintain this contextual enrichment, promoting a more profound spiritual engagement. Designed for choral use, the antiphonary facilitates antiphonal singing, in which melodies are alternated between two divisions of the , fostering responsive participation and communal harmony during services. Its large format and clear notation allow multiple singers to share the book, making it suitable for and monastic communities where full choirs perform . Originally rooted in monastic recitation, the antiphonary's role expanded through post-Trent standardization, adapting it for wider parish and practices while preserving its core function in the . This evolution ensured uniform liturgical expression across the Church, transitioning from primarily enclosed settings to broader ecclesial use.

Terminology and Classification

Key Terms

The term antiphonary originates from the Greek antiphōna (ἀντίφωνα), a neuter plural form meaning "sounds against" or "responsive sounds," which refers to the practice of alternating or responsive singing between sections or soloists. This etymology underscores the book's primary function in facilitating antiphonal chant, a style of involving call-and-response elements. In Latin, the word evolved into antiphonarius or antiphonarium, appearing in medieval liturgical contexts as a descriptor for collections of such chants. Common synonyms in English include antiphonal and antiphonary, while historical variants such as liber antiphonarius (literally "book of antiphons") were used in early manuscripts to denote the volume containing these responsive pieces. A key related concept is the antiphon itself, defined as a brief verse or , often drawn from Scripture, that frames the singing of a psalm or by being recited or sung at its beginning and end. This distinguishes it from the responsory, a more elaborate chant form consisting of a principal respond () followed by one or more verses, typically performed after a lesson or reading in the Divine Office, with the choir repeating portions of the respond after each verse. Linguistically, antiphonarius transitioned from its Latin roots in ninth-century Carolingian reforms and medieval texts—where it specifically named books of chants—to contemporary English usage as antiphonary, a term now broadly applied to any compilation of antiphons for liturgical use, including those in traditions.

Distinctions from Other Chant Books

The antiphonary primarily contains the chant settings for the Divine , including antiphons framing and other chants like responsories and hymns, whereas the focuses on the musical proper of the , such as introits, tracts, and offertories. This distinction arises from their respective liturgical contexts: the antiphonary supports the outside the , while the accompanies the Mass's variable chants. In contrast to the processional, which provides portable chants for liturgical processions and is designed for movement, the antiphonary is intended for stationary use in choir stalls during the fixed hours of . Although some antiphonaries may incorporate processional elements borrowed from the Processionale Romanum, the core function of the antiphonary remains tied to the structured prayer of the Divine Office rather than ambulatory rituals. Unlike the , which compiles metrical hymns often in vernacular or polyphonic settings without accompanying antiphons, the antiphonary emphasizes monophonic with notated antiphons integral to psalmody. While antiphonaries may include some hymns, their primary role is to provide the melodic framework for antiphonal psalm singing, distinguishing them from hymnals dedicated to standalone devotional songs. Antiphonaries are classified into Roman and monastic types, reflecting differences in the 's structure: the Roman antiphonary follows the secular rite with its arrangement and hour divisions, while the monastic version adapts to the fuller Benedictine schema, including extended . Excerpted versions, such as the Vesperale, limit contents to chants for practical use in parishes or smaller communities, omitting the full repertoire found in complete antiphonaries.

Historical Development

Early Origins

The antiphonary, as a containing antiphons and other chants for the Divine Office, traces its early origins to the late in the Roman Church, where oral traditions of psalmody and responsorial singing formed the basis of monastic and papal worship. Popular legend attributes the compilation of the first antiphonary to (c. 540–604), who is said to have dictated chants received through divine inspiration, symbolized by the in the form of a dove. However, contemporary scholarship views this as a later hagiographic embellishment, with no evidence in Gregory's writings of such a compilation; instead, his actual contributions likely involved organizing the Roman schola cantorum, a school for training cantors that standardized the performance of existing chants in papal liturgies. The spread of these Roman chant practices beyond Italy occurred through missionary efforts in the late 6th and 7th centuries, introducing antiphonal forms to newly converted regions. In 597, , sent by Gregory I, brought Roman liturgical books and chant traditions to , establishing monastic communities at that adapted these for local use in the Daily Office. Similar influences reached via papal envoys and missionaries like those under in the mid-8th century, while in , Visigothic clergy incorporated elements of Roman antiphony amid their own Mozarabic rites, fostering hybrid forms before fuller integration. Pre-Carolingian antiphonaries emerged in the 7th and 8th centuries as the transition from oral transmission to written codices began, primarily in insular monastic settings where chants were memorized but texts preserved for reference. Initially reliant on aural learning within scholae and communities, these early books contained antiphon texts without , reflecting the dominance of oral pedagogy in chant performance. A key surviving example is the Antiphonary of Bangor, a late 7th-century Irish (c. 680–691) from the monastery of Bangor in , comprising hymns, canticles, and prayers that illustrate the Celtic adaptation of Roman and local liturgical elements.

