Sarlós Boldogasszony ferences kegytemplom, Sümeg
Ambrosian Chants for Epiphany
Sarlós Boldogasszony ferences kegytemplom, Sümeg
Ambrosian Chants
for Epiphany
The patriarchal city of Milan traces its liturgy and liturgical music
back to the great doctor of the church, Saint Ambrose. The Ambrosian
liturgy named after him is a sister to the Roman, with many common but
many differing traits. The material on this disc presents music for the
mass and vespers for Epiphany.
The mass begins with the Ingressa (#1), similar to the
Roman Introit, but without the psalm. After the reading, we hear a
highly ornamented Psalm (#3), then an Alleluia (#4).
When repeated the alleluia is extended with a long, independent
melisma, that is, a wordless melody - we could even call it an aria.
The distinguishing feature of the Ambrosian mass is the Antiphon
before and after the gospel (#5, 7). The gospel
itself (#6) is intoned in an interesting mode, and before it warning
exhortations are heard. In the mass for Epiphany, the date for the
feast of Easter in the given year was recited after the gospel. The Offertorium
(#9) is again prolonged by an extensive melisma. In the Ambrosian mass
the breaking of the bread is before the Pater Noster, and is
accompanied by a special chant, known as the Confractorium
(#11). The Communion chant, known as the Transitorium (#13),
is somewhat simpler in texture than its Gregorian equivalent.
Compared to Gregorian, Ambrosian music is much richer in embellishment
and melisma. Frequently, pausing on one syllable, long melodies without
clearly articulated texts are interpolated. True enough, in the simple
genres such as the office antiphon, Ambrosian is even simpler than
Gregorian. On special but attractive feature of Ambrosian chant is the
use of tonalities, and the exposure of one or two unusual intervals,
especially the tritone (F - B, for instance).
The ordinary parts of the mass are taken from a Christmas composition
by a Milan cathedral choirmaster of the early Renaissance, Franchino
Gafurio (1451-1522). He was a renowned music theorist in
his time, and his works, though they may not attain the standard expected of
recognized composers, are decently written polyphonic pieces,
interesting to hear. After the Ingressa we sing the Gloria
(#2), before
the Offertorium is the Credo
(#8), after it is the Sanctus
(#10), and
between the Confractorium and the Transitorium is heard the Agnus
(#12).
Both the Sanctus and the Agnus, and also the Kyrie (#25) at the end of the
disc, are extended with inserts, known as tropes, on Christmas themes.
While the liturgical structure of the mass largely conforms to the
Roman mass, the Vespers is considerably different in both its order and
its musical material. The Vespers comprises three parts: the ceremony
of lighting the lamps, psalm singing, and the procession relating to
the ceremony.
During the ceremony of lighting the lamps, an introductory Antiphon (14) is
Sung, after it a Hymn
(#15), then a Responsory
(#16). The hymn (of
which here only the first half is sung) is a composition by Saint
Ambrose. In old Milan, the embellishments inserted into the responsory
were sung by children.
From the psalm-singing part, on this disc we only sing one antiphon
with a brief excerpt from a psalm (#17), then Mary's song of thanks, the
Magnificat (#18),
also abbreviated. This second part is concluded with
the Oratio
(#19).
The procession starts with a brief excerpt from a psalm, known as a
Psalmellus
(#20). While singing this, the choir process to the
baptistry, where first an ornamented 'Responsorium in
baptisterio' (#21)
is
heard, then an excerpt from Zechariah's song of thanks, the
Benedictus (#22). The station is concluded with Oratio
(#23),
then,
after another Psalmellus
(#24), all process from the baptistry to the
cathedral.
The Ambrosian Vespers ends with the Kyrie; thus, we have closed this
disc with the Kyrie (#25) from Gafurio's mass.
Dobszay László
(Translated by Richard Robinson)
Sarlós Boldogasszony ferences kegytemplom, Sümeg