Chapter 3 - Roman Liturgy and Chant

Question 1

What is a church calendar?

Answer 1

This is a cycle of feast days that commemorate events and saints, one for each day of the year

Question 2

What is the most important service in the Catholic church?

Answer 2

The mass, which is held on Sunday, daily in larger churches, and several times a day on important feast days.

Question 3

What is the most important aspect of the mass?

Answer 3

The ritual of communion is the most important aspect of the mass

Question 4

What are the parts of the mass liturgy that change from day to day?

Answer 4

The Proper changes from day to day

Question 5

What parts of the mass are the same with each service?

Answer 5

The Ordinary is unchanged from service to service

Question 6

What are catechumens?

Answer 6

These are those receiving instruction in the church’s teachings but are not yet confirmed and cannot receive communion

Question 7

What are the main musical elements of the mass?

Answer 7

The Kyrie, Gloria, Santus, and Agnus Dei

Question 8

Describe the Office

Answer 8

This is a set of eight services observed daily that consisted of prayer and psalm singing. All the psalms are sung over the course of a single week.

Question 9

What is the antiphon?

Answer 9

This is the chant that is sung before and after the psalm during the Office

Question 10

Texts of the Office are compiled into a book called the _________, and the music in the ___________.

Answer 10

Breviary; Antiphoner

Question 11

Texts of the Mass are compiled into a book called the _________ and the chants into the ___________.

Answer 11

Missel; Gradual

Question 12

What are three performance practices for chant?

Answer 12

Responsorial, Antiphonal, and Direct

Question 13

Describe direct chant

Answer 13

This is where the choir sings as one unit

Question 14

Describe antiphonal chant

Answer 14

This is where the choir is split into two groups that alternate parts when singing chant

Question 15

Describe Responsorial chant

Answer 15

This is where a soloist alternates with the choir or congregation

Question 16

What are three styles of setting chant texts?

Answer 16

Syllabic, Nuematic, and Melismatic

Question 17

Describe a syllabic setting of text

Answer 17

This is where each syllable is given a single note

Question 18

Describe a nuematic setting of text

Answer 18

This is where each syllable can have one to six or so notes - usually one neume per syallable

Question 19

Describe a melismatic setting of text

Answer 19

This is a setting that makes frequent use of melismas by drawing out syllables with long melodic passages

Question 20

What are psalm tones?

Answer 20

These are recitation formulas that are specifically for psalms

Question 21

What is a Trope?

Answer 21

A trope is a type of addition to a chant, be it through adding new words and music, melismas, or text

Question 22

The oldest surviving copies of written music date to when?

Answer 22

Fragments of manuscripts from the 850’s

Question 23

What are sequences?

Answer 23

These are chants that are added to the end of the Alleluia during the mass

Question 24

Describe a liturgical drama

Answer 24

These were dialogues added to a chant or part of the service to help give context to the service. They were usually performed responsively.