Medieval Variations

During the 8th and 9th centuries, the Carolingian reforms under aimed to standardize liturgical practices across the Frankish empire, promoting the as a unifying model while incorporating elements from the local Gallican tradition. This effort resulted in a hybrid Roman-Gallican , evident in antiphonaries that blended Roman chants with Gallican prayers and sequences to facilitate widespread adoption in monastic and settings. 's initiatives, including the importation of Roman cantors to , sought to eliminate regional variations, though the resulting antiphonaries often retained Gallican influences in their antiphonal structures and melodic contours. Monastic traditions significantly shaped medieval antiphonaries, with the Benedictine abbey of St. Gall preserving a distinct variant through manuscripts like the Hartker Antiphoner, which documented chants for the Divine Office in a neumed notation reflective of early 10th-century practices. This St. Gall tradition emphasized fidelity to oral transmission while adapting Roman elements to Benedictine liturgical rhythms, influencing broader Germanic monastic chant books. In the 12th century, the Cistercian order, under , introduced simplifications to antiphonaries by reducing ornate melodic flourishes and limiting the number of antiphons to essential texts, aiming for austerity and uniformity across their expanding network of abbeys. Regional styles further diversified antiphonaries, as seen in the Aquitanian tradition of southwestern , where notation employed distinctive neumes—such as elongated oriscus forms—to indicate microtonal inflections and rhythmic freedoms not captured in northern square notation. These Aquitanian antiphonaries, often linked to monasteries, supported troped and versus additions that enriched local offices. In , the Sarum Use, centered at from the late 11th century, produced antiphonaries tailored to insular customs, incorporating unique antiphons for feasts and processions that diverged from continental norms while adhering to the broader Roman framework. The of the played a pivotal role in standardizing antiphonaries for larger abbeys, as the influential monastery of expanded its liturgical model to affiliated houses, emphasizing elaborate but consistent repertoires to support communal prayer in grand settings. This involved compiling comprehensive antiphonaries with fixed antiphonal cycles, influencing subsequent monastic practices across . Throughout these developments, neumes in antiphonaries evolved from adiastematic forms—indicating melodic direction without precise pitch—to diastematic notations on lines by the , enabling more accurate transmission of regional variants.

Post-Reformation Standardization

The Council of Trent (1545–1563), convened to address doctrinal and disciplinary issues amid the Protestant Reformation, emphasized the need for liturgical uniformity within the Roman Rite to restore order and clarity to Catholic worship. In its 25th session, the council decreed revisions to the missal and breviary, commissioning standardized texts that would eliminate variations and abuses. This effort culminated under Pope Pius V, who promulgated the Breviarium Romanum in 1568, which included the texts of antiphons and responsories for the Divine Office. Chant books such as the Antiphonale Romanum followed in subsequent printed editions in the late 16th century, such as those from Venice in 1585, aligning with Trent's goals of uniformity by gradually standardizing the musical elements across the Latin Church, except for rites over two centuries old. As part of the broader , these reforms suppressed numerous local liturgical uses to enforce Roman centrality, abolishing variants such as the Sarum Rite in , which had developed medieval diversity but was deemed incompatible with the unified standard. This centralization strengthened ecclesiastical authority but reduced the rich tapestry of local chant traditions, aligning the antiphonary's contents strictly with the revised for consistent performance of the . In the , efforts to restore authentic emerged at , refounded in 1833 by Dom , where monks undertook paleographic studies of medieval manuscripts to reconstruct the original notation and rhythms obscured by post-Trent editions. This scholarly work, led by figures like Dom Joseph Pothier, produced influential publications that revived neumatic accuracy and modal purity in antiphonal chants, influencing subsequent Vatican oversight. Papal interventions further advanced this standardization, notably Pope Pius X's motu proprio Tra le Sollecitudini (1903), which elevated from the antiphonary as the ideal form of sacred music, mandating its exclusive use in and commissioning a definitive Vatican edition based on Solesmes research to ensure fidelity to ancient sources. This decree rejected contemporary alterations, reinforcing the post-Trent uniformity while prioritizing historical authenticity in the antiphonary's chants.

