Nocturns/2 - Rubrics for the psalms, antiphons and canticles

Antiphons are said at each of the hours, following their institution by Holy Ambrose; this as done because…Blessed Ignatius, the third bishop of Antioch after Blessed Peter, was on a certain mountain and heard choirs of angels singing antiphons.  Thus the Greeks first composed antiphons, and arranged their singing with Psalms in a choir, as though in a choral dance…the antiphon itself signifies the bond of charity or mutual love,  without which a work cannot come forth and through which a work starts to be meritorious.  It is therefore proper that the melody of the Psalm is formed according to the tone of the antiphon, because love forms our works…

William Durand, Rationale V

The rubrics - charting your progress!

Because the psalms are so important to the Benedictine Office, I plan to devote the next couple of posts to issues around selecting books containing them.

Before I do that though I thought I would briefly cover the rubrics for the psalms, which are pretty straightforward.  Just so you can keep track of where we are at, here is a listing of the elements of Matins - the one's bolded are the rubrics I have already covered; the ones dealt with in this post are highlighted in yellow.

ELEMENTS   OF MATINS

OPENING SECTION

Opening prayer – Domine labia mea aperies

Psalm 3

Invitatory antiphon and Psalm 94

Hymn

NOCTURNS

Antiphons

Psalms of the day of the week

Psalms of Commons and feasts

Canticles

Versicle, Our Father and absolution

Blessings for the reader

Readings

Responsories

CONCLUDING SECTION

Te Deum (hymn)

Gospel

Te Decet Laus (hymn)

Concluding Prayers

Rubrics for the psalms and antiphons

In fact the psalms at Matins are sung exactly the same way as for the other hours, with only a few minor points worth noting.  As for the other hours:

• an antiphon is said before and after each psalm or group of psalms (or canticles);
• in choir, the antiphon is intoned by a cantor, then everyone joins in the second half;
• the cantor also sings the first half of the first verse, and is joined in the second half by his or her side of the choir;
• verses then alternate between sides of the choir; and
• everyone stands for the antiphons, and for the Gloria Patri at the end of each psalm.

The psalms can either be said (if you saying the Office by yourself); sung on one note; or chanted to the psalm tones dictated by the antiphons.

How many antiphons?

One point worth noting is that the number of antiphons said can vary.  On major feasts, there is usually one antiphon for each psalm, but on Sundays throughout the year, the first and second Nocturns generally have one antiphon for every two psalms.

Nocturns I&II: Sundays/Major feasts

When?	Number of antiphons	Where found
Class I feasts	1 antiphon per psalm (6 in total)	Liber Responsorialis or other sources
Class II Sundays outside Paschaltide	3 antiphons	Psalter
Paschaltide to Pentecost	1 antiphon	Psalter

On weekdays, one antiphon is normally used for every two psalms in the first Nocturn (found in the psalter), but outside of Septuagesima and Lent, all of the psalms of the second Nocturn are said under an Alleluia as antiphon.

Weekdays/Class III feasts

When?	Number of antiphons
Nocturn I	As per psalter (3)
Nocturn II – Septuagesima and Lent	As per psalter (3)
Nocturn II outside of Lent	1 antiphon (alleluia)

Third Nocturn canticles

The canticles are performed in exactly the same way as the psalms, but the third Nocturn only ever has one antiphon for its three canticles.  You can find a listing of the canticles used for seasons and in the Commons, with links to notes on some of them here.