20th-Century Reforms

In the early , initiated significant liturgical reforms that extended to the antiphonary as part of a broader effort to restore and streamline the Divine Office. The Antiphonale Romanum published in 1912 under his auspices incorporated revised rubrics from the Divino afflatu (1911), which restructured the to ensure its complete recitation each week while simplifying the integration of feasts by assigning ferial elements to lower-ranking celebrations and reducing the overall proliferation of octaves and vigils. This edition focused on the diurnal hours ( through ), excluding , and emphasized melodic purity based on paleographic studies, serving as a foundational component of the Vatican Edition of books alongside the Graduale Romanum of 1908. The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) marked a pivotal shift in liturgical practice, promoting greater accessibility through vernacular languages while retaining Latin as the normative tongue for the . In the reformed , antiphons and responsories could be recited or sung in local languages to enhance participation, yet the traditional Latin antiphonary was preserved for communities desiring continuity with pre-conciliar forms, as affirmed in . This dual approach allowed for adaptation without fully supplanting the Latin textual and musical heritage, ensuring the antiphonary's role in solemn, choral settings remained intact. The 1971 revision of the , promulgated by , further simplified the antiphonary's framework by introducing a four-week cycle, reducing the number of hours to , Daytime Prayer, , and (with optional minor hours), and emphasizing complementary psalmody over repetitive structures. The resulting Antiphonale Romanum II (officially adapted in subsequent editions) provided streamlined chants for on Sundays and major feasts, integrating new antiphons and versicles while omitting extensive propers for lesser observances to facilitate pastoral use. Complementing this, the Liber Hymnarius (1983) collected revised hymns suitable for the reformed , drawing on ancient sources to support melodic variety in both Latin and vernacular contexts. Throughout these reforms, scholarly work profoundly shaped textual and musical authenticity. The Paléographie Musicale series, launched by the Solesmes Congregation in 1889 and extending into the , offered reproductions and critical analyses of medieval manuscripts, influencing the rhythmic interpretations and antiphonal selections in both the 1912 and post-Vatican II editions by prioritizing paleographic fidelity over 19th-century romanticizations. This ongoing project, with volumes dedicated to antiphonaries like those of Hartker and Bangor, provided the evidential basis for restoring original neumes and modes, ensuring reforms aligned with historical transmission rather than innovation.

Structure and Contents

Organization of Chants

The antiphonary is typically organized into two primary cycles reflecting the liturgical calendar: the temporale, which follows the movable feasts of the church year, and the sanctorale, which addresses fixed commemorations of saints. This arrangement ensures that chants align with the seasonal and thematic progression of the Divine Office. In the temporale, chants are sequenced chronologically from the of Advent through the seasons of , , , and , extending into the time after (known in modern usage as ). This structure emphasizes the life of Christ, with antiphons, responsories, and other chants tailored to each and (weekday) within these periods. For instance, Advent chants focus on preparation and prophecy, while highlights themes. The sanctorale comprises dedicated sections for the feasts of specific saints, ordered by their calendar dates from November 30 (St. Andrew) onward, looping through the year. It includes proper chants for major saints and is supplemented by the commune sanctorum, a collection of reusable texts and melodies for categories of saints such as apostles, martyrs, or confessors when no unique proper exists. Feasts are classified by rank—simple, semidouble, or double—to indicate the extent of Office observance, such as whether antiphons apply to one or both Vespers. Structural elements facilitate navigation and performance: psalm tones, consisting of eight principal modes with melodic formulas for reciting psalms, are indicated by differentiae (cadential endings) often notated over the syllables "euouae" (representing the doxology's conclusion). Mode indications assign each chant to one of the eight church modes, ensuring tonal coherence between antiphons and psalm verses. Neumes, the early square notation placed above the text, convey melodic contours without precise rhythm. Festal indices or calendars at the front list feasts with rubrics specifying their grade and required chants, while typical page layouts feature large, historiated initials, red ink rubrics for instructions, and dense text blocks to conserve parchment in medieval manuscripts. Variations occur across editions, with full antiphonaries encompassing chants for all eight (Matins through ) across the complete , whereas excerpted versions—common in monastic contexts—omit minor hours like Prime, , , and None to focus on the greater hours of , , and . Some later medieval antiphonaries cover only portions of the year, using notations (text beginnings without full neumes) for familiar chants to reduce volume size.

Types of Antiphons Included

The antiphonary primarily contains psalm antiphons, which are short melodic verses sung before and after the of during the , serving as refrains to frame the psalmody and highlight thematic elements of the liturgical day. These antiphons vary in complexity, ranging from simple syllabic settings for ferial days to more ornate, melismatic compositions for feasts, with their melodies often derived from biblical texts or patristic sources. Among the most elaborate forms are the antiphons, used in to introduce and conclude the singing of the Gospel canticle from , and the Benedictus antiphons, employed similarly in for the canticle from ; both types are categorized into ferial (brief and archaic in modality), festal (balanced and developed), and centonized (composite or later compositions). These antiphons often feature heightened musical expression to underscore the canticles' doctrinal significance, with melodies that may include extended melismas on key syllables. antiphons, a subset of psalm antiphons, accompany entries or movements within the Office, such as the procession into choir for major hours, providing a rhythmic and meditative framework for communal movement. All antiphons in the antiphonary are assigned to one of the eight Gregorian modes, derived from three archaic prototypes (on finals D, E, and A in modern notation) and organized into authentic (odd-numbered) and plagal (even-numbered) pairs to suit the liturgical mood and textual affect; for instance, Mode I (Dorian) frequently appears in antiphons evoking solemnity or penitence, as in the antiphon Tradetur enim for . Mode assignments ensure melodic coherence with accompanying psalm tones, with the mode indicated by a Roman numeral at the start of each piece to guide performance. In addition to antiphons, the antiphonary incorporates responsories, which are extended chants following readings—short responsories for minor hours in responsorial style (soloist and alternating) and great responsories for in tripartite A-B-A form with verse interpolation—and versicles, the briefest Office elements, such as the versicle Deus in adiutorium drawn from Psalm 70, typically syllabic with occasional melismas in archaic modes. , though not core to the antiphonary's purpose, are occasionally appended in monastic editions, featuring metrical structures like iambic dimeter and simple, popular melodies in pentatonic scales, as in the first-mode Immense caeli conditor for None on .

Notable Editions and Manuscripts

Major Printed Editions

The first major printed edition of the Antiphonale Romanum post-Trent was published in in 1585 by Angelo Gardanus. This edition helped establish a standard for the , drawing from the reformed of Pius V to unify liturgical chant with notation and rubrics for the Divine Office, including antiphons, responsories, and other chants. Regional variations on this standard soon emerged, such as the 1596 Venetian edition printed by the Giunta press, which adapted the Roman model to local customs while adhering to the Tridentine reforms. This print, titled Antiphonarium Romanum ad ritum Breviarii ex decreto Sacrosancti Concilii Tridentini restituti, reflected Venice's active role in early post-Trent liturgical publishing and included chants for the full . In the early , initiated a major revision to restore ancient chant practices, resulting in the 1912 Vatican edition of the Antiphonale Romanum. Supervised by the Pontifical Commission on Sacred Music and incorporating the rhythmic notation developed by the Solesmes monks, this edition rejected the 19th-century Ratisbon versions in favor of neume-based square notation aligned with paleographic sources. It emphasized authentic Gregorian melodies for , , and , influencing global Catholic chant practice until Vatican II. For monastic communities, the Abbey of Solesmes produced the Antiphonale Monasticum in 1935, adapting the Vatican edition to the Benedictine and structure. This comprehensive volume, over 1,300 pages, integrated Solesmes' rhythmic signs (e.g., ictus marks) with chants for the full monastic day hours, serving as the standard for Benedictine choirs until post-conciliar updates. Following Vatican II, the Antiphonale Romanum II of 1974 represented a significant , incorporating reforms from the Liturgia Horarum (–1975) with bilingual Latin-vernacular elements and simplified rubrics for the revised calendar. Published under the oversight of the Congregation for Divine Worship, it focused on and feasts, blending traditional Gregorian antiphons with new compositions to support contemporary liturgical participation.

Significant Manuscripts

One of the earliest significant manuscripts associated with the antiphonary tradition is the 9th-century example from the Abbey of St. Gall in , exemplified by Sangallensis 359, known as the St. Gall Cantatorium. This manuscript, dated to around 922–926, features neumatic notation in the Carolingian style, marking it as one of the oldest complete surviving sources of for liturgical chants, including elements that align with antiphonal practices for the . Its use of adiastematic neumes—symbols indicating melodic contour without precise pitch—reflects the transitional phase from oral to written transmission of chant in Carolingian monasteries, providing crucial evidence for the of Gregorian repertoires during the period. The Hartker Antiphonary, compiled in the late at St. Gall, stands as a landmark in the evolution of fully notated antiphonaries, consisting of two volumes (Codices Sangallenses 390 and 391) personally copied and illuminated by the monk Hartker between 986 and 1011. This work employs highly detailed adiastematic , offering a comprehensive collection of chants for the Divine Office from through , organized by liturgical feasts rather than mode, with inclusions for local St. Gall observances. Its significance lies in its status as one of the earliest complete neumed antiphoners for monastic use, showcasing refined notation techniques that influenced subsequent European chant manuscripts, including subtle variations in neume forms for rhythmic and melodic nuance. In England, the Winchester Troper from the 11th century represents a key development in antiphonary-related manuscripts through its incorporation of troped additions to standard chants. Preserved primarily in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, MS 473 (and partially in Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Bodley 775), this troper dates to circa 1050 and includes over 150 two-voice polyphonic tropes added to antiphons, introits, and other Office elements, expanding the plainchant repertory with elaborate melodic elaborations. These additions highlight the creative liturgical practices at Winchester Cathedral, where tropes served to interpolate poetic and musical extensions, preserving some of the earliest evidence of Western polyphony integrated into antiphonal structures. Modern facsimiles have played a vital role in preserving and studying these early antiphonaries, particularly through the Paléographie Musicale series initiated by the Solesmes monks in 1889. Volumes such as the first edition (reproducing the Hartker Antiphonary in 1900) and subsequent ones (e.g., Volume 10 on the 10th-century , and Volume 13 on 11th–12th-century sources) provide high-fidelity phototypic reproductions of 10th- to 12th-century codices, enabling scholars to analyze variations, scribal hands, and regional dialects without handling fragile originals. These editions, now digitized in many cases, have facilitated comparative studies of antiphonary evolution across Carolingian, Ottonian, and Anglo-Saxon traditions.

Usage and Performance

In Canonical Hours

The antiphonary plays a central role in the traditional Roman Rite Divine Office by providing the prescribed antiphons that frame and accompany the psalms, canticles, and other elements of each canonical hour, enhancing their thematic and musical coherence. In the traditional Roman Rite, these antiphons are chanted before and after the psalmody, with their recitation varying by the rank of the feast—fully sung before and after on higher-ranking doubles, or partially intoned before and fully after on lesser occasions. This structure ensures that the antiphons serve as meditative refrains, often drawn from Scripture or patristic texts, to illuminate the liturgical day's mystery. For Matins, the longest of the hours and typically divided into one, two, or three nocturns depending on the liturgical day, the antiphonary supplies multiple antiphons corresponding to the psalms in each nocturn—usually three psalms per nocturn, each with its own antiphon recited before and after. An invitatory antiphon precedes the invitatory psalm (most often Psalm 94, the Venite), sung responsorially by the choir to summon the community to prayer, with variations such as the addition of "Alleluia" during Paschal time. On solemnities and feasts, proper antiphons from the antiphonary are used, while ferial days draw from the common or current psalter, emphasizing scriptural depth across the nocturns' vigil-like character. In Lauds and Vespers, the major hours of praise and morning/evening prayer, the antiphonary provides antiphons that frame the psalms and the principal canticles—the Benedictus in Lauds and the Magnificat in Vespers—with five antiphons typically assigned to the psalmody on feasts (varying psalms by day, such as Psalms 50, 117, and 62 with an Old Testament canticle and the Benedictus for Lauds; five psalms with the Magnificat for Vespers). These antiphons exhibit seasonal variations, such as the "O" Antiphons during Advent for Vespers or Lenten themes, and are sung in modes aligned with the psalm tones for musical unity; the canticle antiphon varies daily or weekly to reflect the liturgical readings. The minor hours—Prime, Terce, Sext, and None—feature shorter antiphons from the antiphonary, often one per hour accompanying three , which are frequently recurring from the ferial or psalter unless proper ones are indicated for solemnities. These antiphons, intoned by the hebdomadarius and repeated fully after the , underscore brief moments of daytime with concise texts tied to the hour's theme, such as work or midday reflection. In , the concluding hour, the antiphonary offers simple closing antiphons for the (e.g., 4, 91, and 134) and especially for the , often Marian in nature like "" from to Advent, recited after the to seal the night office in devotion.

Choral and Monastic Practices

In choral and monastic settings, the antiphonary facilitates antiphonal singing, a practice where two sides of the alternate verses of and other chants, fostering a dialogic structure that enhances communal participation. This alternation, with choirs positioned to face each other, originated in early monastic communities during the fourth and fifth centuries and was codified in the around 530, which prescribed its use in the daily to promote attentive and balanced . The or choir director plays a central role, consulting the antiphonary to intone the or at the beginning and end of psalmody, while guiding the ensemble through responsorial elements where soloists perform ornate sections. Monastic customs emphasize full recitation of the antiphonary's contents in abbeys, reflecting the Rule of Saint Benedict's directive for comprehensive psalmody across the to sustain continuous . In Cistercian communities, established in the eleventh century, austerity shaped performance by simplifying the chant repertory; by 1190, reforms reduced melodic elaborations and florid passages to align with principles of simplicity and modal conformity, eliminating perceived excesses from earlier Gregorian traditions. Cathedral practices evolved to incorporate polyphonic additions during the , where composers set antiphons from the antiphonary in multiple voices, alternating with plain sections to enrich and other Offices, as seen in works by figures like that drew directly from liturgical sources. Following the nineteenth century, organ accompaniment became prevalent in these settings, with harmonizations adapting Gregorian modes to chords and rhythmic signs derived from Solesmes restorations, allowing the instrument to support rather than dominate the . Training for these practices occurs through schola cantorum methods, which focus on reading to interpret the antiphonary's square notation, emphasizing rhythmic flow and textual accentuation as taught in Solesmes-inspired curricula. Participants learn to recognize neume groupings—such as podatus, clivis, and torculus—for melodic contour and phrasing, progressing from exercises to ensemble performance that preserves the chant's unmeasured, free rhythm.

Modern Adaptations

Post-Vatican II Changes

The reforms to the antiphonary following the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) were implemented between 1969 and 1971 as part of the broader revision of the , promulgated by through the Laudis canticum on November 1, 1971, and the four-volume Liturgia Horarum. These changes reduced the traditional eight to five principal ones—Office of Readings, Morning Prayer (Lauds), Daytime Prayer, Evening Prayer (Vespers), and Night Prayer (Compline)—by suppressing the Hour of Prime and relocating elements of to the flexible Office of Readings, aiming to simplify the structure for greater accessibility while preserving the prayer's sanctifying role throughout the day. Antiphons, central to framing the psalms and canticles in the antiphonary, were made optional in non-sung celebrations to accommodate shorter recitations, as outlined in the General Instruction of the (1971), which emphasized their role in highlighting key scriptural themes but allowed omission without replacing them to prioritize brevity. translations of antiphons and other texts were also permitted, building on (no. 101), which authorized local ordinaries to approve non-Latin versions for clerics and religious communities, fostering wider participation beyond Latin-only recitation. For example, in the revised , antiphons were designed for easy adaptation to psalm tones, enabling the faithful to engage more directly with the texts. New editions of the antiphonary emerged to align with these reforms, notably the Antiphonale Monasticum published in 1983 by the Abbey of Solesmes, which provided Gregorian chant notations for the daytime hours of the revised monastic Liturgy of the Hours, including antiphons, responsories, and psalms adapted to the post-conciliar rubrics. This edition integrated seamlessly with the Ordo Cantus Officii (1983), offering a structured schema for selecting chants from historical manuscripts while conforming to the simplified office, thus supporting Benedictine communities in maintaining musical tradition amid the changes. In traditionalist circles, the pre-reform antiphonary remains unchanged, as the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, authorized by Pope Benedict XVI's motu proprio Summorum Pontificum (2007), permits the use of the 1962 Roman Breviary—including its associated antiphonary—for the full Liturgy of the Hours by ordained clerics and communities with permission, preserving the eight-hour structure and Latin antiphons without alteration. Ecumenical influences from these Catholic reforms extended to other traditions, with Anglican revisions such as the 1979 Book of Common Prayer (Episcopal Church) incorporating optional antiphons and a four-week psalter cycle inspired by Vatican II's emphasis on scriptural richness and vernacular accessibility in the Daily Office. Similarly, post-Vatican II dialogues prompted limited adaptations in Eastern Orthodox liturgy, such as enhanced psalmody and antiphonal elements in some modern Horologia, reflecting shared ecumenical goals for renewal without fully adopting the Roman antiphonary structure.

Digital and Scholarly Resources

The Cantus Database serves as a comprehensive online archive indexing chants from medieval and early modern manuscripts, including numerous antiphonaries such as the twelfth-century Gottschalk Antiphoner from Lambach Abbey, enabling scholars to search by melody, text, and source for comparative liturgical studies. Similarly, the (IMSLP) provides free access to scanned editions of historical antiphonaries, such as the Antiphonarium officii compiled around 990–1000 by the St. Gallen monk Hartker and the Antiphonarium romanum arranged by Guillaume-Gabriel Nivers in the seventeenth century, facilitating digital dissemination of public-domain scores. Software tools like Gregorio, an open-source project, allow users to typeset in square notation using ASCII-based GABC input, integrated with for producing professional scores suitable for antiphonary reconstruction and modern publications. Mobile applications further enhance access to antiphonary content; for instance, Neumz offers over 9,000 hours of recorded s for the , including antiphons for the Divine Office, streamed via and Android with a interface aligned to liturgical cycles (as of November 2025). Twenty-first-century scholarship has advanced understanding of neume evolution in antiphonaries through analyses tracing the transition from adiastematic to diastematic notation, as explored in studies emphasizing heightened neumes' role in specifying pitch intervals from the tenth century onward. The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the , adopted in 2003, has supported global efforts to preserve and document chant traditions, including Gregorian forms integral to antiphonaries, by recognizing oral and performative musical heritages. Despite these advancements, digital resources for antiphonaries remain limited for post-1971 liturgical reforms, with most archives prioritizing pre-conciliar manuscripts and scores, creating gaps in accessible electronic versions of simplified or vernacular-adapted chants. Concurrently, a global revival of in the twenty-first century has gained traction among younger demographics and through media integrations, such as in video games and streaming platforms, fostering renewed interest in antiphonary performance and study beyond traditional settings. As of 2025, this revival includes events like the Church Music Association of America's Colloquium (June 23–28, 2025), offering extensive chant training, and Neumz's sponsorship of the Gregorian Chant Session at (July 6–12, 2025).

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